LVNs in California currently earn an average of $63,676 annually. Texas LVNs average $54,942 per year.
The nursing industry is booming and, by enrolling now in one of the many outstanding LVN programs in California, you can join this exciting field as a Licensed Vocational Nurse in as little as 12 months.
With employment for vocational nurses projected to grow by 21% through 2026 demand is high for this vital profession, and getting an LVN license will qualify you for jobs in hospitals, physician’s offices, long-term care, home health care and a wide range of other facilities.
If you’ve ever dreamed of working in the health care field, becoming an LVN is a great way to start! The current LVN salary continues to rise, year over year. Pay for Licensed Vocational Nurses in California hit $63,676 at the end of 2021. Pay in 2022 is already hitting new highs!
In order to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse in California, you must pass the NCLEX-PN, or National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses.
This standardized test is made up of 205 questions and requires you to answer a minimum of 85 in order to be eligible for a passing score. The questions are mostly multiple-choice with four answers each, and deal with all of the material that you would study during an LVN program.
That said, the best way to prepare for and pass the NCLEX-PN is to, obviously, go through a program at an accredited vocational nursing school.
While studying at one of the state-accredited LVN schools in California, you’ll not only learn the technical and scientific skills required to succeed in the nursing profession, but will also have the opportunity to practice them in the field.
The majority of programs allow students to gain hands-on clinical practice with actual patients in hospitals and other settings, in addition to learning about anatomy, physiology, pediatrics and pharmacology in the classroom.
And, with almost 200 programs around the state approved by the California Bureau of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, you are almost guaranteed to find a school near you.
After completing your LVN program and passing the NCLEX-PN, you will receive your California LVN license and be ready to start your career!
Working as a Licensed Vocational Nurse can be a fulfilling, life-long occupation or it can be just a step on the path to other positions in the nursing profession including: registered nurse, nurse executive, and nurse practitioner.
Moving into one of these other positions is not difficult once you have your license, but it does require additional schooling.
Because many LVNs do decide to eventually transition over to RNs, LVN to RN programs in California are extremely popular and can even be taken entirely online while you’re working!
Registered Nurses (RNs) have more responsibility and earn higher salaries than Licensed Vocational Nurses, but their schooling is often expensive and requires two to four years instead of 12 months like an LVNs.
For this reason, starting off as an LVN and then taking one of the aforementioned courses when you’re ready to transition is a great strategy for many people.
Finding the right program can be a little intimidating when you’re first starting out, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. As long as you keep in mind a few simple things, finding the right vocational nursing school can be downright easy. It all starts with asking these basic questions:
• Is the school fully-accredited (this is very important)?
• Can I afford the tuition, and am I eligible for financial aid?
• How long is the LVN program and is there a waiting list?
• Does the school have a good reputation?
• What is the school’s Licensure Examination Pass Rate?
If the answers to these questions are to your liking, then the school is probably a good candidate for you to consider LVN programs come in all shapes and sizes, but the best one for you is the one that can fulfill all of the aforementioned criteria, and get you ready to begin your career in the shortest amount of time possible.
Pay for Licensed Vocational Nurses can vary wildly depending on which state you'll be working in. The average salary for LVNs in 2021 was $48,820, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, LPNs in Rhode Island averaged just over $65,000 annually, while LPNs in West Virginia only averaged $38,950.
California is routinely in the top 5 when it comes to a vocational nurse's salary.
In 2021, California LVNs averaged $63,696 annually. Within California, LVNs in San Diego averaged $61,800. New grads from the 6 LVN programs in San Diego began with a starting average salary of $31.75 per hour.
Licensed Vocational Nurses in Texas have an average annual salary of $30.63, which works out to $63,710 yearly. Nurses in the large metro areas such as Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, and San Antonio tend to make more than the state average.