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Salary comparison

Surgeons, All Other vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: Who Earns More?

Surgeons, All Others out-earn Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by $350K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Surgeons, All Others land at $414,010 and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess at $64,400. The education gap is real: surgeons, all other programs typically require doctoral or professional degree, while licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Surgeons, All Others is North Dakota ($604,890); for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess it's Washington ($83,150).

Surgeons, All Other
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Median salary
$414,010
$64,400
Hourly rate
$199.04/hr
$30.96/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$80,320
$49,740
Senior level (90th %)
$655,320
$83,440
Education required
Doctoral or professional degree
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
25,140
648,410
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
North Dakota
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Surgeons, All Other median pay.

State
Surgeons, All Other
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
New Hampshire
$534,870
$77,110
Washington
$479,460
$83,150
Indiana
$459,300
$65,720
Vermont
$438,530
$69,930
Illinois
$438,010
$75,000
New Jersey
$437,890
$75,160
Arizona
$415,980
$77,070
Michigan
$412,460
$65,460
New York
$410,410
$67,180
Massachusetts
$387,150
$80,220
Maryland
$328,700
$74,660
Nevada
$326,520
$76,160
Rhode Island
$199,990
$80,090
Connecticut
$161,680
$73,690
California
$131,990
$79,750

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Surgeons, All Others or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess?

Surgeons, All Others earn more nationally. The median is $414,010 for Surgeons, All Others versus $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess, a difference of $350K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Surgeons, All Other 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, Surgeons, All Other or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Surgeons, All Other 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 Surgeons, All Others get paid the most?

North Dakota is the top-paying state for Surgeons, All Others at $604,890/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Surgeons, All Other vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New Hampshire, Surgeons, All Others earn $534,870 vs. $77,110 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Surgeons, All Other salary breakdownView →Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for Surgeons, All Others by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by take-home payExplore →How to become a surgeons, all otherGuide →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →