RN vs LPN Salary: State-by-State Comparison (2026 Data)
Updated June 2026
RNs earn a median of $97,550 nationally. LPNs earn $64,400 (BLS, May 2025). But the real numbers depend on your state, specialty, shift, and experience level. Below is the complete salary breakdown for all 50 states.
RN National Median
$97,550
$47/hour | State avg range: $77K to $150K+
LPN National Median
$64,400
$31/hour | State avg range: $51K to $84K
Median Annual Gap
$31,260
RN earns about 50% more
All 50 States: RN vs LPN Salary
Sorted by RN average salary, highest to lowest. The salary gap between RN and LPN ranges from about $17,000 in Iowa to $68,000 in California.
| # | State | RN Average | LPN Average | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $150,300 | $82,300 | $68,000 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $124,300 | $71,600 | $52,700 |
| 3 | Oregon | $123,100 | $81,400 | $41,700 |
| 4 | Washington | $121,500 | $83,900 | $37,600 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $118,000 | $79,300 | $38,700 |
| 6 | Alaska | $114,900 | $80,000 | $34,900 |
| 7 | New York | $113,400 | $69,200 | $44,200 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $110,100 | $74,600 | $35,500 |
| 9 | Nevada | $105,700 | $74,500 | $31,200 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $105,300 | $72,600 | $32,700 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $103,400 | $64,900 | $38,500 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $101,300 | $80,100 | $21,200 |
| 13 | Arizona | $99,700 | $76,100 | $23,600 |
| 14 | Delaware | $99,500 | $69,500 | $30,000 |
| 15 | Colorado | $99,400 | $70,800 | $28,600 |
| 16 | Maryland | $99,000 | $74,200 | $24,800 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $97,900 | $76,600 | $21,300 |
| 18 | Vermont | $96,700 | $70,100 | $26,600 |
| 19 | Texas | $95,400 | $62,800 | $32,600 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $95,300 | $58,600 | $36,700 |
| 21 | Georgia | $95,100 | $61,600 | $33,500 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $94,700 | $65,900 | $28,800 |
| 23 | Illinois | $94,400 | $73,400 | $21,000 |
| 24 | Michigan | $94,300 | $67,300 | $27,000 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $94,000 | $65,900 | $28,100 |
| 26 | Virginia | $93,900 | $66,300 | $27,600 |
| 27 | Idaho | $92,700 | $63,900 | $28,800 |
| 28 | Maine | $91,700 | $72,100 | $19,600 |
| 29 | Montana | $91,500 | $62,400 | $29,100 |
| 30 | Utah | $91,000 | $62,100 | $28,900 |
| 31 | Florida | $90,700 | $62,200 | $28,500 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $90,500 | $63,700 | $26,800 |
| 33 | Indiana | $89,200 | $65,800 | $23,400 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $88,600 | $63,300 | $25,300 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $88,300 | $64,600 | $23,700 |
| 36 | Ohio | $87,700 | $62,000 | $25,700 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $87,700 | $63,200 | $24,500 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $87,000 | $56,200 | $30,800 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $86,100 | $60,500 | $25,600 |
| 40 | Missouri | $85,900 | $62,400 | $23,500 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $85,400 | $56,500 | $28,900 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $85,100 | $56,800 | $28,300 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $84,200 | $56,600 | $27,600 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $83,600 | $62,200 | $21,400 |
| 45 | Kansas | $82,400 | $62,700 | $19,700 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $81,500 | $55,700 | $25,800 |
| 47 | Iowa | $80,500 | $63,400 | $17,100 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $79,000 | $51,500 | $27,500 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $77,100 | $55,000 | $22,100 |
| 50 | Alabama | $77,000 | $55,300 | $21,700 |
How Salary Grows With Experience
Both RN and LPN salaries increase with experience, but the growth rate is steeper for RNs. The gap widens over time as RNs access specialty certifications and leadership roles.
| Experience | RN Salary | LPN Salary | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| New grad (0-1 years) | $65,000 | $47,000 | $18,000 |
| 3 years | $80,000 | $53,000 | $27,000 |
| 5 years | $86,000 | $55,000 | $31,000 |
| 10 years | $95,000 | $60,000 | $35,000 |
| 15 years | $102,000 | $63,000 | $39,000 |
| 20+ years | $108,000 | $66,000 | $42,000 |
The salary gap widens from $18,000 at entry level to $42,000 at 20+ years. RN salary growth accelerates with specialty certifications, charge nurse roles, and management positions. LPN salary growth tends to plateau after 10 to 15 years.
Overtime, Night Shift, and Specialty Premiums
Base salary is only part of the picture. Shift differentials and specialty bonuses can add $5,000 to $20,000 or more to annual take-home pay.
| Pay Factor | RN Impact | LPN Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Night shift differential | +10% to 15% ($8,600 to $12,900/year) | +8% to 12% ($4,400 to $6,600/year) |
| Weekend differential | +5% to 10% ($4,300 to $8,600/year) | +3% to 8% ($1,650 to $4,400/year) |
| Overtime (time-and-a-half) | $62 to $90/hour | $39 to $49/hour |
| ICU / Critical care bonus | +$3,000 to $8,000/year | N/A (LPNs rarely work ICU) |
| ER / Trauma bonus | +$2,000 to $6,000/year | N/A (LPNs rarely work ER) |
| Certification bonus | +$1,000 to $5,000/year (CCRN, CEN) | +$500 to $2,000/year (IV cert, WCC) |
| Travel nursing premium | $2,200 to $4,500/week | $1,200 to $2,200/week |
Real-World Salary Examples
RN in California, Night Shift, ICU
LPN in Texas, Day Shift, Home Health
New Grad RN in Ohio, Day Shift
Mid-Career LPN in Georgia, Rotating Shift
Detailed State Salary Pages
Explore metro-area breakdowns, top employers, cost-of-living adjustments, and state-specific scope of practice notes for these states.
California
Texas
Florida
New York
Pennsylvania
Illinois
Ohio
Georgia
North Carolina
Michigan
Massachusetts
Washington
New Jersey
Virginia
Arizona
Tennessee
Indiana
Maryland
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These are averages. Your actual salary depends on your employer, certifications, shift, and local market. Use our interactive calculator to model your specific situation.
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