Veterans Administration and LPN pay.

[BishopLPN, BSN]

Is it just me or is the VA's LPN pay not keeping pace with the private sector. I work around Nashville, TN. At the company I work for, LPN pay starts at $20 hourly plus shift differential. The average pay around the area is $18 hourly. The position I applied for salary range was 34K-46K. If I understand the VA pay scale correctly. The max an LPN can make is 46K?

I just received a tentative job offer from the VA in Nashville. They couldn't specify my pay but said it would be at least 34K. I applied to work at the VA three years ago and that's the same amount they offered me. I turned the position down.

I can't afford a pay cut. I currently make $22 hourly. Is it possible for me to get them to match my current pay? If so, how do I go about it?