Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in North Carolina make a median of $63,270 a year, or about $30.42 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $68,282 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 30.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $63K get you in North Carolina?
About licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,284/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 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary by metro in North Carolina
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $67K | +6% | 960 |
| Asheville | $65K | +3% | 860 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $65K | +3% | 3,890 |
| Fayetteville | $65K | +2% | 980 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $64K | +1% | 1,740 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $64K | +1% | 1,470 |
| Burlington | $63K | +0% | 260 |
| Wilmington | $63K | +0% | 790 |
| Winston-Salem | $63K | -0% | 1,330 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $62K | -1% | 740 |
| Rocky Mount | $62K | -2% | 200 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $62K | -2% | 240 |
| Greenville | $62K | -3% | 610 |
| Jacksonville | $61K | -4% | 130 |
| Goldsboro | $60K | -4% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 30.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,029/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
North Carolina pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make in North Carolina?
The median is $63,270 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,480, and experienced licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses can clear $74,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,169/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $68,282 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.