Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs in Raleigh, NC
Licensed practical nurses in Raleigh earn a median of about $30.81 an hour, and WakeMed, UNC REX and Duke Health all have LPN openings in Wake County right now. Here are the current listings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays and how to get licensed in North Carolina.
Current licensed practical nurse Openings in Raleigh, NC
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Licensed Practical Nurse Work in Raleigh
Many LPN jobs in Raleigh sit in clinics and long-term care rather than on hospital floors. WakeMed hires medical office LPNs for its Raleigh-area primary care and specialty practices, and still staffs LPNs on inpatient units such as 6A Medicine at the Raleigh Campus on New Bern Avenue. Duke Health posts LPN roles at its Duke Primary Care offices in Holly Springs, and UNC REX hires LPNs for its skilled nursing facility in Apex.
The public sector is the other big lane. The NC Department of Adult Correction runs a nursing career ladder that starts with LPNs at Central Prison on Western Boulevard and the NC Correctional Institution for Women, both in Raleigh. Because three health systems and the state compete for the same nurses inside the Beltline and out to the I-540 suburbs, an LPN license carries more choice here than in most of North Carolina.
Top Raleigh Employers Hiring Licensed Practical Nurses
These Raleigh-area employers have LPN roles open or name the role on their own careers sites:
- WakeMed Health & Hospitals - hires LPNs for inpatient medicine at the Raleigh Campus and for medical offices including Primary Care-Kildaire and MyCare 365.
- Duke Health - posts LPN openings at Duke Primary Care pediatric and family medicine offices in Holly Springs, plus a primary care float pool.
- UNC REX Healthcare - the Lake Boone Trail system hires LPNs for its skilled nursing facility in Apex.
- NC Department of Adult Correction - the state prison system hires LPNs for correctional nursing at Central Prison and NCCIW in Raleigh.
Licensed Practical Nurse Salaries in Raleigh
- Entry level: about $25 to $29 an hour for newly licensed LPNs.
- Experienced: roughly $29 to $35 an hour with a few years in clinics or long-term care.
- Senior: about $35 to $37 an hour or more for charge, supervisor and specialty roles.
These are estimates based on the May 2025 federal wage survey for the Raleigh-Cary metro, where the median LPN wage was about $64,080 a year. Pay moves with setting and shift: night and weekend work commonly carries a differential, while clinic jobs trade a lower ceiling for weekday hours. Per diem and agency work can pay more per hour but usually without benefits.
How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Raleigh
You need to finish a state-approved practical nursing program and pass the NCLEX-PN, then apply for licensure by examination with the North Carolina Board of Nursing. North Carolina uses the title Licensed Practical Nurse, not LVN. In Raleigh the main route is the Practical Nursing diploma at Wake Tech's Perry Health Sciences Campus on Holston Lane, which uses competitive admission. North Carolina is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so an LPN with a multistate license from another compact state can generally work here without a new license.
What the Job Involves
LPNs work under the direction of registered nurses and physicians. A typical shift means taking vital signs, giving oral and injectable medications, changing dressings, collecting specimens, rooming patients in a clinic, documenting care in the electronic health record and reporting changes in a patient's condition. In long-term care LPNs often run a hall as charge nurse, supervising nursing assistants.
Skills Employers Look For
- An active North Carolina or multistate LPN license
- BLS (CPR) certification
- Safe medication administration and accurate charting
- Electronic health record experience, often Epic
- Calm communication with patients and families
- Ability to lead nursing assistants on a busy shift
Career Path and Advancement
Many Raleigh LPNs start in a WakeMed or Duke primary care office or a skilled nursing unit, then move into charge nurse and supervisor roles. The biggest step up is becoming an RN, and Wake Tech runs an Associate Degree Nursing advanced placement track built for LPNs. The state's correctional nursing ladder also moves LPNs toward registered staff nurse and lead nurse roles once they earn an RN license.
Related Careers in Raleigh
If practical nursing interests you, these Raleigh guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do LPNs make in Raleigh?
The median LPN wage in the Raleigh-Cary metro was about $30.81 an hour in the May 2025 federal survey. Newer LPNs generally start around $25 to $29 an hour, and experienced nurses in charge or specialty roles can earn $35 or more.
How do I get an LPN license in North Carolina?
Complete a state-approved practical nursing program, pass the NCLEX-PN and apply to the North Carolina Board of Nursing for licensure by examination. The Board also handles license verification and multistate upgrades.
Where can I study practical nursing in Raleigh?
Wake Tech offers a Practical Nursing diploma at its Perry Health Sciences Campus in east Raleigh. Admission is competitive, so check the application window and prerequisites well ahead of time.
Do Raleigh hospitals still hire LPNs?
Yes, though many LPN jobs here are in clinics and long-term care. WakeMed still posts inpatient LPN roles at its Raleigh Campus, and UNC REX hires LPNs for its skilled nursing facility in Apex.
Can I use my LPN license from another state in Raleigh?
If you hold a multistate license from another Nurse Licensure Compact state, you can generally practice in North Carolina. Otherwise you apply to the North Carolina Board of Nursing for a license by endorsement.
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