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Salary comparison

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses vs. Pharmacy Technicians: Who Earns More?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess out-earn Pharmacy Technicianss by $19K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess land at $64,400 and Pharmacy Technicianss at $45,750. The education gap is real: licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs typically require postsecondary nondegree award, while pharmacy technician programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess is Washington ($83,150); for Pharmacy Technicianss it's Washington ($58,900).

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Pharmacy Technicians
Median salary
$64,400
$45,750
Hourly rate
$30.96/hr
$22/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$49,740
$36,020
Senior level (90th %)
$83,440
$61,040
Education required
Postsecondary nondegree award
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
648,410
471,680
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
Washington
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses median pay.

State
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Pharmacy Technicians
Washington
$83,150
$58,900
Alaska
$80,800
$52,640
Oregon
$80,470
$54,900
California
$79,750
$55,110
New Hampshire
$77,110
$47,360
Arizona
$77,070
$47,640
Nevada
$76,160
$47,980
District of Columbia
$75,740
$47,410
Colorado
$73,880
$49,970
Vermont
$69,930
$47,940
Minnesota
$63,750
$48,300
Wyoming
$63,460
$48,260
Utah
$63,230
$48,140
North Dakota
$62,300
$47,560
Montana
$62,210
$49,400

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess or Pharmacy Technicianss?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess earn more nationally. The median is $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess versus $45,750 for Pharmacy Technicianss, a difference of $19K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses or Pharmacy Technicians?

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, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses or Pharmacy Technicians?

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

Where do Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess at $83,150/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses vs. Pharmacy Technicians pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess earn $83,150 vs. $58,900 for Pharmacy Technicianss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Full Pharmacy Technicians salary breakdownView →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Pharmacy Technicianss by take-home payExplore →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →How to become a pharmacy techniciansGuide →