LPN / LVN Salary in Tennessee (BLS May 2025)
Licensed practical nurses in Tennessee earned a median of $58,870 a year ($28.31 an hour) in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is 9% below the national LPN median of $64,400, and it ranks 44th of the 50 states and D.C..
Median salary
$58,870
Median hourly
$28.31
Average (mean)
$56,470
LPNs employed
20,830
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 Tennessee
Half of Tennessee's licensed practical nurses earned between $49,170 and $62,650. The spread from the 10th to the 90th percentile is $26,430, which reflects setting (long-term care and home health vs hospitals and government), shift differentials, experience and region within the state.
| Percentile | Tennessee annual | Hourly equivalent | U.S. annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $41,110 | $19.76 | $49,740 |
| 25th percentile | $49,170 | $23.64 | $59,000 |
| Median (50th) | $58,870 | $28.30 | $64,400 |
| 75th percentile | $62,650 | $30.12 | $76,030 |
| 90th percentile | $67,540 | $32.47 | $83,440 |
Hourly equivalent = annual ÷ 2,080 hours, the convention BLS uses to annualize hourly wages. BLS publishes the median hourly wage directly ($28.31); small differences are rounding.
LPN / LVN vs registered nurse pay in Tennessee
LPN / LVN, median
$58,870
$28.31/hr · 20,830 employed
Registered nurse, median
$81,500
$39.18/hr · 72,200 employed
In Tennessee the LPN median is $22,630 (28%) 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 Tennessee
Gross pay at the Tennessee 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) | $58,870 | $4,906 | $2,264 |
| Federal income tax | $4,884 | $407 | $188 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $4,504 | $375 | $173 |
| Tennessee income tax | $0 — no state tax on wages | ||
| Take-home | $49,482 | $4,124 | $1,903 |
Taxes: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 brackets and standard deduction, SSA 2026 wage base. See methodology. Run your own numbers in the tax calculator.
Tennessee vs neighboring states
Median licensed practical nurse pay in the states that border Tennessee:
| State | Median salary | Median hourly | vs Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $58,870 | $28.31 | — |
| Virginia | $64,920 | $31.21 | +$6,050 |
| North Carolina | $63,270 | $30.42 | +$4,400 |
| Georgia | $62,030 | $29.82 | +$3,160 |
| Missouri | $61,530 | $29.58 | +$2,660 |
| Kentucky | $60,460 | $29.07 | +$1,590 |
| Alabama | $57,030 | $27.42 | −$1,840 |
| Arkansas | $56,620 | $27.22 | −$2,250 |
| Mississippi | $50,220 | $24.14 | −$8,650 |
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 Tennessee?
Licensed practical nurses in Tennessee earned a median of $58,870 a year ($28.31 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average (mean) was $56,470 ($27.15 an hour). That median is 9% below the national LPN median of $64,400 and ranks 44th of the 50 states and D.C..
What do the highest-paid licensed practical nurses in Tennessee make?
The top 10% of licensed practical nurses in Tennessee earned at least $67,540 a year, and the top quarter at least $62,650. The bottom 10% earned less than $41,110. 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 Tennessee?
The LPN median in Tennessee ($58,870) is $22,630 a year, or 28%, below the registered nurse median of $81,500, 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 Tennessee?
At the Tennessee median of $58,870, gross pay is about $4,906 a month or $2,264 every two weeks. For a single filer with the standard deduction, 2026 federal income tax plus Social Security and Medicare come to about $9,388 a year. Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, so take-home is about $49,482 a year ($1,903 every two weeks), before retirement or insurance deductions.
How many licensed practical nurses work in Tennessee?
BLS estimated 20,830 licensed practical nurses employed in Tennessee in May 2025, the 8th 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 Tennessee.