Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary in California (2024)

The median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses salary in California is $77,170/year, based on May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). That is 23.8% above the national median of $62,340.

Wage table

Annual and hourly wages, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in California — May 2024 OEWS
MetricAmount
Annual mean$79,090
Annual median$77,170
10th percentile$62,390
25th percentile$68,960
75th percentile$85,700
90th percentile$99,840
Hourly median$37.10/hr
Employment (state)79,610

What the numbers mean

The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is wide: the highest-paid 10% of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in California earn about 1.6× what the lowest-paid 10% earn. That spread usually reflects differences in experience, employer type, and local cost of living within the state — the median is a more representative figure than the mean for a "typical" salary, since a small number of very high earners can pull the mean upward.

Higher-paying states for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

See the full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary by state ranking for all 54 states with available data.

Frequently asked questions

Is licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses pay in California above the national average?

The median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses salary in California is $77,170/year, which is 23.8% above the national median of $62,340/year (May 2024 BLS OEWS data).

What is the median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses salary in California?

$77,170/year, based on May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

How much do the highest-paid licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in California earn?

The 90th percentile licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in California earns $99,840/year or more, compared to $62,390/year or less for the 10th percentile.

Which states pay licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses more than California?

Alaska pays more ($77,670/year median), along with 2 other states listed below.