Licensed Practical Nurse Salary in Michigan: $70,927 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across Michigan's 54 metropolitan areas, the average median licensed practical nurse pay sits at $70,927/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 29-2061. Because Michigan sits at BEA RPP 93.2 (7% below the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $76,102 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Niles ($74,530), Detroit ($69,300), Dearborn ($68,942).

Licensed Practical Nurse Salary in Michigan - 2025 BLS Data Infographic — Michigan licensed practical nurse salary overview (2026)

$70,927

Avg Median Salary

$34.10

Avg Hourly Rate

9,567

Metro Employed

Cities

In 2026, licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in Michigan can expect an average median salary of $70,927, which is 4.2% higher than the national median of $68,071. The salary variations across the state are significant, with Niles offering the highest average salary at $78,778, contrasted with Romulus, where the average is $63,214. This disparity, a difference of $15,564, can be attributed to factors such as local cost of living, demand for healthcare services, and the concentration of healthcare facilities. Michigan's licensing requirements for LPNs are in accordance with national standards, and the scope of practice laws sometimes offer advanced roles in specific settings, which can enhance earning potential. The employment outlook for LPNs is positive, with a projected annual growth rate of 5.70%, signaling an increasing demand for nursing professionals across the state. The top-paying cities for LPNs also include Detroit at $73,250, Dearborn at $72,872, Warren at $72,614, and Clinton Township at $70,677. These figures reflect regional healthcare needs and competition for skilled nursing staff, underscoring a stabilizing job market for LPNs in Michigan.

Michigan Licensed Practical Nurse Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$61,263

avg across 54 cities

Median

$70,927

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$82,639

avg across 54 cities

Overall salary range in Michigan: $49,650 (lowest entry-level) to $97,334 (highest top earner)

Michigan vs National Average

Michigan

$70,927

National Median

$68,071

Michigan licensed practical nurses earn 4.20% more than the national median (+$2,856/year difference).

Michigan Licensed Practical Nurse Salary Distribution (2026)

Licensed Practical Nurse salaries in Michigan range from $61,263 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $82,639 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $70,927. The Michigan median is $2,856 above the US national median of $68,071. The average hourly rate is $34.10/hr. Approximately 9,567 licensed practical nurses are employed across 54 cities.

2019 BLS Actual

$51,848

2025 BLS Actual

$67,102

2026 Current Est.

$70,927

2019–2027 Growth

+44.6%

Salary Trajectory for Licensed Practical Nurses in Michigan (2019–2027)

2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 5.70% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Annual Salary	Status
2019	$51,848	Actual
2020	$53,540	Actual
2021	$56,292	Actual
2022	$58,918	Actual
2023	$62,108	Actual
2024	$63,369	Actual
2025	$67,102	Actual
2026(current)	$70,927	Estimated
2027	$74,969	Projected

Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Michigan metropolitan area, the median licensed practical nurse salary grew 29.4% from $51,848 (2019) to $67,102 (2025). At a 5.70% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $74,969 by 2027 — a total increase of $23,121 (44.59%) from 2019.

Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Michigan metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 5.70% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in Michigan

Niles

120 employed · $37.87/hr

$78,778

+11.07% vs avg

Detroit

4,540 employed · $35.22/hr

$73,250

+3.28% vs avg

Dearborn

19 employed · $35.04/hr

$72,872

+2.74% vs avg

Warren

27 employed · $34.91/hr

$72,614

+2.38% vs avg

Clinton Township

21 employed · $33.98/hr

$70,677

-0.35% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in Michigan

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
Romulus	$63,214	-10.87%	$30.39
Ypsilanti	$63,579	-10.36%	$30.57
Mount Pleasant	$63,764	-10.10%	$30.65
Ferndale	$64,869	-8.54%	$31.19
Bay City	$64,879	-8.53%	$31.19

Best Value Cities for Licensed Practical Nurses in Michigan

When adjusted for local cost of living, these Michigan cities offer the most purchasing power for licensed practical nurses.

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
Niles	$78,778	92.37	$85,285
Dearborn	$72,872	93.2	$78,189
Warren	$72,614	93.2	$77,912
Battle Creek	$69,086	90.541	$76,304
Clinton Township	$70,677	93.2	$75,834

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in Michigan

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$61,263	$29.45	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$70,927	$34.10	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$82,639	$39.73	90th percentile, top earners

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across Michigan metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 54 Cities in Michigan

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	Niles	$78,778	$37.87	$64,392	$88,365	120
2	Detroit	$73,250	$35.22	$65,058	$82,224	4,540
3	Dearborn	$72,872	$35.04	$57,708	$97,334	19
4	Warren	$72,614	$34.91	$57,103	$96,467	27
5	Clinton Township	$70,677	$33.98	$53,345	$91,541	21
6	Lansing	$70,481	$33.89	$56,951	$82,721	360
7	Kalamazoo	$70,100	$33.70	$63,409	$83,514	320
8	East Lansing	$69,886	$33.60	$57,818	$90,971	8
9	Wyoming	$69,800	$33.56	$52,682	$93,849	11
10	Sterling Heights	$69,788	$33.55	$51,545	$95,675	29
11	Flint	$69,413	$33.37	$61,570	$82,182	440
12	Battle Creek	$69,086	$33.21	$58,928	$80,469	360
13	West Bloomfield	$69,083	$33.21	$53,078	$87,104	15
14	Grand Rapids	$68,948	$33.15	$58,399	$82,879	1,230
15	Shelby Township	$68,926	$33.14	$52,773	$89,321	21
16	Troy	$68,780	$33.06	$52,423	$88,835	20
17	Westland	$68,601	$32.98	$51,997	$85,739	14
18	Farmington Hills	$68,454	$32.91	$51,369	$92,105	20
19	Ann Arbor	$68,356	$32.86	$54,816	$82,721	520
20	Portage	$68,348	$32.86	$54,679	$86,603	7
21	Dearborn Heights	$68,303	$32.84	$51,290	$91,595	13
22	Southfield	$68,173	$32.78	$50,914	$90,941	19
23	Macomb Township	$68,027	$32.70	$50,639	$90,496	21
24	Jackson	$67,955	$32.67	$64,371	$83,588	220
25	St. Clair Shores	$67,951	$32.67	$53,635	$90,417	13
26	Saginaw	$67,944	$32.66	$54,467	$81,262	310
27	Rochester Hills	$67,913	$32.65	$50,371	$90,117	12
28	Midland	$67,754	$32.58	$56,243	$82,552	120
29	Kentwood	$67,726	$32.56	$53,345	$86,986	7
30	Taylor	$67,724	$32.56	$49,650	$85,358	16
31	Port Huron	$67,534	$32.47	$53,306	$82,334	6
32	Royal Oak	$67,518	$32.46	$54,780	$88,803	12
33	Lincoln Park	$67,469	$32.44	$53,148	$82,297	8
34	Norton Shores	$67,444	$32.43	$55,605	$80,584	4
35	Livonia	$67,334	$32.38	$54,131	$84,091	21
36	Monroe	$66,845	$32.13	$56,835	$79,539	150
37	Canton	$66,831	$32.13	$52,930	$89,151	25
38	Novi	$66,809	$32.12	$53,152	$86,641	12
39	Auburn Hills	$66,743	$32.09	$51,369	$86,466	4
40	Waterford	$66,706	$32.07	$52,909	$86,305	16
41	Roseville	$66,584	$32.02	$50,913	$81,671	11
42	Garden City	$66,453	$31.95	$50,596	$85,351	4
43	Allen Park	$66,054	$31.75	$54,875	$84,241	5
44	Pontiac	$66,008	$31.73	$51,265	$84,039	12
45	Muskegon	$65,841	$31.66	$52,364	$81,537	100
46	Marquette	$65,835	$31.65	$54,018	$78,692	4
47	Traverse City	$65,809	$31.64	$54,901	$82,996	140
48	Inkster	$65,733	$31.60	$53,969	$80,467	5
49	Holland	$65,322	$31.40	$53,076	$81,907	5
50	Bay City	$64,879	$31.19	$56,888	$78,007	150
51	Ferndale	$64,869	$31.19	$51,847	$77,771	5
52	Mount Pleasant	$63,764	$30.65	$54,455	$78,191	6
53	Ypsilanti	$63,579	$30.57	$54,054	$79,953	4
54	Romulus	$63,214	$30.39	$53,132	$76,652	5

More Michigan Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore licensed practical nurse hourly pay in Michigan cities.

Niles →Detroit →Dearborn →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new licensed practical nurses.

Niles →Detroit →Dearborn →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced licensed practical nurses.

Niles →Detroit →Dearborn →

Compare Cities in Michigan

Detroit, MIvsGrand Rapids, MI

View all comparisons →

Explore More Licensed Practical Nurse Salary Data

National OverviewMedian salary & full US data Entry-Level SalariesStarting pay & new grad earnings Hourly Pay RatesPer-hour rates & part-time income Highest Paying StatesTop states ranked by salary

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do licensed practical nurses make in Michigan in 2026?

The average median licensed practical nurse salary in Michigan is $70,927/year across 54 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $63,214 in Romulus to $78,778 in Niles. This makes Michigan one of the higher-paying states, at 4.20% above the national median of $68,071. The state employs approximately 9,567 licensed practical nurses.

What is the highest paying city for licensed practical nurses in Michigan?

Niles offers the highest licensed practical nurse salary in Michigan at $78,778/year ($37.87/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are Niles ($78,778), Detroit ($73,250), Dearborn ($72,872). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for nursing services, and competition among employers for licensed licensed practical nurses.

How does Michigan licensed practical nurse pay compare to the national average?

Michigan's average licensed practical nurse salary of $70,927 is 4.20% above the national median of $68,071 in 2026. The state employs approximately 9,567 licensed practical nurses across 54 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level licensed practical nurse salary in Michigan?

Entry-level licensed practical nurses (10th percentile) in Michigan earn approximately $61,263/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $49,650 in lower-paying areas to $65,058 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many licensed practical nurses are employed in Michigan?

Michigan employs approximately 9,567 licensed practical nurses across 54 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. This makes Michigan one of the larger employers of licensed practical nurses nationally. Demand continues to grow as the nursing field expands and the population ages.

Which Michigan city offers the best value for licensed practical nurses?

When adjusted for cost of living, Niles offers the highest purchasing power for licensed practical nurses in Michigan, with an adjusted salary of $85,285 (nominal: $78,778, CoL index: 92.37). This means your dollar goes 8% further compared to the national average, making it an attractive option for maximizing real income.

Written by Aisha Malik, LPN

Career Analyst

Aisha has 10 years of experience as a licensed practical nurse. She specializes in pediatric nursing. Aisha has worked in various outpatient clinics.

Clinically reviewed by Daniel Thompson, LPNData verified by Maria Gonzalez, LPN

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 5.70% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 licensed practical nurse compensation across Michigan. State averages are employment-weighted across 54 metro areas — larger metro areas with more licensed practical nursescontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (2019–2025). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.

2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.70%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for licensed practical nurses (SOC 29-2061).

Compiled and verified by Aisha Malik, LPN, a licensed licensed practical nurse with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Last verified: June 10, 2026

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