WI · Waukesha · Updated October 15, 2026

Licensed Practical Nurse jobs in Waukesha, WI

Pay for licensed practical nurses in the Waukesha area centers on $29.96 per hour, or about $62,320 a year. The lower quarter earns under $27.69 and the upper quarter over $34.36. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in Waukesha. That ranks 131st of 386 U.S. metro areas for licensed practical nurse pay, and 191st of 341 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Waukesha.

Open Licensed Practical Nurse roles near Waukesha

Roles in other cities of the Milwaukee-Waukesha area.

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Who is hiring licensed practical nurses near Waukesha

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Veterans Health Administration2$33.16
Advocate Health1$30.12

Licensed Practical Nurse pay in Waukesha, WI

The metro median is 2% above the Wisconsin statewide median of $29.35 per hour. Nationally the median is $29.97 per hour. BLS counts about 1,730 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses employed in the Milwaukee-Waukesha metro area, 2.1 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.52).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$24.73$51,44017% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$27.69$57,6008% below U.S. median
Median$29.96$62,320in line with U.S. median
Upper quartile$34.36$71,47015% above U.S. median
Top 10%$37.41$77,81025% above U.S. median

How Waukesha ranks

  • 131st of 386 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 191st of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 3rd of 12 Wisconsin 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 Waukesha

  • Overall prices in Milwaukee-Waukesha run 3% below the U.S. average (index 96.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 3% below the U.S. average (index 97.1).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $29.96 median hour buys what $30.91 buys at the national price level, 3% 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 Waukesha paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,079
  • Per year: $53,928
  • Per month: $4,494

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Milwaukee-Waukesha metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Waukesha

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$110
Meals and incidentals per day$68
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,246
13-week assignment$16,198

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 (this is the standard rate that applies here). 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 Waukesha

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Waukesha, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of licensed practical nurses.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Waukesha Memorial Hospital
Waukesha, WI
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Waukesha County Mental Health Ctr
Waukesha, WI
PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Licensed Practical Nurse pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
West Allis, WI11 mi$29.96/hr59,784
Milwaukee, WI15 mi$29.96/hr563,531
Racine, WI29 mi$30.41/hr78,057
Kenosha, WI35 mi$29.63/hr99,578
Janesville, WI45 mi$29.18/hr66,428
Waukegan, IL48 mi$35.06/hr88,570

Licensed Practical Nurse jobs in Wisconsin · Licensed Practical Nurse jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Wisconsin

Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin license by endorsement.

Wisconsin taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

Wisconsin state guide · Nurse Licensure Compact guide

Other healthcare roles in Waukesha

Waukesha city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do licensed practical nurses make in Waukesha, WI?

Licensed Practical Nurses in the Milwaukee-Waukesha metro area have a median pay of $29.96 per hour, about $62,320 a year. The middle half earn between $27.69 and $34.36 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Waukesha a good place for licensed practical nurses once cost of living is counted?

Milwaukee-Waukesha ranks 191st of 341 metro areas for licensed practical nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 131st of 386 before adjusting. Overall prices run 3% below the U.S. average.

Who is hiring licensed practical nurses in Waukesha?

We list 3 open roles with published pay from 2 employers in the Milwaukee-Waukesha area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Waukesha.

Do I need a Wisconsin license to work in Waukesha as a licensed practical nurse?

Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin license by endorsement. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Waukesha?

The federal per diem benchmark in Waukesha is $110 a night for lodging and $68 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,246 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 Waukesha?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Waukesha and across Wisconsin. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Waukesha.

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What do employers near Waukesha 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.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

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    What they are offering now

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · LPN / LVN near Waukesha, WI
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your LPN / LVN pay reportWaukesha, WI · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Veterans Health AdministrationGreen Bay, WI · 6 postings$30.00/ hr$20–$40
  • Advocate HealthBurlington, WI · 4 postings$29.56/ hr$22–$36
  • MercyWisconsin · 10 postings$28.97/ hr$22–$37

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$22Median$29.17High$37

21 LPN / LVN postings with published pay in Wisconsin, 19 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 21 LPN / LVN roles

  1. Advanced Licensed Practical NursePer diem
    $58k–$75k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Green Bay, WI · posted today
  2. Licensed Practical Nurse, Medical Unit - NightsPermanent
    $23.18–$37.10/ hour
    Mercy · Wisconsin · posted today

+ 19 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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