Licensed Practical Nurse
Veterans Health Administration · Boise, ID
Pay for licensed practical nurses in the Meridian area centers on $31.33 per hour, or about $65,170 a year. The lower quarter earns under $28.75 and the upper quarter over $35.10. That ranks 84th of 386 U.S. metro areas for licensed practical nurse pay, and 130th of 341 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 1 hospital in Meridian. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Meridian.
The metro median is 6% above the Idaho statewide median of $29.67 per hour. Nationally the median is $29.97 per hour. BLS counts about 940 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses employed in the Boise City metro area, 2.4 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.59).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $22.89 | $47,610 | 24% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $28.75 | $59,800 | 4% below U.S. median |
| Median | $31.33 | $65,170 | 5% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $35.10 | $73,010 | 17% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $37.38 | $77,750 | 25% above U.S. median |
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.
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.
Named employers near Meridian, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportGross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Boise City metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $177 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $86 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,841 |
| 13-week assignment | $23,933 |
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).
Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Meridian as they open.
Veterans Health Administration · Boise, ID
Most are never shown on this page. Tell us your role and get the full list, with the pay on every one, in your inbox within 24 hours.
CMS lists 1 hospital in Meridian. Hospitals are a major employer of licensed practical nurses.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottonwood Creek Behavioral Hospital Meridian, ID | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Ada County (4 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.
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nampa, ID | 8 mi | $31.33/hr | 117,350 |
| Boise City, ID | 9 mi | $31.33/hr | 237,963 |
| Twin Falls, ID | 122 mi | $28.70/hr | 55,589 |
| Pocatello, ID | 205 mi | $27.70/hr | 58,231 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 219 mi | $26.52/hr | 69,523 |
| Kennewick, WA | 224 mi | $37.75/hr | 86,728 |
Licensed Practical Nurse jobs in Idaho · Licensed Practical Nurse jobs nationwide
Idaho is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a Idaho license by endorsement.
Idaho taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Meridian city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Licensed Practical Nurses in the Boise City metro area have a median pay of $31.33 per hour, about $65,170 a year. The middle half earn between $28.75 and $35.10 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Boise City ranks 130th of 341 metro areas for licensed practical nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 84th of 386 before adjusting. Overall prices run 2% below the U.S. average.
CMS lists 1 hospital in Meridian, led by Cottonwood Creek Behavioral Hospital. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.
Idaho is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a Idaho license by endorsement. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Ada County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.
The federal per diem benchmark in Meridian is $177 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,841 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Meridian and across Idaho. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Meridian.
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.
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
20+ Licensed Practical Nurse roles in Idaho, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your Idaho list
855 LPN / LVN postings with published pay in the US, 720 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
Each one has pay, shift and start date.