Licensed practical and vocational nurses provide direct patient care under the supervision of physicians and registered nurses. You work in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and patients' homes. The role is hands-on, in demand, and you can enter with some college education rather than a four-year degree.
Pathly builds you a free, personalized roadmap and helps your counselor champion you along the way.
You assist patients with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and eating while monitoring their health and comfort. You take vital signs, change bandages, insert catheters, and help with basic medical procedures. You document patient information in medical records and communicate updates to the nursing team. You answer patient questions, listen to their concerns, and provide emotional support. You also help organize patient care schedules and stay current with medical practices and facility protocols.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses earn a median of $64,400 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is steady. Employment is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as average for all occupations, with about 54,400 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
You'll need some college education, typically through a practical nursing or vocational nursing program at a community college or technical school. These programs combine classroom instruction in anatomy, pharmacology, and patient care with supervised clinical practice in real healthcare settings. After completing your education, you must pass a licensing exam to practice. The preparation involves medium-level complexity, so you'll need solid study habits and the ability to learn both theory and hands-on skills.
Most people enter this field through a community college program or vocational school, which takes less time and money than a bachelor's degree. If you're exploring whether this path fits your timeline and goals, Pathly can map the licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse path that fits you to map out the steps with your counselor.
Many licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses must be licensed, and professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
Licensing is handled at the state level and the requirements vary, so check the licensing board in your state. Pathly shows your state's specific steps inside your roadmap.
You're drawn to helping others and making a real difference in people's lives. You listen well, think critically under pressure, and communicate clearly with patients and colleagues.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
Your free AI guide weighs this career against your strengths and goals, and surfaces the colleges, trades, and scholarships that match, so you know if it truly fits before you commit.
Get a personalized, step-by-step plan to reach this career, with the training, coursework, and credentials tracked in one place. Link your school or IEC and your counselor in the loop.
Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).