Healthcare practitioners
Licensed practical nurse (LPN)
Care for ill, injured, or convalescing patients or persons with disabilities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group homes, and similar institutions. May work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Licensing required.
Median pay
$64,400
Growth to 2035
+3%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
51,800
Time to qualify*
14 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Licensed practical nurse (LPN)
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
- Required
- NCLEX-PN exam · State LPN/LVN license
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Licensed practical nurse (LPN): 15% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action.
- Measure and record patients' vital signs, such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration.
- Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients' charts.
- Provide basic patient care or treatments, such as taking temperatures or blood pressures, dressing wounds, treating bedsores, giving enemas or douches, rubbing with alcohol, massaging, or performing catheterizations.
- Answer patients' calls and determine how to assist them.
- Supervise nurses' aides or assistants.
- Evaluate nursing intervention outcomes, conferring with other healthcare team members as necessary.
- Work as part of a healthcare team to assess patient needs, plan and modify care, and implement interventions.
Also called: Charge Nurse · Clinic Licensed Practical Nurse (Clinic LPN) · Clinic Nurse · Home Health Licensed Practical Nurse (Home Health LPN) · Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) · Office Nurse · Pediatric LPN (Pediatric Licensed Practical Nurse) · Private Duty Nurse
Outlook and AI
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) held 666,900 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 686,700 by 2035 (+3%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Licensed practical nurse (LPN) vs. Registered nurse
- Licensed practical nurse (LPN) vs. Nursing assistant
- Licensed practical nurse (LPN) vs. Medical assistant
- Licensed practical nurse (LPN) vs. Paramedic
- Licensed practical nurse (LPN) vs. Nurse practitioner
- Licensed practical nurse (LPN) vs. Emergency medical technician
- Licensed practical nurse (LPN) vs. Home health and personal care aides