Help! LVN Wages?

[Kiki1970]

I hope this in the right forum...

Yesterday my dreams of entering into an ADN program went down the drain. My out of pocket portion is too high and a personal loan for that amount when you're out of work, isn't likely. It's discouraging to knock out nine prereqs for Western Governors BSN program, also- it would take so much time... (Que the violins).

If I went the LVN route, what would a new LVN make? It seems to be all over the place. I would love to hear what even the seasoned ones earn. I know it's a gauche question, so I apologize. I'm just in a major funk trying to figure this out now.

Thanks AN!

[SquishyRN, BSN, RN]

You're going to get highly variable numbers related to geographic location since you posted this in the LPN/LVN forum. Your profile states you're in San Marcos, so San Diego/Southern California answers would apply to you best.

New LVNs in Southern California usually make somewhere between $15 to $25 per hour for hourly jobs depending on the setting you work. Clinics and MD offices tend to pay lower than SNF or nursing home jobs. I'm not sure how much LVNs make per visit in home health. Seasoned LVNs can make into the mid to high $30s, but we're talking 10+ years experience and/or specialized roles like case management or DSD.

[Alisonisayoshi, LVN]

It really depends, I'm in NorCal, and the going rate for a new grad in a SNF is 25-28 with differential and usually a hiring bonus. The going rate for clinic is 20-22 no hiring bonus. We have some hospital jobs, usually those pay around the same as a SNF. I live rural though, and we still have a shortage of nurses here, because people don't really want to live here.

[CaliBoy760]

Pay really is all over the map, even in California. My first job out of school was for $19.21. Second job was $27.00. Third job was $31.00. And then the recession hit and the bottom dropped out of everything. At the time I had enough experience to start working as a travelling nurse. Mostly Primary Care and Urgent Care as a maternity leave replacement where I made between $25.00 and $27.00.

BTW, I went to Kaplan in Vista, and, if you ask me, the nearly $30,000 price tag is a joke. If you choose to go LVN, do it at a community college.

[justjosy]

for snf/ltc usually depends of the place starting is 18-21

home health 20-25 per visit and office staff home health or case coordinator 18-21 depends on experience

adult day healthcare not sure maybe around 14-16 if asked how much you prefer then tell them

ALF 16-18 depends of the place and experience

[vbarger28, BSN]

I have 2 1/2 yrs experience, and am an LPN in Las Vegas. I work in urgent care, and just made 62000 gross, 53000 take home without murdering myself in hours. I usually work a paycheck of about 110-120 hours.

However, I also have TBI peds acute experience and am IV certfied, so it was easy for me to negotiate a pay rate above 23 and hour.

I am making more than the new grad RN in my job. Experience is key, being an LPN first allows you to make those new nursing mistakes, as an RN there is little to NO wiggle room for those beginner mistakes especially when working with a team that has LPNs who regardless of the amount of time, still have more experience than a new grad RN. You will get eaten alive sadly if you try to push your weight around because you are the "RN and so so so is the LPN"

I am also in the middle of finishing my RN BSN right now, and won't be paid as a new grad RN so I will be making 30+ and hour when I get my RN because of my LPN experience.

[vbarger28, BSN]

I went to Kaplan in Nevada and only paid 16k for my LPN, and I'm making 4x that. sorry for your experience

[LeChien, BSN, RN]

I'm an LVN living in San Diego with 4 year's experience. I make $24 at one job and $19 at the other.

[Adele_Michal7, ASN, RN]

I live in Nor Cal, have six years and make $25

[Kiki1970]

Thank you all so much!!

[Kiki1970]

Pay really is all over the map, even in California. My first job out of school was for $19.21. Second job was $27.00. Third job was $31.00. And then the recession hit and the bottom dropped out of everything. At the time I had enough experience to start working as a travelling nurse. Mostly Primary Care and Urgent Care as a maternity leave replacement where I made between $25.00 and $27.00.

BTW, I went to Kaplan in Vista, and, if you ask me, the nearly $30,000 price tag is a joke. If you choose to go LVN, do it at a community college.

I agree... It's over $32K now and financial aid won't cover all of it. Crazy.

[Kiki1970]

All points are so true! A part of me wants to be an lvn to begin with for some of those very reasons!