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Salary comparison

Hearing Aid Specialists vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: Who Earns More?

Hearing Aid Specialists out-earn Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses by $760 a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Hearing Aid Specialists land at $65,160 and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses at $64,400. The education gap is real: hearing aid specialist programs typically require bachelor's degree, while licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Hearing Aid Specialists is New York ($82,990); for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses it's Washington ($83,150).

Hearing Aid Specialists
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Median salary
$65,160
$64,400
Hourly rate
$31.33/hr
$30.96/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$38,400
$49,740
Senior level (90th %)
$94,020
$83,440
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
11,270
648,410
Job growth (10-year)
18.4%
2.6%
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
New York
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Hearing Aid Specialists median pay.

State
Hearing Aid Specialists
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Nevada
$81,800
$76,160
California
$80,060
$79,750
Colorado
$77,540
$73,880
Washington
$77,510
$83,150
Maryland
$77,460
$74,660
Arizona
$76,750
$77,070
New Jersey
$75,720
$75,160
Massachusetts
$75,310
$80,220
Alaska
$75,300
$80,800
Hawaii
$74,800
$71,140
Connecticut
$74,520
$73,690
Oregon
$66,350
$80,470
Illinois
$63,050
$75,000
Delaware
$59,160
$68,710
Vermont
$57,850
$69,930

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Hearing Aid Specialists or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Hearing Aid Specialists earn more nationally. The median is $65,160 for Hearing Aid Specialists versus $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses, a difference of $760. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Hearing Aid Specialists or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Hearing Aid Specialists has the better 10-year outlook at 18.4% projected growth, compared to 2.6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Hearing Aid Specialists or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Hearing Aid Specialists 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 Hearing Aid Specialists get paid the most?

New York is the top-paying state for Hearing Aid Specialists at $82,990/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Hearing Aid Specialists vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Nevada, Hearing Aid Specialists earn $81,800 vs. $76,160 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Hearing Aid Specialists salary breakdownView →Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for Hearing Aid Specialists by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses by take-home payExplore →How to become a hearing aid specialistsGuide →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →