Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Lafayette, LA make a median of $51,580 a year, or about $24.8 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $59,145 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,019/month, about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). 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 Lafayette
Pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in Lafayette runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,019/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in metros near Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $61K | $65K |
| Baton Rouge | $60K | $66K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $58K | $69K |
| Monroe | $55K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette, LA
Entry-level licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $21K 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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Frequently asked questions
Can a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette?
Yes — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 29.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,019/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 Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,503/month. At HUD’s $1,019/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Lafayette?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $52K here vs. $64K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lafayette compare to the national average for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
Lafayette pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make in Lafayette, LA?
The median is $51,580 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,710, and experienced licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses can clear $62,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,489/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,019/month, which eats 29.2% 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 Lafayette?
Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (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 $59,145 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.