Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse Salary in Columbus, OH

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in the Columbus, OH metro area earn a median $61,910 a year — 4% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $51,005 take-home, or $4,250 a month.

Median salary
$61,910
$29.76 per hour
Typical range
$51,480 – $76,200
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Columbus, OH
7,270
1.58× national concentration
▼0.9%
Pay trend: The median for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in Columbus, OH fell from $62,460 (May 2024) to $61,910 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 3.3%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse salary in Columbus, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse in Columbus, OH
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$51,005
per year · effective tax rate 17.6%
$4,250Monthly
$2,125Twice a month
$1,962Every 2 weeks
$24.52Hourly
  • Federal income tax$5,249
  • Social Security (6.2%)$3,838
  • Medicare (1.45%)$898
  • Ohio income tax$920
  • Take-home pay$51,005

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state

Living in Columbus? City residents also pay Columbus’s city income tax — about $1,548 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $49,457 ($4,121 a month). Choose “Columbus” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse pay by experience in Columbus, OH

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$51,480$24.75$42,911$3,576
25th percentile$56,860$27.34$47,086$3,924
Median (50th)$61,910$29.76$51,005$4,250
75th percentile$68,590$32.98$55,979$4,665
90th percentile (top earners)$76,200$36.63$61,124$5,094

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $61,910 buys in Columbus, OH

Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse's $51,005 take-home pay has the buying power of $53,425 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,179
28% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,416
33% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$3,071
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Columbus, OH has 1.6× the national concentration of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, adjusted for cost of living

Columbus, OH ranks #36 of 53 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1San Jose, CA $95,320$70,013$63,405
2Seattle, WA $85,690$69,113$62,189
3Las Vegas, NV $75,920$62,240$62,106
4Providence, RI $78,990$62,054$60,973
5San Francisco, CA $94,310$69,410$60,036
6Phoenix, AZ $78,080$62,016$60,026
7Boston, MA $82,190$62,761$57,969
8Chicago, IL $78,070$60,033$57,949
36Columbus, OH$61,910$51,005$53,425

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 53 metros →

About the job: licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Care for ill, injured, or convalescing patients or persons with disabilities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group homes, and similar institutions. May work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Licensing required.

Typical education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
+3.0% (about average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse salaries elsewhere in Ohio

Frequently asked questions

How much does a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse make in Columbus, OH?

The median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse salary in the Columbus, OH metro area is $61,910 a year, or about $29.76 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $56,860 and $68,590.

What is a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse’s take-home pay in Columbus, OH?

On the median $61,910 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $51,005 a year ($4,250 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $920 in Ohio taxes in 2026.

Is Columbus, OH a good place to work as a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse?

Pay here is 4% below the national median of $64,400. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $53,425 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbus, OH ranks #36 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse afford rent in Columbus, OH?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbus, OH is $1,179 a month ($1,416 for two bedrooms) — 28% of a median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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