Best States for LPN Career

Are you determined to begin a career as an LPN? Would you like to learn which states offer the most employment opportunities and best wages for LPNs today? If so, the information below can help! Just as with many other careers, some states have a larger demand for qualified licensed practical nurses, and some states provide them with higher salaries.

States Offering Best Wages

Salary is a common concern among most aspiring licensed practical nurses today, especially due to our struggling economy. Fortunately, LPNs enjoy excellent starting salaries all across the country. In fact, according to the United States Department of Labor, LPNs working in the U.S. earned an average of nearly $42,000 per year in 2013.

However, this is just an average salary for all LPNs who were employed during 2013. Depending on various factors such as credentials and experience, LPNs earned anywhere from about $31,000 to as much as $58,000 per year during the same year. Location can affect LPN salaries as well, and the states that offered the best wages in 2013 can be found below.

Connecticut - $54,690 Per Year
Alaska - $54,010 Per Year
Nevada - $53,490 Per Year
Massachusetts - $53,020 Per Year
New Jersey - $52,080 Per Year

States With Highest Demand

There is presently a great need for trained LPNs in every state of the U.S., and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects this need to grow by 25 percent until 2022! This is likely because of an increasing need for medical care and a growing awareness of proper healthcare. However, some states have a higher demand for LPNs than others.

Why is this true? While the reasons for some states having a higher demand for LPNs vary, one of the most common reasons is a growing elderly population. As our Baby Boomer generation is coming of age, the need for various types of medical care is skyrocketing. Further, this need is greater in some states than in others. During 2013, the following states offered the most job positions for LPNs: