May 2020 employment data published this year by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revealed that there were over 676,000 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. Over 202,000 licensed practical nurses were employed in the twelve-state Southeastern region of the country. Home to nearly 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, eight Southeastern states ranked among the ten states nationally with the lowest LPN annual mean wages. A closer examination of BLS data from May 2020 reveals the following about licensed practical nurse pay in the Southeast region of the U.S.:
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Licensed Practical Nurse Pay in the Southeast |
State | # Employed | Annual Mean Wages | Wage Rank* |
AL | 12,000 | $40,680 | 48th |
AR | 11,540 | $41,760 | 47th |
FL | 41,560 | $46,710 | 34th |
GA | 22,170 | $44,690 | 40th |
KY | 9,390 | $44,160 | 42nd |
LA | 18,560 | $41,920 | 46th |
MS | 9,580 | $40,340 | 49th |
NC | 16,250 | $47,120 | 33rd |
SC | 9,780 | $43,630 | 43rd |
TN | 24,610 | $42,330 | 45th |
VA | 20,750 | $47,410 | 32nd |
WV | 5,980 | $38,940 | 51st |
U.S. | 676,440 | $50,090 | ------- |
(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 26, 2021
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