How Much Money Do LPNs Make?

An LPN is a licensed practical nurse, and these health care necessities will typically work under a doctor or a registered nurse to perform basic nursing tasks like monitoring vitals, ensuring a patient is comfortable, discussing their care, communicating with the doctors and their patients, and keeping up with records. LPNs don't often give medication, but they sometimes are able to give oral and intravenous medications depending on the laws in the specific state and setting. 

According to Nurse.org, LPNs can expect to work in hospitals, nursing homes, or other care facilities. Home healthcare is also a popular place for many LPNs to work, per WebMD. Those who need help with everyday nursing care often employ an LPN to come to their home instead of having to drive to a hospital. A typical day may be spent ensuring patients are hydrated and fed, keeping up with their care, applying dressings to wounds or small cuts, and being a point of contact and a source of comfort for patients who are suffering. While an LPN may not be able to do as much as a physician, they are a vital part of the medical structure. Here's how much you can expect to make if you choose this profession. 

An LPN is a great career choice for those who may not see college in their plans. According to The Balance Careers, most LPNs need a certificate or need to complete a program in order to get a job. You can find LPN programs at colleges, but many high schools also offer the career path. In addition to the certificate, all LPNs must be licensed in the state they choose to work in. In order to do this, they have to pass the National Council Licensure Examination.

Because of the fewer requirements needed to become an LPN then say a nurse practitioner, the salary ranges are average. According to Herzing University, an LPN in 2022 can expect to be paid about $50,090 a year, with the top 10% in their field making about $65,000 per year. While this is a good salary for many, compared to other careers in the medical field, it can be considered quite low. For example, a registered nurse has an average salary of about $77,600 and can even make up to $183,580 if they specialize in an area such as anesthesia, per Nurse.org. If you do want to advance your career as a nurse, here are some options.

Nursing is a great career choice — not only are you helping others every single day, you can also expect a good job outlook and the opportunity to continually advance your career. You can be an LPN for life and have a fulfilling, successful job, but if you do want to take your career a step further, becoming an LPN is a great stepping stone for more advanced nursing jobs. According to NurseChoice, if you want to make more money, the first thing you should do is consider getting your BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). Once you have your degree, consider specializing in one specific outset of nursing. Nurse.org recommends getting certified as an aesthetic nurse, a critical care nurse, or hospice nurse. You can also choose to go into intensive care, newborn nursery, or even telehealth nursing.

Outside of degrees and certifications, all nurses need to have personal skills like compassion, patience, and high stamina since they'll likely spend most of the day on their feet, per The Balance Careers.