Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Owensboro, KY make a median of $62,180 a year, or about $29.9 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.61), which stretches that salary to about $70,173 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 27.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $62K get you in Owensboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Owensboro’s Regional Price Parity (88.61). 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 Owensboro
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses pay in Owensboro tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,110/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.61 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in metros near Owensboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $64K | $69K |
| Lexington-Fayette | $61K | $66K |
| Paducah | $62K | $72K |
| Bowling Green | $61K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Owensboro, KY
Entry-level licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $23K 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 Owensboro?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 26.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/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 Owensboro?
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 $2,997/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Owensboro?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Owensboro compare to the national average for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
Owensboro pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make in Owensboro, KY?
The median is $62,180 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,950, and experienced licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses can clear $72,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Owensboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,126/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 26.9% 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 Owensboro?
Owensboro has a Regional Price Parity of 88.61 (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 $70,173 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.