LPN to RN: What the Step Up Pays and What It Takes
The median registered nurse earns $97,550 a year against $64,400 for the median LPN/LVN — $33,150 more, or 51% (BLS, May 2025).
The Programs, Side by Side
Each figure is the median across the programs that report it — the typical program, not an average weighted by size. Pass rates are for 2025 first-time test takers, from each state board of nursing; earnings and debt are program-level federal data for that school’s nursing graduates. Practical nursing and RN graduates sit for different exams (NCLEX-PN vs NCLEX-RN), so compare those pass rates with care.
| Typical program | Practical nursing (LPN/LVN) | Associate (ADN) |
|---|---|---|
| Board-approved programs | 1,713 | 1,546 |
| Median first-time NCLEX pass rate | 93.3%1,218 programs | 89.2%1,324 programs |
| Graduate earnings, 1 year out | $43,999 418 schools | $68,634 650 schools |
| Graduate earnings, 4 years out | $56,002 485 schools | $79,637 695 schools |
| Federal loan debt at graduation | $10,500 331 schools | $14,625 557 schools |
Earnings lag the current graduating class: the Department of Education pools recent cohorts and matches them to tax records. Find any single program’s own numbers in the schools directory or put two side by side in compare schools.
What the Step Pays
Federal wage survey data — employer-reported, not job-board estimates. 3,379,720 registered nurses are employed nationwide.
| National, May 2025 | LPN / LVN | Registered Nurse |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $64,400 | $97,550 |
| Median hourly | $30.96 | $46.90 |
| 10th percentile | $49,740 | $68,940 |
| 90th percentile | $83,440 | $137,470 |
| Employed nationwide | 648,410 | 3,379,720 |
What It Takes
- Practical nursing programs award a certificate or diploma, typically take about a year, and end in a licensing exam (the NCLEX-PN).
- An LPN can become a registered nurse by completing an LPN-to-RN education program.
- RNs must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass the licensing exam (the NCLEX-RN).
Summarized from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (linked under Sources). Schools and state boards set their own admission and licensing rules — confirm with the program and the board before you commit.
Sources
- National wages for nursing assistants, LPNs, RNs, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and nurse anesthetistsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · Data: May 2025 · Checked
- First-time NCLEX pass rates by programEach state board of nursing — the exact board documents are linked on every state page · Data: 2025 first-time test takers · Checked
- Program cost, completion, and graduate earningsU.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Checked
- How to become a licensed practical or vocational nurseU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook · Checked
- How to become a registered nurse: education, licensing, and advancementU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook · Checked
Frequently Asked Questions
How much more does a registered nurse make than an LPN?
$33,150 a year at the national median: $97,550 versus $64,400, per the BLS May 2025 wage survey.
Do practical nursing or RN programs have higher NCLEX pass rates?
The median first-time pass rate was 93.3% across 1,218 Practical nursing (LPN/LVN) programs and 89.2% across 1,324 Associate (ADN) programs (2025 first-time test takers). They sit for different exams — the NCLEX-PN and the NCLEX-RN — so the rates are not directly comparable.
What do you need for this step?
Practical nursing programs award a certificate or diploma, typically take about a year, and end in a licensing exam (the NCLEX-PN). An LPN can become a registered nurse by completing an LPN-to-RN education program. RNs must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass the licensing exam (the NCLEX-RN). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Keep going
- GuideThe Nurse Salary Ladder: What CNA, LPN, RN, NP, and CRNA Actually Earn (2026)One profession, a 5x pay spread. Every rung of the nursing career ladder — median pay, education path, and time investment — from real BLS data, in one interactive climb from CNA to CRNA.
- GuideADN vs BSN: Which Nursing Program Should You Choose?Compare ADN and prelicensure BSN pathways by time, total cost, admission, clinical logistics, employer expectations, and bridge options—not prestige alone.
- Degree pathwayADN vs BSNBoth degrees lead to the same RN license. Here is how associate and bachelor’s programs actually compare on NCLEX pass rates, graduate debt, and earnings.
- Degree pathwayRN to nurse practitionerWhat nurse practitioners earn compared with RNs — nationally and in every state — and what the step requires.
- CollectionRN salary by stateWhat registered nurses earn in every state — median, range, and hourly pay.
- CollectionNursing schools by stateEvery board-approved nursing program in the U.S. with its first-time NCLEX pass rate.