May 2022 employment data published this year by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revealed that there were about 632,000 licensed practical nurses (LPNs) at work in the United States.  Known as licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) in certain parts of the country, LPNs comprise one of the largest healthcare occupations in the U.S.  Nearly 190,000 licensed practical nurses were employed in the twelve-state Southeastern region of the country. Home to 30% of all LPNs nationally, the Southeast is easily the worst region in the country for LPN pay as licensed practical nurse annual mean wage levels in all twelve states in the region fell below the national average.  Moreover, seven Southeastern states ranked among the ten states nationally with the lowest LPN annual mean wages.  A closer examination of BLS data from May 2022 reveals the following about licensed practical nurse pay in the Southeast region of the U.S.:

Licensed Practical Nurse Pay in the Southeast

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AL	10,290	$45,260	50th
AR	10,790	$45,990	48th
FL	36,970	$53,780	29th
GA	22,900	$50,830	41st
KY	10,370	$49,570	42nd
LA	19,230	$47,430	45th
MS	8,660	$45,020	51st
NC	16,230	$53,010	31st
SC	9,080	$51,060	40th
TN	20,480	$46,540	46th
VA	18,490	$52,790	33rd
WV	6,200	$45,530	49th
U.S.	632,020	$55,860	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on December 2, 2023