PermanentPosted today
Vocational Nurse (Wound Care)
Veterans Health Administration · Palo Alto, CA
$91k–$118k/ year
Top 25% payNew this week
Licensed Practical Nurse jobs in San Jose, CA
Pay for licensed practical nurses in the San Jose area centers on $44.64 per hour, or about $92,840 a year. The lower quarter earns under $39.00 and the upper quarter over $47.16. The CMS hospital directory lists 4 hospitals in San Jose. That ranks 1st of 386 U.S. metro areas for licensed practical nurse pay, and 1st of 341 once local prices are factored in. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near San Jose.
- $44.64median pay per hour, San Jose
- $39–$47typical range per hour
- 2,930licensed practical nurses employed in the metro area
- 2open roles with published pay in the metro area
Open Licensed Practical Nurse roles near San Jose
Roles in other cities of the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area.
PermanentPosted yesterday
LPT/LVN - 0.8 - Nights - Behavioral Health - Acute @ MV
El Camino Health · Mountain View, CA
$48.32–$61.11/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
For youUpdated weekly
95+ more Licensed Practical Nurse roles for you in San Jose, CA
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Named employers near San Jose, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWho is hiring licensed practical nurses near San Jose
| Employer | Roles | Median pay / hour |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Health Administration | 1 | $50.05 |
| El Camino Health | 1 | $54.72 |
Licensed Practical Nurse pay in San Jose, CA
The metro median is 20% above the California statewide median of $37.10 per hour. Nationally the median is $29.97 per hour. BLS counts about 2,930 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses employed in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area, 2.6 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.63).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $36.60 | $76,130 | 22% above U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $39.00 | $81,120 | 30% above U.S. median |
| Median | $44.64 | $92,840 | 49% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $47.16 | $98,090 | 57% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $50.72 | $105,500 | 69% above U.S. median |
How San Jose ranks
- 1st of 386 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 1st of 341 after adjusting for local prices
- 1st of 24 California metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (SOC 29-2061), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
What your pay buys in San Jose
- Overall prices in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara run 10% above the U.S. average (index 110.4, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 112% above the U.S. average (index 211.9).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $44.64 median hour buys what $40.43 buys at the national price level, 35% above the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Estimate your San Jose paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,607
- Per year: $80,352
- Per month: $6,696
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in San Jose
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $192 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $92 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,988 |
| 13-week assignment | $25,844 |
Travel licensed practical nurse assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.
Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).
Hospitals in San Jose
CMS lists 4 hospitals in San Jose, 0 of the 3 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of licensed practical nurses.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital-San Jose San Jose, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose, CA | Acute care | For-profit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| Santa Clara Valley Medical Center San Jose, CA | Acute care | Government and federal | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| San Jose Behavioral Health San Jose, CA | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Primary care shortage areas in Santa Clara County
HRSA lists 13 active primary care shortage designations that include Santa Clara County (13 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 16 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.
Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.
Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.
Licensed Practical Nurse pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara, CA | 10 mi | $44.64/hr | 133,132 |
| Milpitas, CA | 10 mi | $44.64/hr | 79,746 |
| Fremont, CA | 15 mi | $43.66/hr | 228,192 |
| Union City, CA | 24 mi | $43.66/hr | 66,196 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | 25 mi | $38.26/hr | 62,581 |
| Watsonville, CA | 26 mi | $38.26/hr | 51,320 |
Licensed Practical Nurse jobs in California · Licensed Practical Nurse jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in California
California is not in the Nurse Licensure Compact as of October 15, 2026, so a nurse licensed elsewhere applies to the California board for a license by endorsement before working here.
California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in San Jose
San Jose city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do licensed practical nurses make in San Jose, CA?
Licensed Practical Nurses in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area have a median pay of $44.64 per hour, about $92,840 a year. The middle half earn between $39.00 and $47.16 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is San Jose a good place for licensed practical nurses once cost of living is counted?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ranks 1st of 341 metro areas for licensed practical nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 1st of 386 before adjusting. Overall prices run 10% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring licensed practical nurses in San Jose?
We list 2 open roles with published pay from 2 employers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near San Jose.
Do I need a California license to work in San Jose as a licensed practical nurse?
California is not in the Nurse Licensure Compact as of October 15, 2026, so a nurse licensed elsewhere applies to the California board for a license by endorsement before working here. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
Is San Jose in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 13 active primary care shortage designations that include Santa Clara County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.
What is the per diem for a travel assignment in San Jose?
The federal per diem benchmark in San Jose is $192 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,988 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place licensed practical nurses in San Jose?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in San Jose and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near San Jose.
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What do employers near San Jose pay licensed practical nurses? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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340+ Licensed Practical Nurse roles in California, sent free by email
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Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your LPN / LVN pay reportSan Jose, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- CommonSpirit HealthWOODLAND, CA · 5 postings$41.23/ hr$31–$51
- Enloe Medical CenterChico, CA · 2 postings$40.37/ hr$34–$48
- Veterans Health AdministrationSan Francisco, CA · 8 postings$39.44/ hr$27–$57
- AccentCarePetaluma, CA · 2 postings$36.94/ hr$23–$47
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
Low$28Median$35.27High$44
73 LPN / LVN postings with published pay in California, 67 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 73 LPN / LVN roles
- Vocational Nurse (Wound Care)Permanent$91k–$118k/ year
- LVNPermanent$45.27–$51.06/ hour
+ 71 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.