May 2022 employment data published recently by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that there were more than 632,000 licensed practical nurses (LPNs) employed in the United States.  Known as licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) in some parts of the country, LPNs make up one of the largest healthcare occupations in the U.S.  Approximately 10,700 of those LPN jobs were in the five-state Rocky Mountain region of the country. Except in Colorado, which ranked among the top 15 states nationally for LPN annual mean wages, licensed practical nurses in the region were likely to earn less than the $55,860 national average annual mean wage for LPNs.  A closer review of BLS data from May 2022 reveals the following details about licensed practical nurse pay in the Rocky Mountain region:

Licensed Practical Nurse Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
CO	4,840	$60,310	13th
ID	2,020	$54,710	27th
MT	1,900	$52,420	35th
UT	1,340	$55,790	23rd
WY	630	$54,880	25th
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 October 21, 2023