Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary in North Carolina
At $63,270 a year, the median for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in North Carolina is close to the national median of $64,400 (−2%); North Carolina ranks 29th of 51 states by median. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses earn 32% more than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). Among neighbouring states, Virginia pays more (up to $64,920 in Virginia) and Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee pay less (down to $58,870 in Tennessee). North Carolina employs 18,010 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, 3.64 per 1,000 jobs, the 9th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.87 is close to the national share.
North Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $24.27 | $28.50 | $30.42 | $33.51 | $35.93 | $30.64 | 18,010 | 3.64 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $50,480 | $59,270 | $63,270 | $69,700 | $74,730 | $63,720 | ||||
| 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
- 29th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 9th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.87
- Jobs per 1,000
- 3.64
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of North Carolina'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 North Carolina
16 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $32.19 | $66,950 | $50,190 | $76,190 | 960 | 2.79 | 0.67 |
| Asheville, NC | $31.48 | $65,470 | $50,280 | $75,070 | 860 | 4.77 | 1.14 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $31.32 | $65,140 | $51,210 | $76,370 | 3,890 | 2.87 | 0.69 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $31.09 | $64,670 | $54,100 | $77,650 | 980 | 7.45 | 1.79 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $30.95 | $64,370 | $51,230 | $77,320 | 3,410 | 4.47 | 1.07 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $30.81 | $64,080 | $51,780 | $75,770 | 1,740 | 2.34 | 0.56 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $30.58 | $63,610 | $49,900 | $74,670 | 1,470 | 4.02 | 0.96 |
| Burlington, NC | $30.51 | $63,450 | $56,580 | $77,970 | 260 | 3.86 | 0.93 |
| Wilmington, NC | $30.48 | $63,390 | $51,640 | $72,470 | 790 | 4.13 | 0.99 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $30.27 | $62,970 | $52,000 | $72,600 | 1,330 | 4.90 | 1.17 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $30.01 | $62,430 | $51,000 | $72,130 | 740 | 4.81 | 1.15 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $29.85 | $62,080 | $50,840 | $71,020 | 200 | 3.69 | 0.88 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $29.68 | $61,730 | $48,400 | $70,790 | 240 | 5.48 | 1.31 |
| Greenville, NC | $29.62 | $61,600 | $51,680 | $68,400 | 610 | 7.54 | 1.81 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $29.22 | $60,770 | $49,440 | $74,940 | 130 | 2.50 | 0.60 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $29.07 | $60,470 | $48,960 | $71,310 | 190 | 4.62 | 1.11 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $30.00 | $62,410 | $49,910 | $72,090 | 1,160 | 4.60 | 1.10 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $29.56 | $61,480 | $48,500 | $70,960 | 1,330 | 5.03 | 1.21 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $29.49 | $61,330 | $48,400 | $71,040 | 1,090 | 4.60 | 1.10 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $30.42 | $63,270 | 18,010 | 0.87 |
| Georgia | $29.82 | $62,030 | 21,060 | 1.03 |
| South Carolina | $29.72 | $61,820 | 9,400 | 0.98 |
| Tennessee | $28.31 | $58,870 | 20,830 | 1.52 |
| Virginia | $31.21 | $64,920 | 15,550 | 0.91 |
See the national page for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (every state ranked) and the North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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.