What is the pay rate for a LPN ?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

I'm starting nursing school and I have had others tell me that LPN don't make but like $10.00 an hour. And I'm thinking they are way wrong I. What they are saying.

Specializes in hospice.

That's less than I've ever made as a CNA. If LPNs made that little, I wouldn't be bothering with school. From what I know in AZ, they start around $18-19 an hour.

Where in the world are you?

I've reached the top of my payscale and make $33.96/hour

Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

$10 an hour...? What Red Kryptonite said, lol. I'm a CNA and I make $14. It wouldn't make sense for anyone to go to school to be an LPN with that wage. No matter where you're from, I'm positive that someone told you wrong.

Thank you all so much for your info. I'm in North Carolina. And the ones that told me were RN students that was putting me down for wanting to go for my LPN first. They really had me upset after the way they talked to me, told me that I would not have that many job opportunities and that a LPN is not a real nurse.

I told them it was my journey not there's, and that a nurse is a nurse no matter if they are a LPN or RN.

Specializes in ICU Stepdown.
I told them it was my journey not there's, and that a nurse is a nurse no matter if they are a LPN or RN.

Good for you standing up for yourself :) yeah, both titles have "nurse" in them so there's no argument about what's real, they're both real nurses. It sounds like whoever you spoke to is unhappy with themselves.

Thank you, yea they were stuck up! And there is no way in this world I would want them as nurses. I hate to say that about anyone, but if you have an attitude like that you don't need to be in health care caring for others. :)

From what I know, most LPN's start around $15-20 an hour depending on the setting in which you work.

Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

In Cali in 2005 I made 17.50/hr at my first LVN job. While geographies influence income, it shouldn't make it minimum wage.i did my LVN, then my RN then my BSN. I turned out just fine. ;)

Geographical area makes a big difference in the pay...I don't know of a single area paying that low. Considering your sources were students they most likely have no idea what the pay rate is for an LPN...and probably have an overinflated opinion of what they will be making when and if they graduate and become new RNs. There is some truth in what they said about limited job perspectives for an LPN but there are still many jobs. It just depends on what type of work you want to do and what is trending for that work in your area. For example, if you want to work in a hospital, many hospitals around the country are phasing out the LPN role so you would need to have an RN most likely if not now later down the road. If you want to work in LTC or an office, then I don't see that role going anywhere anytime soon. Good luck to you with your education.

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