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Kraena Pre-Health
Career Library

Nursing Paths

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN or LVN)

Licensed nursing practice in about a year, most often in long-term care.

Years after high school

1-2

Degree

Diploma or certificate

Entrance exam

Program entrance testing varies

Median pay

$64,400 national median for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (BLS, May 2025).

What the job is actually like

Medication passes, wound care, vitals, charting, and communicating changes to the supervising RN. In long-term care you may be responsible for a large group of residents and know them well over months or years.

The path

  1. 01State-approved practical nursing program, commonly 12-18 months
  2. 02NCLEX-PN examination
  3. 03State licensure
  4. 04Optional LPN-to-RN bridge program later

Good fit if

  • You want licensed practice fast and at low cost
  • You are drawn to long-term care and older adults
  • You intend to bridge to RN later while earning

Think twice if

  • You specifically want hospital work — many hospitals have moved away from LPN roles
  • You want a wide scope of independent judgement
  • You would be frustrated by a lower ceiling without more school

Similar paths worth comparing

Nurse Practitioner (NP)

An advanced practice nurse who diagnoses, treats, and prescribes — with full independent practice in many states.

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Registered Nurse (RN)

The professional who spends the most time with patients and catches problems first.

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Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

Administers anesthesia and monitors patients through surgery — among the highest-paid nursing roles.

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All salary figures here are median annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 — the most recent full national dataset. 'Median' means half of workers earn more and half earn less. Three things to keep in mind: (1) pay varies enormously by state, city, setting, and experience — a nurse in California and a nurse in rural Alabama earn very different salaries; (2) training lengths are typical, not guaranteed, and programs differ; (3) these numbers change every year. Always verify current figures at bls.gov/ooh before making a decision. For context, the BLS median wage for all U.S. occupations was $50,980, while healthcare practitioner and technical occupations had a median of $86,530 — one of the reasons health care is such a stable field.