How Much Does an LPN Make in Columbia, MO in 2026?
Typical pay for LPNs in Columbia, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Missouri.
BLS OES May 2025 · Columbia metro area
A typical LPN in Columbia, Missouri earns $29.65 per hour, or $61,670 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,139 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $48,880, and the top 10% of earners make over $75,280.
That pay is right at the Missouri figure of $61,530 and 4% below the national figure of $64,400. Columbia ranks 3rd of 8 metro areas in Missouri for LPN pay. About 800 LPNs work in the Columbia area.
LPN pay in Columbia at a glance
- Typical pay is $29.65 an hour, or $61,670 a year.
- That is right at the Missouri figure, ranking 3rd of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $48,880; the top 10% make over $75,280.
- Typical pay rose +66% from 2015 to 2025, against +63% for Missouri as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an LPN make in Columbia?
Pay in Columbia runs from entry-level positions at around $23.50 an hour to more than $36.19 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Missouri and national figures.
LPN pay by career stage in Columbia
| Career stage | Columbia | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $48,880$23.50 an hour | $48,580$23.36 an hour | $49,740$23.91 an hour |
| First years | $53,010$25.49 an hour | $56,280$27.06 an hour | $59,000$28.37 an hour |
| Typical LPN | $61,670$29.65 an hour | $61,530$29.58 an hour | $64,400$30.96 an hour |
| Experienced | $65,740$31.61 an hour | $70,230$33.77 an hour | $76,030$36.55 an hour |
| Top 10% | $75,280$36.19 an hour | $77,120$37.08 an hour | $83,440$40.12 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Columbia area as BLS defines it
LPN pay growth in Columbia
Typical (median) annual wage for LPNs in the Columbia area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical LPN pay in Columbia was $37,080 a year. By 2025 it had reached $61,670, a change of +66%, compared with +63% for Missouri over the same years.
How Columbia compares with other Missouri cities
St. Louis pays LPNs the most in Missouri at $65,120 a year, $3,450 more than Columbia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Joplin at $58,920.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbia | LPNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis | $65,120 | $31.31 | +6% | 5,180 |
| 2 | Kansas City | $64,420 | $30.97 | +4% | 4,570 |
| 3 | Columbia | $61,670 | $29.65 | this city | 800 |
| 4 | Springfield | $61,350 | $29.50 | -1% | 1,160 |
| 5 | St. Joseph | $60,720 | $29.19 | -2% | 290 |
| 6 | Jefferson City | $60,340 | $29.01 | -2% | 350 |
| 7 | Cape Girardeau | $60,100 | $28.90 | -3% | 410 |
| 8 | Joplin | $58,920 | $28.33 | -4% | 400 |
Every metro area in Missouri with LPN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Missouri typical pay $61,530
Is Columbia a good place to work as an LPN?
LPN pay in Columbia sits close to the national figure: $61,670 a year, 4% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Columbia area, about 7.4 are LPN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 4.2. That makes the local economy more reliant on LPNs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an LPN make in Columbia, MO?
- A typical LPN in Columbia earns $61,670 a year, or $29.65 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $48,880 and the top 10% earn over $75,280.
- How much does an LPN make an hour in Columbia?
- Typical hourly pay for LPNs in Columbia is $29.65. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $23.50, and the top 10% earn over $36.19 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an LPN in Columbia?
- Entry-level LPN positions in Columbia typically offer around $23.50 an hour, or $48,880 a year.
- Is LPN pay in Columbia higher than in the rest of Missouri?
- Columbia pay is right at the Missouri figure of $61,530 a year, ranking 3rd of 8 metro areas in the state. St. Louis pays the most in Missouri at $65,120.