The most an LVN can make hourly

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 10, 2008

It all depends on your geographic location, employment status (full-time or PRN), specialty, and other factors. I have heard of LVNs earning over $30 hourly in certain high cost-of-living states by working float pool, PRN, or agency. However, these positions tend to require 1 to 3 years of solid med/surg experience.

APBT mom, LPN, RN · Jun 10, 2008

In my area of Florida the highest I've heard straight out of school is $23/hr at the correctional facilities in my county but you have to go through an agency. If you go directly to them it's a couple of dollars less. Other than that the average around here with no experience is $15-$19/hr although I know a few who are making $14.

mzungu71 · Jun 10, 2008

I live in the Kansas City area. If you want to make top dollar you need to go through an agency. It ranges from $18-25 an hour. Usually you won't have any benefits. Your next bet is a long term care facility. That range is probably $14-18 and hour. Then a hospital bout $16, then a physician office at around $15. I've worked them all. Agency is OK but hard work. You are sent to facilities where you don't know the residents or where anything is kept and you feel like you are bothering the other nurses with your million questions. It just all depends on what you are comfortable with. Whatever you do just make sure you are happy doing it. Good luck to you!!

bluegeegoo2, LPN · Jun 11, 2008

I live in the Kansas City area. If you want to make top dollar you need to go through an agency. It ranges from $18-25 an hour. Usually you won't have any benefits. Your next bet is a long term care facility. That range is probably $14-18 and hour. Then a hospital bout $16, then a physician office at around $15. I've worked them all. Agency is OK but hard work. You are sent to facilities where you don't know the residents or where anything is kept and you feel like you are bothering the other nurses with your million questions. It just all depends on what you are comfortable with. Whatever you do just make sure you are happy doing it. Good luck to you!!

Same for S. Indiana. Straight out of school I started at $15.25. Oh! Gee! I'm still there...

boodabarkleybabyboy · Jun 12, 2008

i have lived all over the country and Phoenix still stands out as the best paying place to work. I worked for a home health agency making $32.00/ per patient and in some facilities I would see 3-4 pts in 2 hours. That's $148/2 hr working.

In Texas, forget it. I made $30/ visit at a nice small agency outside of Austin. Other agencies want to pay LPNs $19/visit and say that is the going standard. It's only the standard if the LPNs want it to be. I haven't made $19 still the late 90's.

In Indiana and Illinois, the going is $23.00 - 40.00/visit especially if you live around the big cities; some of the agencies are now giving cars, computers, and cell phones but again that is in the bigger cities.

In Pa and NY, the going range is still in the low 20's, except in philidephia and nyc where I was making $35/hr. Good luck

Roozeyk · Jun 13, 2008

3 years ago when I lived in Phoenix, AZ there were some LPN's making 43/hr. They were working weekend/night shift/high risk areas through an agency. It was probably without any bennies. Where I currently work, you can opt out of all the bennies for an "accelerated" pay of 22 an hour, with over 15 years experience, in a hospital setting.:paw:

boodabarkleybabyboy · Jun 13, 2008

isn't it pitiful amt of money. I have been doing agency work for one week now for the first time in my life, staffing hospitals and I am lucky to make 20/hr after 35 yrs in ICU, ER, L&D, NICU and burn unit. I was so fed up with it today that I took a job making a thousand a week in New England at a camp. Cool weather, great atmosphere and no tv or phones or computers for 8 wks. See you in the fall. I leave in 4 days.