Skip to content
AffordMap
Salary comparison

General Internal Medicine Physicians vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: Who Earns More?

General Internal Medicine Physicianss out-earn Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by $192K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. General Internal Medicine Physicianss land at $256,560 and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess at $64,400. The education gap is real: general internal medicine physician programs typically require doctoral or professional degree, while licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for General Internal Medicine Physicianss is Georgia ($425,460); for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess it's Washington ($83,150).

General Internal Medicine Physicians
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Median salary
$256,560
$64,400
Hourly rate
$123.35/hr
$30.96/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$73,570
$49,740
Senior level (90th %)
$475,430
$83,440
Education required
Doctoral or professional degree
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
67,150
648,410
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
Georgia
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by General Internal Medicine Physicians median pay.

State
General Internal Medicine Physicians
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Rhode Island
$379,490
$80,090
Alaska
$366,080
$80,800
Washington
$340,010
$83,150
California
$313,890
$79,750
Colorado
$299,990
$73,880
Massachusetts
$285,250
$80,220
Oregon
$268,570
$80,470
Maryland
$260,410
$74,660
Arizona
$259,320
$77,070
New Hampshire
$229,210
$77,110
District of Columbia
$223,250
$75,740
Connecticut
$208,000
$73,690
Illinois
$140,680
$75,000
Nevada
$114,090
$76,160
New Jersey
$89,990
$75,160

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

Common questions

Who earns more, General Internal Medicine Physicianss or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess?

General Internal Medicine Physicianss earn more nationally. The median is $256,560 for General Internal Medicine Physicianss versus $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess, a difference of $192K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, General Internal Medicine Physicians 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, General Internal Medicine Physicians or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

General Internal Medicine Physicians typically requires doctoral or professional degree. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses requires postsecondary nondegree award. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do General Internal Medicine Physicianss get paid the most?

Georgia is the top-paying state for General Internal Medicine Physicianss at $425,460/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does General Internal Medicine Physicians vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Rhode Island, General Internal Medicine Physicianss earn $379,490 vs. $80,090 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full General Internal Medicine Physicians salary breakdownView →Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for General Internal Medicine Physicianss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by take-home payExplore →How to become a general internal medicine physiciansGuide →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →