- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) survey on countrywide wages in 2009 revealed the annual average salary of licensed vocational nurses to be $40,900. Lone Star State licensed vocational nurses earned just below their colleagues across the country, with a statewide average salary of $39,750 per year, a difference of $1,150 annually.
- Some of Texas' 65,850 licensed vocational nurses (in May 2009) averaged salaries higher than nurses in other states. In Texas' top 90th percentile of nurse salaries for the field, earnings averaged $54,990 per year. At the bottom end of the range, salaries In the 10th percentile averaged $28,760 annually.
- Texans interested in earning salaries as licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), also known as licensed practical nurses (LPNs), must enroll in a postsecondary nursing program. The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission Inc. accredits hundreds of schools across the country that offer one-year LPN programs. Texas is home to more than 40 accredited institutions, including Texas A&M International University, Texarkana College, Stephen F. Austin State University, College of the Mainland, Angelo State University, Austin Community College and Weatherford College. Prospective LVNs must take the National Council Licensure Examination to gain their licensing.
- The BLS predicts a 21 percent growth rate in employment of licensed vocational nurses through 2018, adding 155,600 jobs countrywide. The Bureau attributes part of the demand for nurses to the aging population's increase in health issues and need for more medical services. The BLS recommends candidates in Texas seek employment in some of the state's rural areas, which often receive fewer applicants, and jobs in nursing homes and home healthcare facilities as the best opportunities to secure higher salaries.
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