---
title: "LPN vs RN: Training, Pay and Daily Work Compared"
description: "Practical nurses and registered nurses compared on training length, licensing exam, median pay and outlook, using BLS 2025 data."
url: https://careerdirecting.com/compare/lpn-vs-rn/
updated: 2026-10-09
site: CareerDirecting
---

Compare · Nursing

# LPN vs RN Two nursing licenses, two very different time commitments.

Nursing

Both are nurses, both pass a national exam, and both care for patients. The big differences are how long training takes, how much responsibility you carry, and how much you are paid for it.

In short

An LPN usually trains for about a year in a certificate program and passes the NCLEX-PN, while an RN needs an associate or bachelor's degree and passes the NCLEX-RN. RNs earn more, with a May 2025 median of $97,550 against $64,400 for LPNs, and take on more assessment and care planning.

**Job numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics** Updated October 9, 2026. Pay figures are national medians and are not a promise of what you will earn.

**On this page**

1. [ What the day looks like](#s-what-the-day-looks-like)
2. [The training difference](#s-the-training-difference)
3. [The LPN to RN bridge](#s-the-lpn-to-rn-bridge)
4. [Questions people ask](#s-faq)

| Side by side | [LPN](https://careerdirecting.com/careers/lpn/) | RN |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay (May 2025) | $64,400 | $97,550 |
| Hourly equivalent | $30.96 | $46.90 |
| Typical way in | Certificate | Bachelor's degree |
| On-the-job training | None listed | None listed |
| Jobs in the U.S. (2025) | 666,900 | 3,465,400 |
| Growth, 2025 to 2035 | 3% | 5.6% |
| Openings each year | 51,800 | 180,800 |

Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm), national medians. Not a promise of what you will earn.

## What the day looks like

LPNs work under the direction of registered nurses or doctors. They take vital signs, give some medications, change dressings and keep patients comfortable, often in nursing homes and home health. RNs assess patients, build care plans, give a wider range of treatments and supervise LPNs and aides. Hospitals hire more RNs.

## The training difference

Most practical nursing programs take about a year. RN programs take two years for an associate degree or four for a bachelor's, and BLS lists the bachelor's as the typical way in. Both end with the national NCLEX exam from the [National Council of State Boards of Nursing](https://www.ncsbn.org/nclex.page).

## The LPN to RN bridge

Many people do both, in order. They work as an LPN while taking a bridge program to become an RN, which can be shorter than starting from scratch. If you need income soon, that route keeps money coming in.

### Looking at nursing programs?

Tell us where you live and we will show LPN and RN programs nearby.

[Find schools near me](#cd-form)

## Questions people ask

### Is LPN school easier than RN school?

It is shorter and covers less depth, but it is still demanding, with clinical hours and a licensing exam.

### Can an LPN become an RN?

Yes, through LPN to RN bridge programs offered by many community colleges.

### Which pays better, LPN or RN?

RNs, by a wide margin. The May 2025 median gap is about $97,550 versus $64,400 a year.

## Sources

- [BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035, Table 1.2 (occupational projections and worker characteristics)](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm)
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/licensed-practical-and-licensed-vocational-nurses.htm)
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Registered nurses](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm)
- [NCSBN: NCLEX exams](https://www.nclex.com/)

## Where to go next

- [LPN](https://careerdirecting.com/careers/lpn/)
- [CNA vs LPN](https://careerdirecting.com/compare/cna-vs-lpn/)
- [Healthcare](https://careerdirecting.com/jobs-without-a-degree/healthcare/)
- [Compare](https://careerdirecting.com/compare/)
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