Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary in Pennsylvania
At $63,940 a year, the median for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in Pennsylvania is close to the national median of $64,400 (−1%); Pennsylvania ranks 24th of 51 states by median. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses earn 29% more than the median across all occupations in Pennsylvania ($49,690). Among neighbouring states, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and New York pay more (up to $75,160 in New Jersey) and Ohio and West Virginia pay less (down to $55,360 in West Virginia). Pennsylvania employs 38,260 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, 6.31 per 1,000 jobs, the 6th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.51 means the occupation is more concentrated in Pennsylvania than nationally.
Pennsylvania vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $24.76 | $29.02 | $30.74 | $35.01 | $37.38 | $31.70 | 38,260 | 6.31 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $51,500 | $60,350 | $63,940 | $72,810 | $77,750 | $65,930 | ||||
| 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
- 24th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 6th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.51
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.31
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania
16 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Pennsylvania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $34.00 | $70,710 | $60,620 | $79,690 | 15,920 | 5.49 | 1.32 |
| Lebanon, PA | $31.46 | $65,430 | $58,670 | $74,330 | 460 | 8.63 | 2.07 |
| Reading, PA | $31.23 | $64,950 | $56,540 | $76,640 | 990 | 5.67 | 1.36 |
| Gettysburg, PA | $30.92 | $64,310 | $51,300 | $75,960 | 230 | 7.27 | 1.74 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $30.79 | $64,050 | $56,070 | $75,360 | 2,230 | 5.90 | 1.42 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $30.75 | $63,960 | $49,460 | $76,190 | 360 | 6.04 | 1.45 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $30.51 | $63,460 | $50,470 | $75,230 | 1,070 | 5.82 | 1.40 |
| Lancaster, PA | $30.43 | $63,290 | $55,340 | $75,450 | 1,740 | 6.89 | 1.65 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $30.32 | $63,060 | $51,780 | $74,630 | 5,800 | 5.21 | 1.25 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $30.13 | $62,680 | $52,010 | $74,980 | 2,180 | 6.52 | 1.56 |
| State College, PA | $29.79 | $61,960 | $49,860 | $69,530 | 440 | 6.34 | 1.52 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $29.68 | $61,740 | $53,820 | $74,340 | 2,270 | 8.90 | 2.13 |
| Williamsport, PA | $29.43 | $61,200 | $49,410 | $71,590 | 560 | 11.28 | 2.70 |
| Erie, PA | $29.09 | $60,510 | $48,800 | $72,270 | 940 | 7.78 | 1.87 |
| Altoona, PA | $28.69 | $59,680 | $44,590 | $71,840 | 630 | 10.69 | 2.56 |
| Johnstown, PA | $27.56 | $57,320 | $47,240 | $68,970 | 370 | 7.81 | 1.87 |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $29.52 | $61,400 | $50,260 | $70,470 | 920 | 7.12 | 1.71 |
| Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $29.41 | $61,160 | $48,040 | $71,680 | 2,010 | 10.71 | 2.57 |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $28.74 | $59,770 | $46,240 | $70,040 | 1,200 | 8.53 | 2.05 |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $28.66 | $59,600 | $47,740 | $71,370 | 1,490 | 10.02 | 2.40 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $30.74 | $63,940 | 38,260 | 1.51 |
| Delaware | $33.03 | $68,710 | 2,240 | 1.11 |
| Maryland | $35.89 | $74,660 | 9,560 | 0.83 |
| New Jersey | $36.13 | $75,160 | 17,410 | 0.97 |
| New York | $32.30 | $67,180 | 39,400 | 0.98 |
| Ohio | $29.78 | $61,950 | 39,900 | 1.72 |
| West Virginia | $26.61 | $55,360 | 6,050 | 2.07 |
See the national page for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (every state ranked) and the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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.