10 Highest-Paid LPN Jobs To Look For in 2022
Throughout the last few years, with the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we were all taught a harsh lesson regarding the importance of healthcare workers, including Licensed Practical Nurses. It is an understatement to say that LPN nurses play a vital role in raising public awareness and providing health care to patients. So, if you are thinking of pursuing a career regarded as “America’s Most Trusted Profession” for a 20th consecutive year, following the LPN path is an excellent way to go.
In addition to respect and admiration, salary is another factor contributing to the superiority of LPNs. So, continue reading as we go through the highest paid LPN jobs, including their average salaries based on various factors.
Where Do LPN Nurses Work?
Licensed practical nurses (LPN) provide basic care to patients in various medical environments. They monitor patients’ health, help them bathe and get dressed, comfort them, keep their records, etc. Unlike registered nurses, who can work independently, LPNs need to work alongside an RN or physician.
Their scope of practice includes a variety of settings, like nursing homes, hospitals, private homes, and more. According to research conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, it was found that the five primary healthcare environments where LPNs work are:
nursing and residential care facilities (38%),
hospitals (14%),
physician’s offices (13%),
home care services (12%), and
government (7%).
Licensed practical nurses—also known as licensed vocational nurses in California and Texas— usually work full time and may be required to work longer than 8-hour shifts. Because of their job nature, many work nights, weekends, and holidays. Other possible options include clinics, schools, insurance companies, theme parks, colleges and universities, rehab facilities, and medical call centers.
What Is an LPN Salary?
Getting a job as an LPN comes with many advantages. Apart from the satisfying job outlook of 9% projected growth, licensed practical nurses also reap the benefits from the salary that comes with their job. According to the latest data provided by ZipRecruiter, as of January 16, 2022, the average salary of an LPN across the United States is $46,282 a year. This equals roughly $22.25 an hour, $890 a week, or $3,857 monthly. While entry-level LPNs usually make $38,500 annually, professionals can make up to $58,500 per year.
In addition, when considering average annual salaries by state, the highest salary of $53,528 is offered by the state of Washington. Next, New York is offering $49,941 a year, followed by New Hampshire, $48,372, and California, $47,648. California is followed by Vermont, with a salary of $45,680 for LPN nurses annually.
Whereas, the best cities to work as an LPN are:
Lakes, AK ($55,079),
San Francisco, CA ($54,524),
Santa Clara, CA ($54,145),
Washington, DC ($53,540), and
Paso Robles, CA ($53,454).
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10 Highest Paid LPN Jobs For 2022
Money is not everything, but it is still an essential factor when choosing your occupation. To help you, we have compiled a list of the top ten highest-paid LPN jobs in 2022. You will be fairly compensated for your hard work with these workplaces.
Urgent Care LPN
As a licensed practical nurse (LPN) working in urgent care, you will be part of the team providing treatment for emergency room patients. In this role, you may be responsible for helping to find out the urgency of the injury or disease, taking vital signs such as blood pressure, temperature, recording patient information, and more.
To get this job, apart from your license, you also need job experience. Communication skills, the ability to multitask, and remaining professional despite different situations you may encounter daily are essential to being an urgent care LPN.
This job is one of the highest-paying LPN positions, with a median salary of $62,265 per year. Depending on experience, average salaries may range from $44,000 to $98,000 annually.
Highest urgent care LPN salaries by city
The top ten highest paying cities for urgent care LPNs are:
Santa Clara, CA - $75,332
San Francisco, CA - $75,310
Fremont, CA - $72,339
San Jose, CA - $70,773
Alexandria, VA - $70,251
Oakland, CA - $70,007
Tanaina, AK - $69,834
Wasilla, AK - $69,833
Sunnyvale, CA - $69,210
Santa Maria, CA - $68,754
Emergency Room LPN
Working in ER used to be mainly a registered nurse “privilege,” but nowadays, more and more experienced LPN nurses are being employed. The key responsibilities include administering injections, transporting patients to different parts of the healthcare facility, cleaning wounds, taking vital signs, recording medical histories, assisting RNs and doctors in medical procedures, etc.
Working in such a fast-paced and stress-inducing environment, you need to quickly assess patient needs and always be prepared for medical emergencies. Furthermore, to be an emergency room LPN, you should be skilled in multitasking, staying alert and reacting swiftly, remaining calm under pressure, communicating, and decision-making.
Professionals in this role earn $74,506 per year, which equates to about $6,208 per month, $1,432 each week, or $36 per hour. However, the average salary you can earn as an emergency room LPN significantly depends on experience since most junior positions earn around $24,000, whereas senior ones earn up to $134,000 per year.
Highest emergency room LPN salaries by city
California continues to be the best state to work as an emergency room LPN, with 7 of its cities making the top-paying cities list for LPNs. Below you can find the best paying cities to work as an emergency room LPN.
San Jose, CA - $92,025
Oakland, CA - $90,966
Tanaina, AK - $90,553
Wasilla, AK - $90,552
Hayward, CA - $89,061
Seattle, WA - $88,459
Concord, CA - $88,238
Sunnyvale, CA - $87,735
Santa Cruz, CA - $86,719
Seaside, CA - $85,571
Rehabilitation LPN
As Leslie McConnell, a member of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses, best put it, "Saving the life is the first priority, then the rehab nurse moves in and restores the living!".
Rehabilitation LPNs, who generally work in rehabilitation facilities, are responsible for their patients' healthcare and providing assistance and support with training and therapy. They share many general responsibilities nurses have, such as monitoring their patients' condition and maintaining documentation, assisting with examination and testing procedures, providing personal care, etc.
However, as a rehabilitation LPN, you will also have additional duties specific to the rehab center. You help individuals restore their health and adapt to changes due to illnesses, disabilities, addiction, and other disorders.
Being a rehabilitation LPN is not easy, but it comes with a great salary. The average annual payment for this job is $80,701. They make $38.80 per hour; $1,552/week; or $6,725/month. Based on work experience, the salaries can vary from $64,000 to $96,000 annually.
Highest rehabilitation LPN salaries by city
With a yearly salary of $94,189, New York City tops the list for the best city to work as a rehabilitation LPN. Other high-paying cities to work as an LPN include:
San Mateo, CA - $92,946
Boston, MA - $89,955
Juneau, AK - $89,944
Berkeley, CA - $89,326
Daly City, CA - $89,074
Santa Monica, CA - $88,910
Quincy, MA - $88,541
Renton, WA - $88,495
Richmond, CA - $87,712
Nursing home LPN
As we mentioned before, nursing homes are among the largest care establishments that employ LNPs; and this is no surprise considering that residents of nursing homes generally need the most assistance with health care and day-to-day service.
Nursing home LPNs typically make about $28.28 an hour. Their average annual salary is $58,818, with entry-level professionals making around $47,500 and experienced workers earning up to $81,000 a year.
While working in this position, you will be responsible for helping patients with their health, physical, and emotional needs. You will do that through monitoring their condition and patient charts, developing care programs, administering medication, offering emotional support, and even assisting with everyday tasks like bathing, changing clothes, and getting in and out of bed.
Highest nursing home LPN salaries by city
The best city to work as a nursing home LPN is Sunnyvale, California, where LPNs earn a salary of $74,317 annually. Santa Rosa, California, follows with a yearly salary of $71,837, while nursing home LPNs in Cambridge, Massachusetts, earn about $69,660 per year.
Other high paying cities for nursing home LPNs include:
Vacaville, CA - $68,322
New York City, NY - $67,560
Fairfield, CA - $67,493
San Mateo, CA - $67,104
Lynn, MA - $66,520
Anchorage, AK - $66,417
Baltimore, MD - $65,397
Gerontology LPN
Statistics show that the life expectancy of the United States has generally been increasing, with the numbers projected to reach an average of 79.5 years for men and 83.3 years for women by 2030. There is also a high demand for gerontology nurses with these increasing numbers.
By getting certified in gerontology, LPN nurses specialize in caring for elderly patients. Their duties include: assessing patient mental health, educating patients on disease prevention and safety, evaluating a patient's chronic condition, organizing medications, discussing common health concerns, and more.
This role comes with an average pay of $98,860 per year, making it the highest salary on this list. They earn approximately $47.53 an hour ($1,901/week or $8,238/month). The bottom percentile makes an average of $56,000 per year, while top earners make $166,500 annually, and in some cases, up to $191,500.
Highest gerontology LPN salaries by city
Sunnyvale, California, continues to top the list of best-paying cities, offering gerontology LPNs a yearly salary of $124,911. Other high paying cities in the US to work as a gerontology LPN include:
Santa Rosa, CA - $120,743
Cambridge, MA - $117,084
Vacaville, CA - $114,834
New York City, NY - $113,554
Fairfield, CA - $113,442
San Mateo, CA - $112,787
Lynn, MA - $111,807
Anchorage, AK - $111,633
Baltimore, MD - $109,919
Doctor’s Office LPN
When working in a doctor's office, LPNs operate under the physician's direct supervision. This role is associated with several administrative and general responsibilities such as setting appointments, documenting medical histories and then filing the records, monitoring vital signs, changing bandages, and in some cases, even distributing vaccination.
If you choose this job, you will also be the primary source of emotional support within the doctor's office, keeping the patients informed and making them feel safe about the recovery process.
As a doctor's office LPN, your median salary will be $50,561 per year. This equals $24.31 an hour, $972 a week, or $4,213 a month. At the very beginning of your career, you may earn $37,500 annually, but with experience, you can earn up to $71,000 per year.
Highest doctor’s office LPN salaries by city
The ten highest paying cities in the United States for LPNs working in doctor’s offices are:
San Jose, CA - $62,451
Oakland, CA - $61,731
Tanaina, AK - $61,451
Wasilla, AK - $61,451
Hayward, CA - $60,438
Seattle, WA - $60,031
Concord, CA - $59,881
Sunnyvale, CA - $59,539
Santa Cruz, CA - $58,849
Seaside, CA - $58,071
Hospital LPN
Whenever the word "nurse" is mentioned, one of the first settings we think of is hospitals. The LPN nurses that operate there assist RNs and doctors by performing basic medical procedures. However, they might also supervise other LPNs and medical assistants.
Similar to the previous positions, as a hospital LPN, you will be responsible for checking the patient's vital signs, distributing the prescribed medication, plus assisting with the patient's needs such as bathing and dressing and helping them feel comfortable. In addition, you might have to inform the patients' relatives about the care program and procedures they have to follow to take care of their sick family member.
As a hospital LPN, you will benefit from a salary of $61,429 annually (or approximately $29.53 hourly, $1,181 weekly, $5,119 monthly). The pay can vary from $48,500 to $85,000, depending on your experience.
Highest hospital LPN salaries by city
San Jose, California, offers a $74,517 yearly salary for hospital LPNs, well above the average wage countrywide. Right after San Jose, CA, comes Oakland, California, which offers a salary of $73,669 per year, followed by Tanaina and Wasilla in Alaska with a yearly salary of $73,368 and $73,366, respectively.
Other high paying cities for hospital LPNs include:
Hayward, CA - $72,128
Jackson, WY - $72,050
Norwalk, CT - $71,860
Seattle, WA - $71,631
Vallejo, CA - $71,613
Concord, CA - $71,461
Homecare LPN
Due to various reasons, such as patients being discharged from healthcare facilities after surgery or the geriatric population preferring the comfort of their home over facilities, the assistance of LPNs is frequently required in the patients' own houses. When working as a homecare LPN, you will generally operate under a facility where you report to and receive assignments.
Typical duties you will deal with include taking vital signs, monitoring the patient's condition, and documenting everything for your supervising RN. Then, based on the RN's directions, you will administer medication and, when necessary, manage wounds. In addition, you may also help them with daily tasks that they find hard to handle on their own.
The median pay for this position is $49,611 a year. To go into more detail, this means $23.85 an hour, $954 a week, or $4,134/month. While the junior-level position makes $41,500 annually, the senior-level position earns up to $62,500 annually.
Highest homecare LPN salaries by city
As a homecare LPN, you will earn more in some cities than in others. For example, San Jose, California, pays homecare LPNs a yearly salary of $60,181, while Concord, California, pays them $57,713 annually.
Other high paying cities to work as a homecare LPN include:
Oakland, CA - $59,497
Tanaina, AK - $59,253
Wasilla, AK - $59,252
Hayward, CA - $58,251
Jackson, WY - $58,188
Norwalk, CT - $58,034
Seattle, WA - $57,850
Vallejo, CA - $57,835
School LPN
Whether it be students getting hurt while running in the hallways, those dealing with special medical needs, or simply kids looking to get out of gym class due to tummy aches, LPNs working in school institutions play a crucial role in student healthcare.
When working as a school LPN, you will be helping students by providing first aid, administering basic medication, and assisting those with disabilities or other special needs. Your duties also include keeping an eye out for signs of abuse, neglect, or mental health issues throughout the children and helping educate the staff on frequent health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or allergies.
When it comes to the salary, as a school LPN, you will earn on average $60,739 annually. This equals around $29.20 per hour ($1,168/week or $5,062/month). While entry-level school LPNs earn about 49,000, experienced ones have an average salary of $89,500 annually.
Highest school LPN salaries by city
San Jose, California, continues to top the list of high-paying cities in the US for yet another type of LPN job, offering an annual salary of $73,681. It is followed by Oakland, California, and Tanaina, Alaska, which provide yearly wages of $72,842 and $72, 543 respectively.
You can also work as a school LPN and earn a high salary in cities such as:
Wasilla, AK - $72,542
New York, NY - $72,337
Hayward, CA - $71,317
Jackson, WY - $71,240
Norwalk, CT - $71,052
Seattle, WA - $70,825
Vallejo, CA - $70,808
Pediatric LPN
If you are good with kids and would like to work with them, one of the highest-paying LPN specialties involves the treatment of infants and children. As a pediatric LPN, you will tend to care for hurt, ill, or still-in-recovery children under the direct supervision of an RN or doctor.
The responsibilities you'll have can vary depending on your employer and patient condition; however, some general duties you can expect include managing medical records, assisting with tests and other procedures, and helping patients regarding basic hygiene.
As a pediatric LPN, you will have an average annual salary of $48,039 ($23.10 an hour, $924 a week, or $4,003 a month). Depending on the job experience, the compensation can range between $39,500 to $56,000 annually.
Highest pediatric LPN salaries by city
With an annual salary of $58,352, San Mateo, California, tops the list of high-paying cities to work as a pediatric LPN. It is followed by two other Californian cities, Berkley and Daly City, which offer a yearly salary of $56,312 and $56,154.
Other high-paying cities to work as a pediatric LPN nurse include:
Richmond, CA - $54,812
Irvine, CA - $54,479
Odessa, TX - $53,629
Stamford, CT - $53,373
Bellevue, WA - $53,222
Orange, CA - $53,222
San Francisco, CA - $53,118
To Wrap Up
If you pick a profession from the highest-paid LPN jobs we have provided for you, it will be a win-win situation for you and the people you tend to. Your patients, from all walks of life, young and old, benefit from the care you provide, and on the other end, you profit from the life-changing impact you make plus the high salary you earn each month.
So, if you are set on pursuing a nursing career and dedicating your professional life to helping others, pick a specialization that will adequately compensate for your efforts.