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Salary comparison

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

Registered Nursess out-earn Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by $33K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess land at $64,400 and Registered Nursess at $97,550. The education gap is real: licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs typically require postsecondary nondegree award, while registered nurse programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess is Washington ($83,150); for Registered Nursess it's California ($140,270).

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Registered Nurses
Median salary
$64,400
$97,550
Hourly rate
$30.96/hr
$46.9/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$49,740
$68,940
Senior level (90th %)
$83,440
$137,470
Education required
Postsecondary nondegree award
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
648,410
3,379,720
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
4.9%
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
Washington
California

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
Registered Nurses
Washington
$83,150
$124,200
Alaska
$80,800
$109,480
Oregon
$80,470
$129,010
Massachusetts
$80,220
$104,550
Rhode Island
$80,090
$100,640
California
$79,750
$140,270
Nevada
$76,160
$103,670
District of Columbia
$75,740
$102,540
New Jersey
$75,160
$106,500
Maryland
$74,660
$99,790
Colorado
$73,880
$100,260
Connecticut
$73,690
$102,740
Hawaii
$71,140
$136,320
New York
$67,180
$109,440
Minnesota
$63,750
$101,510

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess or Registered Nursess?

Registered Nursess earn more nationally. The median is $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess versus $97,550 for Registered Nursess, a difference of $33K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

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

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses typically requires postsecondary nondegree award. Registered Nurses 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. Registered Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess earn $83,150 vs. $124,200 for Registered Nursess. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Full Registered Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Registered Nursess by take-home payExplore →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →How to become a registered nursesGuide →