Vocational nursing is not usually seen as a high income career choice. Fortunately, this is quickly changing as the demand for nursing is growing rapidly. This growth is mainly due to an aging population.
According to the latest statistics supplied by GlassDoor.com, LVNs in Fresno Ca earn a mean hourly rate of $29.55. This means the average annual wage for a nurse in this Northern California city is $61,394. This is a nice salary to be earning for a non specialized position.
The average LVN salary nationally is currently $52,820. So Fresno is just a bit higher than the national average. This starting wage increases dramatically as an LVN gains experience and knowledge. As a starting salary it is fairly competitive with other entry level salaries of similar healthcare positions.
It should be noted that while the entry levels are low some of the higher positions such as director of nursing can earn up to $86,450 annually. LVNs who specialize in home health can make as much as $36.50 per hour.
There are many factors which can influence how much an LVN will earn during the year. These are mostly obvious but some may not be straight forward. The most obvious ones are years of experience, degrees, licenses and certifications of specialist knowledge, and the hours being worked.
Other not so obvious factors include geographical location and the state of the economy. Fortunately, as of 2017, California’s economy seems to be humming along nicely! As a result of the California economy, LVN programs are seeing a resurgence of applicants to their schools.
Obviously the more years a licensed vocational nurse has worked the more knowledge and experience they would have and that would be shown and valued by their employer within their pay rate. Usually nurses who have been in the career for a while will have undertaken extra study paid for by work (or perhaps personally) that gives them extra specialist skills such as infusion nursing or wound care.
These extra skills allow the nurse to demand more in compensation from their employer as they are providing skillsets which other people would not be able to provide. Also, nurses who work shift hours are generally given premium rates which increases their hourly rate to compensate for the demands of working at weird hours.
Of the not so well known factors which influence salary is the geographical location. Here in Fresno, the pay for LVNs isn’t much higher than the national average. LVNs working in San Francisco, however, make substantially more. This can mean state by state or location within a state.
For example, a nurse working in a skilled nursing facility may only receive on average $28 an hour where registered nurses who work in a hospital receive on average $39.50. The reason for this discrepancy is that the work involved in hospitals can sometimes be more demanding and involve slightly different skillsets.
The state that a nurse is located in can also influence the salary. For example, New York and California have higher rates of pay for nurses than places like Texas. The main reason for this is not skills or experience but the general cost of living.
Obviously, living in New York City is much more expensive than in Dallas. Comparatively the rates in New York may be worse then Texas when you take into account the costs of living such as home prices, food, and travel costs. Also, working in a social disadvantaged area medical center will usually pay a lot less then working in a high income area.
Overall, the starting entry level LVN salary may be low but with training, experience and specialization a nurse can demand a very good pay rate. Going into 2024, the average pay rate for LVNs in Fresno should continue to rise!
Pleasant Valley State Prison is located in Coalinga, Ca., which is in Fresno County. It houses 2,300 inmates, and is in constant need of medical personnel. Nurses are employed by Pleasant Valley State Prison in several different capacities. The most common position for LVNs is working as a clinical nurse. This could include passing medications, assessing inmates who are complaining of illness or injury, and triaging patients in the event of a mass casualty event.
Pay for LVNs at Pleasant Valley State Prison starts at $43,908 for LVNs have recently finished one of the LVN programs in California, and goes up to $54,984. Although this is in line with the average salary of other LVNs in Fresno County, the big advantage of working at Pleasant Valley State Prison is the benefits! Working for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation comes with such generous benefits as a defined retirement plan, great health insurance coverage, tuition reimbursement, and more. You can read more about the benefits of working for the CDCR Here.