How Much Does an LPN Make in District of Columbia in 2026?

A typical LPN in the District of Columbia earns about $36.42 per hour, or $75,740 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $6,312 a month and $1,457 a week. This is the typical pay level for the profession across the district, not a starting wage or the highest pay experienced nurses can reach.

District pay runs about 18% above the national figure of $64,400 a year, according to the same May 2025 data. That gap puts the district 10th among the 51 states and territories ranked by LPN pay. Roughly 1,040 LPNs work in the district, a small workforce compared with the 648,410 LPNs employed nationwide, but enough to place pay solidly above the national figure.

Entry-level positions in the District of Columbia typically offer around $30.23 an hour, or about $62,880 a year, for LPNs just starting out. Pay tends to rise from there fairly quickly, with many nurses reaching the district's typical pay of $75,740 within a few years of experience. Newer hires can expect wages in this lower range mainly in their first year or two on the job.

Experienced LPNs in the district often earn upwards of $81,400 a year, and the top 10% of earners make over $87,470. That leaves a spread of $24,590 between entry-level and top pay, roughly the difference between an entry-level hourly wage and one nearing $42 an hour. Setting, years of experience, and which part of the district a nurse works in all factor into where someone lands within that range.

Over the past decade, typical LPN pay in the District of Columbia rose from $52,140 in 2015 to $75,740 in 2025, a gain of $23,600. That amounts to a 45% increase over ten years. Growth was not perfectly steady, with a small dip in 2017, but pay has trended upward in most years since, especially from 2020 onward.

Nationally, LPN pay rose 49% over the same ten years, a slightly larger percentage increase than the district saw. Even so, the district's typical pay remains well above the national figure in dollar terms. For someone starting an LPN career in the district now, recent history shows steady increases most years. That pattern offers no guarantee about future pay, but it reflects real gains for nurses already working in the field.

Pay runs highest in Washington, the district's only metro area tracked separately, where LPNs typically earn $75,860 a year ($36.47 an hour). These figures, like all city-level pay in this profile, cover the full Washington metro area rather than the city limits alone. That figure sits almost exactly at the district's overall typical pay of $75,740, since Washington and the district are effectively the same geography for wage-reporting purposes.

Since Washington is the only city tracked in the district, pay is essentially uniform across the area rather than varying by neighborhood or suburb. Washington also carries the largest LPN workforce in the profile, with 7,170 nurses employed in the metro area. High pay here tracks the district's high cost of living, one of the steepest in the country, so a bigger paycheck goes toward correspondingly higher housing and daily expenses.

District pay compares favorably with its closest neighbors. Maryland's typical LPN pay sits at $74,660 a year, about 1% below the district figure, making it the closest match nearby. Virginia trails further behind at $64,920 a year, roughly 14% lower than the district. LPN licensure can often be transferred or endorsed between neighboring states, which makes it easier to compare offers across the region before choosing where to work.

Typical LPN pay in the District of Columbia now stands at $75,740 a year ($36.42 an hour), up 45% over the past decade. That growth reflects real gains for nurses already working in the district, alongside a workforce of 1,040 LPNs. Readers weighing a move or a new license should check the district's licensing and registry requirements, and review the Washington city page for local pay figures before making a decision.