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Salary comparison

Athletic Trainers vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: Who Earns More?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess out-earn Athletic Trainerss by $2K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Athletic Trainerss land at $62,520 and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess at $64,400. The education gap is real: athletic trainer programs typically require bachelor's degree, while licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Athletic Trainerss is California ($78,490); for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess it's Washington ($83,150).

Athletic Trainers
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Median salary
$62,520
$64,400
Hourly rate
$null/hr
$30.96/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$48,180
$49,740
Senior level (90th %)
$88,760
$83,440
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
30,500
648,410
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
California
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Athletic Trainers median pay.

State
Athletic Trainers
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
California
$78,490
$79,750
New Jersey
$76,210
$75,160
District of Columbia
$74,450
$75,740
Massachusetts
$70,010
$80,220
Connecticut
$69,960
$73,690
Illinois
$64,750
$75,000
Colorado
$64,580
$73,880
Maryland
$63,970
$74,660
Washington
$63,750
$83,150
Rhode Island
$63,750
$80,090
Maine
$61,970
$73,200
Arizona
$61,710
$77,070
New Hampshire
$60,200
$77,110
Nevada
$59,820
$76,160
Oregon
$57,790
$80,470

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Athletic Trainerss or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess earn more nationally. The median is $62,520 for Athletic Trainerss versus $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess, a difference of $2K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Athletic Trainers or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Athletic Trainers or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Athletic Trainers typically requires bachelor's degree. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses requires postsecondary nondegree award. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Athletic Trainerss get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Athletic Trainerss at $78,490/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Athletic Trainers vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Athletic Trainerss earn $78,490 vs. $79,750 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Athletic Trainers salary breakdownView →Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for Athletic Trainerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by take-home payExplore →How to become a athletic trainersGuide →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →