Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
Nurse salary data
Built by Keegan, a travel RN · verified against official board sources
The median LPN (licensed practical nurse) salary in California is $79,750 a year (about $39.59/hour), per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 OEWS). That is about 24% higher than the national median of $64,400, ranking California #6 of 51 for LPN pay.
$79,750
Median (annual)
$82,340
Mean (annual)
$39.59
Mean hourly
82,850
LPNs employed
These are BLS occupational wage figures for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (SOC 29-2061): averages across all LPN/LVN settings and experience levels in California, not a starting salary. Pay tracks local cost of living. Setting (nursing homes, home health, clinics) and experience move individual pay well above or below these medians.
Median annual wage for each rung of the California nursing career ladder (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Advancing a rung usually means more schooling and a separate national credential.
| Role | Median pay | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)This page | $79,750 | |
| Registered Nurse (RN) | $140,270 | California data |
| Nurse Practitioner (NP) | $168,520 | California data |
| Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) | $292,410 | California data |
The median LPN salary in California is $79,750 per year and the mean (average) is $82,340, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 OEWS). The mean hourly wage is about $39.59.
California's median LPN salary of $79,750 is about 24% higher than the national median of $64,400. It ranks #6 of 51 U.S. jurisdictions by median LPN pay. LPN pay is compressed nationally, so ranks shift with small dollar differences.
California employs about 82,850 LPNs and LVNs, per the BLS OEWS May 2025 release.
Among LPNs, RNs, and advanced-practice nurses in California, CRNAs report the highest median pay at $292,410, compared with $79,750 for LPNs. Moving up the ladder generally means graduate education and a separate national credential, per BLS OEWS May 2025.
Track your California LPN/LVN renewal and CE in one place so a lapse never costs you a shift. Free for one credential, 60-second setup.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (SOC 29-2061), May 2025 release).