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This question is about licensed practical nurse salaries.
What is a good starting salary for a Licensed Practical Nurse?
A good starting salary for a licensed practical nurse is $36,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a licensed practical nurse in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for licensed practical nurses is $48,757, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a licensed practical nurse can vary by state, as we show below.
What Is A Good Entry-Level Licensed Practical Nurse Salary By State?
The following table shows how much an entry level licensed practical nurse earns in each state. Zippia used data from the BLS, public records, and job postings to create these estimates.
| State | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| Hawaii | $49,000 | $4,083 | $942 | $23.56 |
| Oregon | $38,000 | $3,166 | $730 | $18.27 |
| California | $38,000 | $3,166 | $730 | $18.27 |
| Alaska | $37,000 | $3,083 | $711 | $17.79 |
| Nevada | $37,000 | $3,083 | $711 | $17.79 |
| Washington | $36,000 | $3,000 | $692 | $17.31 |
| Arizona | $35,000 | $2,916 | $673 | $16.83 |
| New Mexico | $34,000 | $2,833 | $653 | $16.35 |
| Idaho | $34,000 | $2,833 | $653 | $16.35 |
| Utah | $34,000 | $2,833 | $653 | $16.35 |
| Pennsylvania | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| West Virginia | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Ohio | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Louisiana | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Indiana | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Michigan | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Texas | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Delaware | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Connecticut | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| New York | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Kentucky | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Oklahoma | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| North Dakota | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| South Dakota | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Wisconsin | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| New Jersey | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Iowa | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Kansas | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Maryland | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Wyoming | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Montana | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| District of Columbia | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Missouri | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Nebraska | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Illinois | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Minnesota | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Colorado | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Tennessee | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| Florida | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| Rhode Island | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| Arkansas | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| North Carolina | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| Mississippi | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| South Carolina | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| Alabama | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| Georgia | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| Virginia | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| New Hampshire | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Massachusetts | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Vermont | $30,000 | $2,500 | $576 | $14.42 |
| Maine | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
What are The 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entry-Level Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs?
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an entry level licensed practical nurse job is above the national average. Topping the list is Richmond, CA.
| City | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| Richmond, CA | $47,000 | $3,916 | $903 | $22.6 |
| Portland, OR | $45,000 | $3,750 | $865 | $21.63 |
| Seattle, WA | $43,000 | $3,583 | $826 | $20.67 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $43,000 | $3,583 | $826 | $20.67 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $41,000 | $3,416 | $788 | $19.71 |
| New York, NY | $39,000 | $3,250 | $750 | $18.75 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $39,000 | $3,250 | $750 | $18.75 |
| Baltimore, MD | $39,000 | $3,250 | $750 | $18.75 |
| Cleveland, OH | $39,000 | $3,250 | $750 | $18.75 |
| Boston, MA | $38,000 | $3,166 | $730 | $18.27 |
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