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Salary comparison

Medical Records Specialists vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: Who Earns More?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses out-earn Medical Records Specialists by $13K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Medical Records Specialists land at $51,140 and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses at $64,400. The education gap is real: medical records specialist programs typically require bachelor's degree, while licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Medical Records Specialists is District of Columbia ($72,040); for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses it's Washington ($83,150).

Medical Records Specialists
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Median salary
$51,140
$64,400
Hourly rate
$24.59/hr
$30.96/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$37,000
$49,740
Senior level (90th %)
$81,150
$83,440
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
194,720
648,410
Job growth (10-year)
7.1%
2.6%
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Medical Records Specialists median pay.

State
Medical Records Specialists
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
District of Columbia
$72,040
$75,740
Rhode Island
$63,960
$80,090
Washington
$62,270
$83,150
California
$61,810
$79,750
Alaska
$61,090
$80,800
Connecticut
$60,940
$73,690
Massachusetts
$60,350
$80,220
Colorado
$59,020
$73,880
Oregon
$59,000
$80,470
Illinois
$56,440
$75,000
Maryland
$54,220
$74,660
Nevada
$50,300
$76,160
New Jersey
$50,240
$75,160
New Hampshire
$49,210
$77,110
Arizona
$47,630
$77,070

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Medical Records Specialists or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses earn more nationally. The median is $51,140 for Medical Records Specialists versus $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses, a difference of $13K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Medical Records Specialists or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Medical Records Specialists has the better 10-year outlook at 7.1% projected growth, compared to 2.6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Medical Records Specialists or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Medical Records 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 Medical Records Specialists get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Medical Records Specialists at $72,040/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Medical Records Specialists vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Medical Records Specialists earn $72,040 vs. $75,740 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Medical Records Specialists salary breakdownView →Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for Medical Records Specialists by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses by take-home payExplore →How to become a medical records specialistsGuide →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →