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How to Become an LPN: Licensed Practical Nurse Education & Licensing

Learn what it takes to prepare for a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

Licensed Practical Nurse At a Glance

What you’ll do: You’ll provide basic bedside care for the sick, injured, and convalescent, under the direction of physicians and registered nurses. You’ll do such tasks as give injections, take vital signs, perform diagnostic tests, dress wounds, and administer medication.

Where you’ll work: Health care facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, mental health institutions, private homes, community health clinics, and public health departments

Degree you’ll need: Graduation from an accredited LPN program and pass the National Council Licensure Exam

Median annual salary: $59,730

Education Requirements

In order to become a practicing LPN, you’ll need a high school diploma or GED, and then you’ll need to graduate from an accredited LPN program. LPN programs generally include one year of coursework and practical application at a hospital, vocational technical school or community college.

Standard coursework in an LPN program—in addition to supervised clinical practice in patient care—covers the following studies:

LPN Program Coursework

Biology
First aid
Chemistry
Physical education
Anatomy
Foods and nutrition
Psychology
Child growth and development
Emergency medical technology

LPN to RN

Licensed practical nurses often transition into registered nursing. You can go back to the technical school or community college for an additional year to earn an associate’s degree, which will qualify you to become a Registered Nurse after taking the NCLEX exam in your state. Another way to become an RN is to enter an LPN to Baccalaureate program. Some colleges have special LPN programs which will allow you to get credit for some of your prior courses, and then go on to earn a BSN degree and RN. These are called LPN-to-BSN Programs.

Median Annual LPN Salary

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports median annual salaries for LPNs rest at $59,730. You can find your state’s median annual pay below.

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

National data

Median Salary: $59,730

Projected job growth: 5.3%

10th Percentile: $45,670

25th Percentile: $50,640

75th Percentile: $67,140

90th Percentile: $77,870

Projected job growth: 5.3%

State data

State	Median Salary	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
Alabama	$48,330	$33,710	$61,530
Alaska	$75,610	$57,740	$93,540
Arizona	$65,500	$54,060	$77,190
Arkansas	$48,790	$38,100	$60,390
California	$75,610	$61,500	$96,790
Colorado	$64,720	$50,680	$77,240
Connecticut	$65,670	$57,230	$78,930
Delaware	$63,190	$53,080	$72,460
District of Columbia	$67,700	$55,320	$81,020
Florida	$56,730	$45,780	$68,750
Georgia	$54,770	$41,350	$69,220
Hawaii	$61,110	$51,420	$74,100
Idaho	$55,610	$26,580	$74,210
Illinois	$62,600	$49,160	$79,440
Indiana	$60,500	$48,170	$72,470
Iowa	$54,460	$46,440	$65,390
Kansas	$55,540	$42,200	$66,860
Kentucky	$56,040	$43,710	$64,790
Louisiana	$50,000	$39,200	$61,840
Maine	$63,950	$51,240	$124,330
Maryland	$64,510	$52,110	$80,150
Massachusetts	$73,380	$62,230	$82,850
Michigan	$61,850	$47,840	$74,400
Minnesota	$58,870	$48,820	$69,090
Mississippi	$48,260	$37,540	$60,170
Missouri	$56,030	$43,990	$64,410
Montana	$55,840	$42,640	$68,460
Nebraska	$57,580	$43,410	$65,660
Nevada	$64,920	$52,490	$78,770
New Hampshire	$70,620	$54,350	$90,260
New Jersey	$64,620	$57,940	$76,510
New Mexico	$60,370	$36,570	$73,680
New York	$62,360	$49,250	$76,890
North Carolina	$58,590	$47,130	$70,160
North Dakota	$57,910	$49,100	$67,350
Ohio	$58,130	$46,310	$70,420
Oklahoma	$50,510	$39,960	$61,680
Oregon	$71,040	$59,210	$84,300
Pennsylvania	$59,650	$47,020	$72,270
Rhode Island	$76,840	$61,190	$102,540
South Carolina	$56,710	$45,740	$67,380
South Dakota	$49,610	$38,660	$59,010
Tennessee	$49,780	$37,230	$62,370
Texas	$57,010	$45,100	$70,530
Utah	$57,200	$40,730	$74,500
Vermont	$62,550	$49,210	$80,130
Virginia	$58,200	$45,000	$72,800
Washington	$76,190	$59,190	$92,540
West Virginia	$47,610	$38,320	$63,240
Wisconsin	$57,150	$48,520	$68,910
Wyoming	$57,470	$48,080	$71,410

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2023 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries may vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

LPN Licensing

To earn an LPN license, you must pass a state administered nursing examination, called the NCLEX-PN. To qualify to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam, you must first complete a LPN/LVN education program that is approved by your state’s Board of Nursing.