Licensed Practical Nurse Hourly Pay (2026): How Much Do LPNs Make Per Hour?

LPN hourly pay varies meaningfully by state, setting, shift, and certification. The national median sits at $32.73/hour, but LPN hourly rates reach $49.57 in top markets like Sunnyvale, CA and exceed $40/hour with shift differentials and agency premiums.

This guide breaks down the five biggest drivers of LPN hourly pay differences across 1690+ U.S. metropolitan areas. Whether you're a new NCLEX-PN graduate, a working LPN considering SNF vs home health, or a director of nursing benchmarking competitive wages, the framework below is the central reference.

1. State and Metro Cost-of-Living

Location drives nominal LPN hourly pay:

• California ($30–$45/hour staff) — California LVNs lead the country with broader scope (IV-certified LVN) plus high COL.
• Massachusetts, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii ($28–$38/hour staff) — high COL anchors.
• New York, New Jersey, Connecticut ($25–$35/hour staff) — NYC LPNs lead state.
• Mid-Atlantic / Midwest / South $20–$28/hour staff — Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois.
• State minimum-wage laws — high-minimum-wage states (CA, WA, CT, NY, MA, CO, NJ, IL) anchor entry-level LPN pay floors.
• State scope-of-practice differences — California LVN IV certification, Texas LVN broader scope, and state-specific authorities affect LPN earning capacity.

2. Setting: SNF / Hospital / Home Health / Private Duty

Setting drives 15–35% pay variation within the same metro:

• SNF / skilled nursing — largest LPN employer category. Strong shift differentials and agency demand. Major chains: Genesis HealthCare, Ensign Group, ProMedica, LCS, Brookdale, Diversicare, Five Star, Consulate, Trilogy.
• Assisted living facility LPN — wellness LPN roles at AL communities (Sunrise Senior Living, Atria, Brookdale, Five Star, Holiday Retirement, Capital Senior Living).
• LTACH / long-term acute care — Kindred / Curahealth / Select Specialty. Higher acuity than SNF supports premium pay.
• Hospital (declining LPN footprint) — increasingly RN-only at acute care. Remaining LPN roles at LTACH, rehab, behavioral health, and outpatient.
• Outpatient clinic / physician office — primary care, internal medicine, family practice clinics. Lower pay than SNF but daytime-only schedule.
• Home health — per-visit pay model. BAYADA, Aveanna, Amedisys, Encompass, AccentCare. Mileage reimbursed.
• Private duty home care — pediatric (trach/vent/G-tube) and geriatric high-acuity. BAYADA Pediatrics, Aveanna Pediatrics, Maxim Healthcare.
• Corrections / state prison LPN — strong base hourly plus state pension benefits.
• School-based LPN — district direct hire or contract via Soliant Health, EBS Healthcare. 10-month calendar.
• Hospice LPN — VITAS Healthcare, Hospice of the Valley, Compassus, Crossroads, Amedisys Hospice. Strong demand.

3. Shift Differentials and Overtime

How you stack shifts dramatically changes effective hourly rate:

• Evening shift differential — typically $2–$5/hour at SNFs.
• Night shift differential — typically $3–$8/hour at SNFs (largest single differential).
• Weekend differential — typically $2–$6/hour.
• Holiday pay — typically 1.5× base.
• Charge LPN pay — typically $1–$3/hour while serving as shift charge.
• Preceptor pay — typically $1–$2/hour while precepting new LPNs or LPN students.
• California / Alaska double-time — state law requires 2× pay after 12 consecutive hours in California; after 8 hours in some Alaska union contracts.

4. Experience and Certifications

LPN experience and certification stacking add per-hour value:

• New graduate LPN ($18–$24/hour starting) — fresh NCLEX-PN passers at SNF or LTACH.
• 2–5 year LPN ($22–$30/hour) — most reach state median by year 3.
• 5–10 year LPN ($26–$36/hour) — senior staff with charge / preceptor responsibilities.
• 10+ year LPN ($30–$42/hour staff) — established with department lead roles.
• IV certification (California, Texas, many states) — IV-certified LPNs / LVNs earn premium especially in California ($3–$8/hour premium).
• NAPNES specialty certifications — Pharmacology, IV Therapy, Long-Term Care, Wound Care, Gerontology. Each supports modest hourly premium.
• WCC (Wound Care Certified) — wound care LPNs at SNFs and hospitals earn premium.
• NCBPP (National Certified Phlebotomy Practitioner) — additional credential for LPNs in hospital outpatient.
• LPN-to-RN bridge programs — many LPNs pursue ADN / BSN bridge programs while working. Strong RN salary delta motivates this transition.

5. Agency / Per Diem / Travel LPN Strategy

Non-staff employment structures consistently outperform staff hourly:

• Agency / per diem rates — 25–50% premium over staff base. Major platforms: Aya Healthcare, Cross Country, ConnectRN, Clipboard Health, ShiftMed, IntelyCare, Trusted Health.
• Travel LPN packages — emerging segment. Travel LPN rates of $28–$45/hour plus non-taxable per-diem (housing, meals).
• Private duty premium — BAYADA Pediatrics, Aveanna pediatric private duty pay competitive plus mileage.
• Government LPN (VA, BOP federal prison, IHS) — federal LPN with pension and PSLF.
• Multi-facility strategy — splitting time between staff at one facility and per diem at another can blend higher rates.

2026 LPN Hourly Pay Outlook

LPN pay has grown at a compound annual rate of 5.70% nationally over the past five years — driven by SNF / LTACH staffing crisis, aging-population-driven long-term care demand, expanding home health and hospice demand, agency competition driving premium rates, and ongoing LPN-to-RN bridge pipeline pressure on LPN supply. The BLS projects LPN employment growth at 3% through 2033, with strong upward pay pressure especially at agency / per diem and California LVN markets.