LPN / LVN Salary in North Carolina (BLS May 2025)
Licensed practical nurses in North Carolina earned a median of $63,270 a year ($30.42 an hour) in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is 2% below the national LPN median of $64,400, and it ranks 29th of the 50 states and D.C..
Median salary
$63,270
Median hourly
$30.42
Average (mean)
$63,720
LPNs employed
18,010
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (SOC 29-2061), retrieved 2026-10-25. Employed (wage-and-salary) licensed practical nurses (called licensed vocational nurses, LVNs, in California and Texas) in all settings — nursing homes, hospitals, physician offices, home health; excludes self-employed and agency-contract pay.
LPN pay range in North Carolina
Half of North Carolina's licensed practical nurses earned between $59,270 and $69,700. The spread from the 10th to the 90th percentile is $24,250, which reflects setting (long-term care and home health vs hospitals and government), shift differentials, experience and region within the state.
| Percentile | North Carolina annual | Hourly equivalent | U.S. annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,480 | $24.27 | $49,740 |
| 25th percentile | $59,270 | $28.50 | $59,000 |
| Median (50th) | $63,270 | $30.42 | $64,400 |
| 75th percentile | $69,700 | $33.51 | $76,030 |
| 90th percentile | $74,730 | $35.93 | $83,440 |
Hourly equivalent = annual ÷ 2,080 hours, the convention BLS uses to annualize hourly wages. BLS publishes the median hourly wage directly ($30.42); small differences are rounding.
LPN / LVN vs registered nurse pay in North Carolina
LPN / LVN, median
$63,270
$30.42/hr · 18,010 employed
Registered nurse, median
$84,350
$40.56/hr · 111,120 employed
In North Carolina the LPN median is $21,080 (25%) lower than the RN median. All figures are BLS estimates for May 2025. The LPN role requires a state-approved practical nursing program (typically about a year) and the NCLEX-PN exam.
What a median LPN paycheck looks like in North Carolina
Gross pay at the North Carolina median, and the federal taxes on it for a single filer taking the 2026 standard deduction. Retirement, insurance and other payroll deductions vary by employer and are not included.
| Yearly | Monthly | Every 2 weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay (median) | $63,270 | $5,273 | $2,433 |
| Federal income tax | $5,412 | $451 | $208 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $4,840 | $403 | $186 |
| North Carolina income tax | Not included (we only publish sourced state tax figures) | ||
Taxes: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 brackets and standard deduction, SSA 2026 wage base. See methodology. Run your own numbers in the tax calculator.
North Carolina vs neighboring states
Median licensed practical nurse pay in the states that border North Carolina:
| State | Median salary | Median hourly | vs North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $63,270 | $30.42 | — |
| Virginia | $64,920 | $31.21 | +$1,650 |
| Georgia | $62,030 | $29.82 | −$1,240 |
| South Carolina | $61,820 | $29.72 | −$1,450 |
| Tennessee | $58,870 | $28.31 | −$4,400 |
The Nurse Licensure Compact covers LPN/LVN licenses: an LPN with a multistate license from a compact state can work in other compact states without a new license. Check the compact license lookup for the current member list. Compact license lookup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do licensed practical nurses make in North Carolina?
Licensed practical nurses in North Carolina earned a median of $63,270 a year ($30.42 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average (mean) was $63,720 ($30.64 an hour). That median is 2% below the national LPN median of $64,400 and ranks 29th of the 50 states and D.C..
What do the highest-paid licensed practical nurses in North Carolina make?
The top 10% of licensed practical nurses in North Carolina earned at least $74,730 a year, and the top quarter at least $69,700. The bottom 10% earned less than $50,480. These are BLS percentile estimates for employed licensed practical nurses across all settings, not offers for a specific job.
How does LPN pay compare with RN pay in North Carolina?
The LPN median in North Carolina ($63,270) is $21,080 a year, or 25%, below the registered nurse median of $84,350, both from BLS for May 2025. The role requires a state-approved practical nursing program (typically about a year) and the NCLEX-PN exam.
What is a licensed practical nurse's paycheck in North Carolina?
At the North Carolina median of $63,270, gross pay is about $5,273 a month or $2,433 every two weeks. For a single filer with the standard deduction, 2026 federal income tax plus Social Security and Medicare come to about $10,253 a year. North Carolina state income tax is not included in that figure, so actual take-home is lower.
How many licensed practical nurses work in North Carolina?
BLS estimated 18,010 licensed practical nurses employed in North Carolina in May 2025, the 9th largest LPN workforce of the 50 states and D.C..
About this data
These figures are the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) estimates for May 2025, the latest published. OEWS surveys employers, so it measures employed licensed practical nurses (called licensed vocational nurses, LVNs, in California and Texas) in all settings — nursing homes, hospitals, physician offices, home health; excludes self-employed and agency-contract pay. Means are pulled up by high earners, which is why we lead with the median. BLS does not publish a wage above its top code; where a percentile sits there, the table says so instead of showing a number.
See licensed practical nurse salary in every state for the full ranking, or registered nurse salary in North Carolina.