What is a licensed practical nurse?
A licensed practical nurse (LPN) provides basic nursing care under a registered nurse or physician. The title is licensed vocational nurse (LVN) in California and Texas. The median LPN earned $64,400 in May 2025.
The training
Practical nursing programs run about a year at community colleges and technical schools. Graduates take the NCLEX-PN. In 2025, 86.6% of US-educated candidates passed on their first attempt.
The work
LPNs take vital signs, change dressings, give medication, help with daily care and record observations. They work in nursing homes, home health, clinics and hospitals. What an LPN may do, such as giving intravenous medication, is set by each state.
Pay and outlook
648,410 LPNs were employed in May 2025. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 3% growth from 2025 to 2035. See LPN pay by state. Many LPNs later bridge to registered nurse, covered in LPN or RN.
Pay and projections: Bureau of Labor Statistics. NCLEX figures: NCSBN. Enrollment: AACN. Sources and years are ondata sources.