Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Louisiana make a median of $57,470 a year, or about $27.63 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $65,846 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 31.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $57K get you in Louisiana?
About licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in Louisiana runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,191/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $61K | +6% | 2,940 |
| Baton Rouge | $60K | +4% | 2,900 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $60K | +4% | 960 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $58K | +2% | 1,840 |
| Hammond | $56K | -3% | 470 |
| Monroe | $55K | -4% | 1,130 |
| Alexandria | $55K | -5% | 690 |
| Lake Charles | $53K | -7% | 890 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $53K | -7% | 520 |
| Lafayette | $52K | -10% | 2,100 |
Compare to other states
Track licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 30.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,749/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $57K here vs. $64K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
Louisiana pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make in Louisiana?
The median is $57,470 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,810, and experienced licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses can clear $66,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,863/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 30.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses salary go in Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $65,846 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.