How Much Does an LPN Make in New York in 2026?

A typical LPN in New York earns about $32.30 per hour, which comes to $67,180 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Broken down further, that works out to roughly $5,598 a month and $1,292 a week, figures calculated from the annual pay. These numbers reflect licensed practical nurses working across hospitals, nursing homes, and home health settings statewide.

New York's typical LPN pay runs about 4% above the national figure of $64,400 a year, based on the same wage survey. That gap places New York 20th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia for LPN pay. Roughly 39,400 LPNs work across the state, a workforce large enough to make these figures a reliable local picture. Nationally, the LPN workforce totals 648,410.

Entry-level positions in New York typically offer around $26.19 an hour ($54,480 a year), according to the same May 2025 data. That's the starting range for newly licensed practical nurses in the state. Pay tends to climb toward the $32.30 typical rate within the first few years, as new hires move past orientation and gain experience. Hospitals and specialty units often start LPNs higher than assisted living or home health settings.

Experienced LPNs in New York often earn upwards of $39.20 an hour, and the top 10% of earners make over $81,530 a year. That leaves a spread of $27,050 between entry-level and top pay in the state. Years of experience explain part of the gap, but setting and location matter too: hospital roles in higher-paying cities sit at the top, while entry-level positions in lower-cost areas anchor the bottom.

New York's typical LPN pay rose from $46,050 in 2015 to $67,180 in 2025, according to a decade of government wage data. That's a gain of $21,130, a 46% increase over ten years. The rise was not perfectly steady; pay dipped slightly in 2021 before jumping sharply in 2022 and 2023. Since then, gains have continued at a steadier pace.

Nationally, LPN pay climbed 49% over the same decade, a slightly faster pace than New York's rise. The gap suggests New York's pay growth has been solid but not exceptional compared with the rest of the country. For someone starting an LPN career now, the past decade shows steady upward movement in pay, though nothing here promises that pace will continue.

Pay runs highest in the New York City metro area, where LPNs typically earn $75,910 a year, about 13% above the statewide figure. That figure covers the full New York City metro area, not just the five boroughs. Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, and Kiryas Joel follow next, each with typical pay near $66,360 a year, still comfortably above many other parts of the state.

At the other end, the Fort Drum area posts the lowest typical pay in the state, at $60,320 a year, a spread of $15,590 from the top. New York City also holds the largest LPN workforce, at 32,410 workers, more than the rest of the state's metro areas combined. Higher pay there tracks a higher cost of living, so a bigger paycheck doesn't necessarily stretch further than a smaller one upstate.

New York's LPN pay sits in the middle among its neighbors. Massachusetts pays the most nearby, at $80,220 a year, 19% above New York. New Jersey ($75,160, up 12%) and Connecticut ($73,690, up 10%) also pay more, while Vermont ($69,930, up 4%) runs close to New York. Pennsylvania pays less, at $63,940, about 5% below New York. Licenses can often be transferred or endorsed between neighboring states, which can open up options for LPNs considering a move nearby.

Typical LPN pay in New York now stands at $67,180 a year, up 46% over the past decade. That growth reflects steady demand for practical nurses across the state's hospitals, nursing homes, and home health agencies. Readers considering this path should check New York's board of nursing for licensing requirements, and look at city-specific pages for local pay figures in areas like New York City, Buffalo, or Rochester.