Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Massachusetts make a median of $80,220 a year, or about $38.57 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.09), that's roughly $80,148 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,347/month, about 46.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Massachusetts. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in Massachusetts?
About licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
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What this looks like in Massachusetts
Massachusetts sits well above the national pay line for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,347/month, which is 46.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Massachusetts
Entry-level licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary by metro in Massachusetts
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $82K | +2% | 8,410 |
| Barnstable Town | $81K | +1% | 370 |
| Worcester | $79K | -1% | 2,030 |
| Pittsfield | $78K | -2% | 380 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton | $78K | -3% | 220 |
| Springfield | $78K | -3% | 920 |
Compare to other states
Track licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Massachusetts numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Massachusetts?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 46.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,347/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Massachusetts?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,701/month. At HUD’s $2,347/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Massachusetts?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $80K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Massachusetts compare to the national average for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
Massachusetts pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make in Massachusetts?
The median is $80,220 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,690, and experienced licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses can clear $93,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Massachusetts?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,068/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,347/month, which eats 46.3% 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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has a Regional Price Parity of 100.09 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses salary is worth about $80,148 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.