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Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $64,400 Median per year · $30.96/hr Most earn $49,740–$83,440

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Provide medical treatment or personal care to patients in private home settings, such as cooking, keeping rooms orderly, seeing that patients are comfortable and in good spirits, or instructing family members in simple nursing tasks.
  • Prepare patients for examinations, tests, or treatments and explain procedures.
  • Make appointments, keep records, or perform other clerical duties in doctors' offices or clinics.
  • Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients' charts.
  • Prepare or examine food trays for conformance to prescribed diet.
  • Wash and dress bodies of deceased persons.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 51,800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)28.6%
  • General medical and surgical hospitals13.6%
  • Home healthcare services12.3%
  • Offices of physicians10.6%
  • Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly6.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

On-siteExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Licensed Practical Nurse is an entry-level job you can reach after a certificate program and a state licensing exam (the NCLEX-PN). Most people get there in about 1 to 2 years after high school, and many first work as nursing assistants to gain hands-on experience.

  1. Nursing Assistant (CNA) training and work

    6 months to 1 year

    Many future LPNs start here, learning basic patient care such as bathing, feeding, and taking vital signs while getting real hospital or nursing home experience.

  2. Practical nursing certificate program

    about 1 year

    You take classes in anatomy, pharmacology, and patient care, plus supervised clinical hours, which prepare you for the licensing exam.

  3. Licensed Practical Nurse

    Entry-level after licensing

    After passing the NCLEX-PN and getting your state license, you work under the supervision of registered nurses and doctors caring for patients.

Where it can lead

  1. Registered Nurse

    1 to 2 years of experience first

    You usually go back to school for an associate or bachelor's nursing degree, which allows broader duties such as planning patient care and supervising LPNs.

  2. Nurse Practitioner

    1 to 2 years of experience first

    After working as an RN, you complete a master's degree to diagnose conditions, order tests, and prescribe treatment in many settings.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, and health sciencesThese classes build the science background used in practical nursing programs.
  • Get CPR and first aid certifiedMany schools and community groups offer these courses, and they show employers you can respond calmly in emergencies.
  • Volunteer at a nursing home or hospitalHelping with patients gives you a real look at daily nursing work and a chance to see if you enjoy it.
  • Join a health occupations or HOSA-style clubClubs focused on health careers let you meet others interested in medicine and sometimes join health-related competitions.
  • Look for a starter job in a care settingJobs like a food service helper at a care facility or a camp counselor role build responsibility and people skills.

In college

  • Take anatomy, physiology, and microbiologyThese courses are core to practical nursing programs and help you prepare for the entrance requirements.
  • Work as a nursing assistant or patient care techPaid hands-on experience is valued by nursing programs and gives you practical skills before you start your certificate.
  • Get certified as a nursing assistantA CNA certification, available through many community colleges and training centers, is a common first step toward LPN training.
  • Join a pre-nursing or health science student groupThese groups connect you with people in the field and often offer guest speakers and volunteer chances.
  • Shadow an LPN or RNFollowing a working nurse for a day shows you the realities of the job and helps you ask better questions when applying to programs.

Tips for getting started

  • Take biology, chemistry, and health classes now, since nursing programs look for strong science grades.
  • Ask a local nursing home or hospital about volunteer or aide jobs; hands-on time with patients helps you decide if this work fits you and makes your applications stronger.
  • Check your state's nursing board website early to learn its exact requirements for practical nursing programs and licensing.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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