How Much Does an LPN Make in Tennessee in 2026?

A typical LPN in Tennessee earns about $28.31 per hour, or $58,870 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $4,906 a month and about $1,132 a week, based on the annual figure. Those numbers describe a full-time LPN in a typical role across the state.

Tennessee's pay sits 9% below the national figure of $30.96 an hour and $64,400 a year, according to the same May 2025 data. That gap places Tennessee 44th out of 51 states and the District of Columbia for LPN pay. About 20,830 LPNs work across the state, compared with 648,410 nationally, giving a sense of scale for these figures.

Entry-level positions in Tennessee typically offer around $19.76 an hour, or about $41,110 a year, for LPNs just starting out. Pay tends to climb from there as nurses gain experience, moving toward the typical $28.31-an-hour, $58,870-a-year figure within a few years on the job. Newer LPNs in long-term care or home health settings often start closer to this lower range.

Experienced LPNs in Tennessee often earn upwards of $32.47 an hour, and the top 10% of earners make over $67,540 a year. That leaves a spread of $26,430 between entry-level and top-tier pay across the state. Setting, years of experience, and which city an LPN works in all tend to separate those two ends of the range.

Tennessee LPN pay has climbed from $36,670 in 2015 to $58,870 in 2025, a gain of $22,200 over the decade. That's a rise of 61% in ten years, according to the same wage data series. The increase has been steady year over year rather than a single jump.

Nationally, LPN pay rose 49% over the same ten years, so Tennessee's increase outpaced the national trend. For someone starting an LPN career in Tennessee now, that decade of gains shows pay has moved up over time, though nothing about future increases is guaranteed. Past growth is a record, not a promise.

LPN pay runs highest in the Franklin metro area, where the typical wage is $29.78 an hour, or $61,940 a year, about 5% above the statewide figure. Nashville, Murfreesboro, and Davidson County share that same metro-area figure, since they fall within the same metropolitan statistical area. These figures cover each city's full metro area, not just the city limits.

The lowest-paying metro area is Jackson, where LPNs typically earn $50,670 a year, or $24.36 an hour. That's an $11,270 spread between Tennessee's highest- and lowest-paying cities. Franklin also has the largest LPN workforce among Tennessee cities, with 5,650 workers in the metro area. Lower pay in cities like Jackson usually tracks a lower cost of living compared with the Nashville area.

Tennessee's LPN pay trails most neighbors: Virginia pays 10% more ($64,920), North Carolina 7% more ($63,270), Georgia and Missouri about 5% more each ($62,030 and $61,530), and Kentucky 3% more ($60,460). Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi pay less, from 3% to 15% less, with Mississippi lowest at $50,220. LPN licensure earned in one state can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, widening job options near the border.

Tennessee LPNs typically earn $58,870 a year, or $28.31 an hour, as of May 2025, a figure that has climbed 61% over the past decade. Pay varies by city and by experience, from entry-level roles in the low $40,000s to top earners well above $67,000. Readers weighing an LPN career in Tennessee can check the state board of nursing's licensing requirements and compare local pay on individual city pages.