Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary in Missouri
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Missouri have a median of $61,530 a year, below the national $64,400 (−4%); the state ranks 41st of 51 states by median. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses earn 29% more than the median across all occupations in Missouri ($47,800). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas pay more (up to $75,000 in Illinois) and Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Arkansas pay less (down to $56,620 in Arkansas). Missouri employs 14,700 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, 5.01 per 1,000 jobs, the 14th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.20 means the occupation is more concentrated in Missouri than nationally.
Missouri vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $23.36 | $27.06 | $29.58 | $33.77 | $37.08 | $30.00 | 14,700 | 5.01 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $48,580 | $56,280 | $61,530 | $70,230 | $77,120 | $62,410 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $23.91 | $28.37 | $30.96 | $36.55 | $40.12 | $32.24 | 648,410 | – | – |
| Annual | $49,740 | $59,000 | $64,400 | $76,030 | $83,440 | $67,050 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 41st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 14th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.20
- Jobs per 1,000
- 5.01
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Missouri's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Missouri
8 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Missouri publish a row for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $31.31 | $65,120 | $56,610 | $79,590 | 5,180 | 3.86 | 0.93 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $30.97 | $64,420 | $52,440 | $78,470 | 4,570 | 4.17 | 1.00 |
| Columbia, MO | $29.65 | $61,670 | $48,880 | $75,280 | 800 | 7.39 | 1.77 |
| Springfield, MO | $29.50 | $61,350 | $49,420 | $74,710 | 1,160 | 5.22 | 1.25 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $29.19 | $60,720 | $47,840 | $71,030 | 290 | 5.31 | 1.27 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $29.01 | $60,340 | $47,510 | $76,110 | 350 | 4.42 | 1.06 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $28.90 | $60,100 | $45,700 | $74,250 | 410 | 9.20 | 2.21 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $28.33 | $58,920 | $48,010 | $72,950 | 400 | 4.58 | 1.10 |
| North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $28.51 | $59,300 | $44,620 | $73,770 | 1,000 | 9.40 | 2.25 |
| Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $28.39 | $59,050 | $46,380 | $74,270 | 1,690 | 10.27 | 2.46 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $28.36 | $59,000 | $47,830 | $70,600 | 360 | 4.54 | 1.09 |
| Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $28.04 | $58,330 | $48,440 | $73,790 | 1,060 | 6.84 | 1.64 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $29.58 | $61,530 | 14,700 | 1.20 |
| Arkansas | $27.22 | $56,620 | 10,010 | 1.84 |
| Iowa | $30.11 | $62,630 | 5,510 | 0.85 |
| Illinois | $36.06 | $75,000 | 17,440 | 0.69 |
| Kansas | $29.69 | $61,760 | 7,530 | 1.26 |
| Kentucky | $29.07 | $60,460 | 8,570 | 1.03 |
| Nebraska | $30.13 | $62,660 | 4,580 | 1.07 |
| Oklahoma | $28.04 | $58,320 | 11,540 | 1.62 |
| Tennessee | $28.31 | $58,870 | 20,830 | 1.52 |
See the national page for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (every state ranked) and the Missouri wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Missouri estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.