Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Dubuque, IA make a median of $63,750 a year, or about $30.65 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.33), which stretches that salary to about $72,999 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,077/month, or 25.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $64K get you in Dubuque?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dubuque’s Regional Price Parity (87.33). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
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What this looks like in Dubuque
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses pay in Dubuque tracks closely to the national median, $64K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,077/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in metros near Dubuque, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $64K | $69K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $64K | $72K |
| Cedar Rapids | $62K | $70K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $60K | $69K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dubuque, IA
Entry-level licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $83K | +29% | 6,780 |
| Alaska | $81K | +25% | 290 |
| Oregon | $80K | +25% | 4,260 |
| Massachusetts | $80K | +25% | 13,210 |
| Rhode Island | $80K | +24% | 1,290 |
| California | $80K | +24% | 82,850 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | +20% | 2,220 |
| Arizona | $77K | +20% | 6,530 |
| Nevada | $76K | +18% | 3,350 |
| District of Columbia | $76K | +18% | 1,040 |
| New Jersey | $75K | +17% | 17,410 |
| Illinois | $75K | +16% | 17,440 |
| Maryland | $75K | +16% | 9,560 |
| Colorado | $74K | +15% | 4,920 |
| Connecticut | $74K | +14% | 8,540 |
| Maine | $73K | +14% | 760 |
| Hawaii | $71K | +10% | 840 |
| Vermont | $70K | +9% | 1,130 |
| Delaware | $69K | +7% | 2,240 |
| New York | $67K | +4% | 39,400 |
| Indiana | $66K | +2% | 14,480 |
| Michigan | $65K | +2% | 10,880 |
| Virginia | $65K | +1% | 15,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | -1% | 38,260 |
| Idaho | $64K | -1% | 1,880 |
| Wisconsin | $64K | -1% | 7,390 |
| Minnesota | $64K | -1% | 12,840 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -1% | 480 |
| North Carolina | $63K | -2% | 18,010 |
| Utah | $63K | -2% | 1,680 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -3% | 4,580 |
| Iowa | $63K | -3% | 5,510 |
| North Dakota | $62K | -3% | 1,920 |
| Texas | $62K | -3% | 57,560 |
| Montana | $62K | -3% | 1,620 |
| Georgia | $62K | -4% | 21,060 |
| Ohio | $62K | -4% | 39,900 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -4% | 9,400 |
| Florida | $62K | -4% | 38,620 |
| Kansas | $62K | -4% | 7,530 |
| Missouri | $62K | -4% | 14,700 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -6% | 8,570 |
| New Mexico | $59K | -8% | 2,460 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -9% | 20,830 |
| Oklahoma | $58K | -9% | 11,540 |
| Louisiana | $57K | -11% | 17,600 |
| Alabama | $57K | -11% | 11,580 |
| Arkansas | $57K | -12% | 10,010 |
| West Virginia | $55K | -14% | 6,050 |
| South Dakota | $53K | -18% | 2,050 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -22% | 9,850 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses salary changes
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Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Dubuque?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 25.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in Dubuque?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,071/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse a high-paying job in Dubuque?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Dubuque compare to the national average for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
Dubuque pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make in Dubuque, IA?
The median is $63,750 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,180, and experienced licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses can clear $76,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Dubuque?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,169/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 25.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses salary go in Dubuque?
Dubuque has a Regional Price Parity of 87.33 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses salary is worth about $72,999 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.