Healthcare · Career brief

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$64,400

Middle-of-the-pack pay

2025 national median. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

51,800

Lots of annual openings

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top 10% for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

Certificate / award

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

Postsecondary nondegree award. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

People-centered

Helping, teaching, or working directly with people matters

Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

Exposure to illness or infection is a recurring part of the work context, even when safety procedures are followed.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is opening volume; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if people-centered work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a certificate or nondegree award. Main tradeoff: Exposure to illness or infection is a recurring part of the work context, even when safety procedures are followed.

Before choosing, compare:Psychiatric Technicians Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Athletic Trainers

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses with another field Explore rankings in Healthcare Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$64,400

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

3%employment growth51,800openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Postsecondary nondegree award

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

666,900

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (29-2061).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action.
Supervise nurses' aides or assistants.
Evaluate nursing intervention outcomes, conferring with other healthcare team members as necessary.
Record food and fluid intake and output.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

Exposure to illness or infection is a recurring part of the work context, even when safety procedures are followed.
The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.
Deadline pressure is a recurring condition rather than an occasional emergency.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Assisting and Caring for Others4.6
Documenting/Recording Information4.5
Getting Information4.4
Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.2
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.2

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Social5.5
Conventional4.6
Realistic4.6
Investigative3.7
Enterprising2.1
Artistic1.1

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Psychology Medicine and Dentistry Therapy and Counseling Mathematics

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Try an approved first-aid, CPR, patient-care, or health-science workshop. Use supervised training or simulation only.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Monitoring, Speaking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options

Compare before committing

The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Psychiatric Technicians, Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, Athletic Trainers, Chiropractors.