Training for a certificate as an LPN can take up to about a year, but is not equivalent to any degree. An LPN has lesser responsibilities than registered nurses, due mainly to the differences in training undertaken. They care for disabled and ill persons in all sorts of medical care facilities as well as private homes. Most of them have to work under the supervision of a RN who is far better trained to handle medical emergencies. There are very diverse job descriptions for LPNs and the need for such low level medical attendance is actually far greater than the requirement of most other medical professionals. So there is no dearth of jobs, and competent LPNs can demand a higher LPN salary.

LPN Salary Information

The median salary of an LPN is about $20 per hour and the more experienced and better trained nurses get salaries at much higher rates. LPNs who are just starting out in a career and in smaller clinics and towns may get even lower salaries, but on an average will still get upwards of $28,000 per year. Median salaries per year are $40,000. Very well paid LPNs can hope to get a salary of about $60,000 per year. Salaries can vary from state to state and from city to city. An average LPN salary in states like Connecticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island, California and New Mexico will be much higher than in other states. Again LPN salary in metropolitan areas will be much higher than the average. Fringe benefits do add to an LPN salary and can be as high as $20,000 per year.

LPN Salaries In Private Practice May Be Higher

There are a lot of nurses who prefer to take up private practice in place of employment. Such work normally includes short term employment, but does include extra perks like free housing, travel allowances and other bonuses. Most such nurses work for employment bureaus, though there are LPNs who practice on their own and have the additional task of negotiating terms of employment for themselves.

LPN Salary Trends

Nursing jobs are considered as sure bets for employment and there is a rare LPN who is out of a job. This requirement is almost independent of the economy , as health care needs never seem to decrease. LPN training in private institutes can be costly and the student has to consider this and the extent of debt that he or she can bear during this training. However tuition and other costs are much lower at community colleges, whose training is equally acceptable to the industry. Students going for such training need to be aware of LPN salary, so that they can evaluate their need for student loans and how these can be repaid.

The Highest Paid LPN State in US

Massachusetts is the state that leads the pack.  It is the highest paid LPN state in US with an average LPN salary of USD 48,180 a year, closely followed by District of Columbia with average annual wages of USD 45,450. Rhode Island places third with average LPN wages of USD 43,460, while LPNs in Delaware earn USD 41,460 a year, on average. New Jersey’s average LPN salary stands at USD 41,240 a year, and LPNs in Maryland also earn over 40K a year with salaries averaging USD 40,600 annually in 2010.  These figures are drawn from a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

LPN Income Considerations – A Word Of Caution

From the report you can easily see that all the states where LPNs earn over USD 40,000 a year are located on the East Coast of the United States. However, it should be noted that these figures are probably well justified as the drivers behind the salary numbers are economic and demographic ones.

The Eastern states are more developed and industrialized, in general. Hence, the standard of living is higher but so too is the cost of living.  As a result LPN pay of USD 49,000 in New York will probably only buy the same food as a salary of USD 16,000 in Puerto Rico.  A similar situation may well be the case with other living expenses, such as rent, for example. Thus, measured against the cost of living and price levels despite the difference in absolute levels of salary that are attainable, the average LPN salary actually provides enough for a decent living standard for professionals in all states.

The East coast features also a relatively dense population of upper class households, determining the higher price of health-care related services which results in higher LPN salary range in these states. The fast growing metro population that needs medical care in the big cities of the East is another factor which leads to higher LPN wages in this part of the country.

All in all, if the absolute level of salary is your yardstick then living in the east coast of the U.S. will mean that your earnings will be at the top end of LPN salaries available.  This is food for thought if you are considering moving to where you might get a better salary.  However, as is clear from above, with higher salaries comes higher costs and it may be the case that chasing the holy dollar may not result in you eating or living any better.

There are many accounts in the media and on the web which suggest that there is a chronic shortage of nurses, both Registered Nurses (RN’s) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN’s) and as a consequence there is almost no doubt that having qualified all a new nurse has to do is to show themselves to prospective employers and they will be welcomed with open arms and overflowing pay-packets. All appears rosy for the prospective LPN looking to start their career in nursing. But, if there is indeed a shortage of nurses in the sector then presumably the LPN salary will be commensurately high in reflection of the urgent need that healthcare employers have to locate suitable job candidates.

Unfortunately, while it would be easy to report here that this situation was indeed the case and that anyone considering training to become an LPN should just jump in with both feet and if they do so then they will never look back as the opportunities are boundless and enriching, the real truth is far from clear. It is true that many employers, especially hospitals report difficulties in recruiting nurses, but the sad reality is that despite encountering such difficulties in recruitment, these same hospitals have cut back their LPN staff at what would appear to be a critical time.

This is clearly demonstrable by reference to the average starter LPN salary. Using payscale.com you can see that the typical LPN salary that is earnt in the early years is in the range $31,973 – $44,783. This rises to and LPN salary range of $46,014 – $66,112 for more experienced practitioners. But what do these figures mean? Many reading this article will simply not be able to qualify with other opportunities.

Well, as a good source of reference in 2008 the national average wage for employees working in the private sector was $50,028, and the average wage for those working in the Federal Civilian sector was $79,197 (an average salary so significantly ahead of where the private productive sector is that it may surprise many reading this). However, given the difficult economic circumstances our country currently faces and the fact that the federal and state sectors are shedding jobs quickly this particular number may not be that relevant. What the above numbers do show however, is that the starter LPN can expect an LPN salary somewhat below the national average, but the more experienced worker may well be at or even slightly higher than the average.

Going back to the question asked in the title to this article – is the LPN salary worth the effort of qualification? The answer would therefore appear to be a tentative “Yes”. The typical LPN salary would appear to be reasonable although clearly not great, the role of the LPN while pretty tough has good prospects, provides great access to further training and development, and gives good job security to those who work hard. These are all important characteristics when the employment environment we currently face is best described as bleak and will likely remain so for the near future.

Salary Can Differ

There’s a sizable difference between the top and the bottom of the LPN salary range. This wide range is generally fueled by demand and cost of living. For instance an LPN in Chicago will almost certainly get a greater wage, however this can be largely because the cost of living there is so excessive. It may at first look like the LPN in NYC is getting a great deal more money that the LPN in Arkansas, however the reality is everything works out in the end, because it really is less expensive to live in Alabama than it’s in a major metropolitan area.

Additional Salary Factors

There are various other aspects that also affect the LPN salary. Factors like need. The bigger the need in your community the more probable the wage will be larger. Of course this isn’t always true either. There are a few areas which are not quite as largely populated as other places, that means that you’ll find less people to take up the expenses of health-related expenditures which in turn means that the health-related facility may have much less funds to pay the LPN.

Typically the LPN might at the very least count on a reasonable wage. The income might not be a fantastically large amount but it will be a fair wage that will pay the bills.

The Role of the LPN

Most folks don’t realize what the LPN’s jobs are precisely. Without a doubt, they know that the LPN takes their temperature and checks their blood pressure, most individuals even realize that the LPN will draw blood, but they don’t realize exactly how essential the LPN’s jobs are to the hospital and the medical center that they work at.

The Mainstay of Health Care

The LPN’s responsibilities go far beyond merely getting temperatures and blood pressure levels. They’re the backbone of all of the medical professionals in the hospital. They are in essence the primary care giver at the clinic. These people get to know the patients and their history, they spend the most time with the patients and they typically play a significant role in the patient’s diagnosis since they can see subtle differences in the patient.

LPNS are able to know not ony the patient but their families as well and one of their most important jobs is to advocate for the patient and the family members. They advocate making sure that the patient is receiving the best possible health care.

You Could be an Administrator

Another part which the LPN plays at the workplace is that of the administrator. They maintain the patients documents up to date, sometimes up to the moment. They create notes in the records that can give clear information to the patient’s condition.

There is no doubt that the LPN role is a tremendous job in healthcare, and that the LPN salary should really fit the significance of the LPN. They’re the 1st line of health care in numerous various healthcare settings.

A licensed practical nurse (LPN) or licensed vocation nurse (LVN) in California and Texas is a part of the health care team under the supervision of nurses and doctors. They assist patients in daily care routine, administer certain medications, and monitor patient condition.

Compensation for LPNs is influenced by various factors such as experience and credentials, location, and industry type. On a survey conducted in 2006 by The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a licensed practical nurse receives an estimated $36,550 each year; the highest would be as high as $43,640 and the lowest would be as little as $26,380.

In a more recent survey by the US National Average Salary in 2009, a licensed practical nurse receives average earnings of $44,212 each year, much higher than the previous years.

Work experience is a big factor in determining how much a licensed practical nurse earns. In fact, an experience of less than a year could have an expected yearly wage of $26,027, which is less compared to the $47,211 annual income of someone with more than 15 years of experience. It is remarkable how experience can significantly increase the salary for LPN.

Choosing the right work location is an important factor in order to get a higher wage; Of course, you also have to consider the living expenses of an area, whether it is expensive or cheap. For example, Connecticut offers an average salary for LPN as high as $50,950 per year. However, if you work in states like North Dakota, you’ll expect an earning of only $29,085.

There are different industries that offer job opportunities for a licensed practical nurse. These can range from hospitals to employment services. The salary for LPN in medical and surgical hospitals approximately reaches $35,000 while those in the employment services have an average salary of $42,110. The prospect of employment for a LPN with specialization is mostly likely to be better.

The health care profession is a rewarding experience. You are called to serve those people who are ill and in need of your care. If you want to more about the salary for LPN, you can check out your local newspaper for job opportunities, the internet, or directly inquire from employers hiring LPNs.

Having said that demand for LPN roles is very good at the moment.  And when demand for the services of a particular skilled worker is high then the average salary expectation for fulfilling that role will also rise accordingly.  But there are LPN roles and LPN roles.  Some facilities will pay more than others so it is worth making sure that you know which type of employer will pay the most and what you should expect from some of the least well paid roles.  This is all a matter of proper research which you really should do on a local basis as national figures will not necessarily give you the steer that you need and indeed may well serve to mislead you as to what sort of salary you can really expect.

It may well surprise you to know that some of the best paid LPN roles and therefore the highest LPN salary that you might expect comes from the provision of LPN services as an agency worker providing temporary employment cover.  This is followed by nursing care facilities, then home healthcare services.  Next comes hospitals and similar facilities and finally physicians medical practices.

If the fact that hospital workers can expect a relatively low LPN salary is more a reflection of the fact that there is significant interest in working in such environments amongst LPN graduates and the competition for jobs allows these employers to pay less as a result.

Overall a typical LPN salary still ranges from between $32,000 to over $50,000, so the decision to train to become an LPN remains a sensible one.  The LPN role is an opportunity to test out your suitability to the nursing role, to gain a nursing qualification that earns a qualification in its own right together with work that assists you, should you subsequently desire it, to go on to further train as, say, a registered nurse (RN).  But also provides you with the potential to earn a decent LPN salary if you choose to stay as an LPN and develop your career within that particular qualification.