Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Fort Smith, AR-OK make a median of $55,880 a year, or about $26.86 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $65,060 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $937/month, or 25.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $56K get you in Fort Smith?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Smith’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). 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 Fort Smith
Pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in Fort Smith runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $64K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $937/month, 25% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Fort Smith can be a reasonable trade-off for licensed practical and licensed vocational nursess who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in metros near Fort Smith, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $59K | $66K |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $62K | $68K |
| Jonesboro | $51K | $59K |
| Hot Springs | $56K | $65K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Smith, AR-OK
Entry-level licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $13K 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)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Smith?
Yes — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 25% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $937/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 Fort Smith?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,877/month. At HUD’s $937/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Fort Smith?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $56K here vs. $64K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
Fort Smith pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The median is $55,880 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,950, and experienced licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses can clear $61,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Fort Smith?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,744/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $937/month, which eats 25% 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 Fort Smith?
Fort Smith has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (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 $65,060 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.