Medical Skilled Trades
Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN)
LPNs (called LVNs in some states) give basic nursing care under the direction of registered nurses and doctors. Training takes about a year, and LPN-to-RN programs can lead to becoming a registered nurse.
1.Career snapshot
- Role
- Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN)
- Pay (planning range)
- $50K–$75K+ Wealth Playbook guide, 2026
- Training time
- 12–18 months
- Pathway
- Patient Care
- Demand
- Employment of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is projected to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
- Patient contact
- High
- Occupation code
- SOC 29-2061 · O*NET 29-2061.00
- Career advancement potential
2.What you'll do
Everyday work and where it happens
You check patients' vital signs, change dressings, help with bathing or dressing and, in some states, give medications. You listen to patients' concerns, chart changes in their condition, and report to the RN or physician. With experience, and where your state allows it, you may also oversee other LPNs or unlicensed staff.
Typical duties
- Monitor patients' blood pressure, temperature and other vital signs
- In some states, give medications or start IV drips
- Provide basic care and comfort such as changing bandages and helping with bathing or dressing
- Discuss care with patients and listen to their concerns
- Report patients' status to registered nurses, advanced practice nurses or physicians
- Document care and maintain health records
- Where you could work
- Nursing and residential care facilities, Hospitals, Home health care services, Offices of physicians, Government
- Schedule
- Most LPNs/LVNs work full time. Some work nights, weekends and holidays because care takes place at all hours, and shifts can be longer than 8 hours.
- Physical demands
- You need physical stamina: the job involves long periods on your feet and bending over patients.
- Patient contact
- High
3.How to get there
Education, training, exams and licensing
- Typical training
- Approved nursing program + license
- Training time
- 12–18 months
1.Finish high school or an equivalent
Check each program's entry rules. Practical nursing programs are offered at community colleges and technical schools, and some high schools offer them too.
2.Complete a state-approved practical nursing program
Programs typically take about one year and cover nursing fundamentals, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology and supervised clinical experience. They are offered at community colleges and technical schools.
3.Pass the NCLEX-PN
Graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses to become licensed.
4.Apply for your state license
Your state board of nursing issues the LPN or LVN license. Some employers also require CPR or BLS certification.
Exams and credentials
- NCLEX-PN - National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCSBN)
Licensing
LPNs and LVNs must complete a state-approved program and pass the NCLEX-PN to be licensed. Every state licenses practical/vocational nurses through its board of nursing, and what tasks LPNs may perform (such as IV therapy) depends on state rules. Requirements vary by state; check your state board of nursing.
Look up your state's license requirements (opens in a new tab)
4.What it costs
Tuition, fees, exams and financial aid
Costs vary by program.
NCLEX registration fee: $200 for U.S. licensure; rising to $350 for registrations on or after February 1, 2027 (nclex.com, read October 2026). State board application fees are separate.
Grants, loans and work-study can help pay for an eligible program. Start with the FAFSA at studentaid.gov (opens in a new tab), and ask each program what its total cost includes.
5.What you can earn
Starting, median and experienced pay, and where the figures come from
Planning range
$50K–$75K+
Planning range from the Wealth Playbook medical careers guide, 2026
Local wage data isn't loaded yet, so this is a broad planning range, not a wage figure.
A planning range is broad and has no median: it is for planning, not a promise of pay. Starting, median and experienced wages will show here when BLS wage data is loaded.
For reference only (not this page's pay figure): BLS median, May 2025, national: $64,400 a year (source, opens in a new tab).
6.Jobs near you
Coming soon
We plan to show local openings here once a job-data source is connected. Until then, you can search current listings yourself.
7.Career ladder
Next certifications and roles
- Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN)(this career)
- Charge nurse or supervisory LPN(BLS says experienced LPNs may move into supervisory positions; O*NET lists Charge Nurse among reported job titles.)
- Registered Nurse (RN)(Needs more education: an LPN-to-RN program leading to an associate's degree, a diploma or a bachelor's degree (BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical), plus the RN licensing exam.)
8.Your wealth path
From your first paycheck to owning and investing
Train
Certify
Get hired
Advance
Build wealth
Own / invest
Estimated take-home pay
Low end of the planning range: $50,000 a year
About $40,464 a year ($3,372 a month)
High end of the planning range: $75,000 a year
About $58,149 a year ($4,846 a month)
Estimate only. Assumptions: tax year 2026, single filer, the standard deduction, federal income tax, FICA at 7.65%, and a default state income tax rate of 5.00% (choose a state above to use its rate). No retirement contributions or other deductions. The Paycheck calculator uses the same engine.
9.Find training
Free U.S. Department of Labor resources. We don't list or rank schools.
Registered apprenticeships exist for some of these roles. For licensed careers, check that a program meets your state's licensing rules.
10.Compare careers
Save this career and put it beside others
Sources
- Pay: Planning range from the Wealth Playbook medical careers guide, 2026 (a planning range, not wage data).
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (opens in a new tab)
- O*NET OnLine: 29-2061.00 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (opens in a new tab)
- NCLEX: Fees & Payment (opens in a new tab)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Registered Nurses (opens in a new tab)