Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
SOC Code: 29-2061
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses carries a 21% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $62,340 and +2.6% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 651,400 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
AI Exposure vs Industry Growth
Total occupations tracked
832
Covering all SOC major groups
Data currency
2024
BLS Employment Projections
AI exposure avg
40%
Fleet-wide median across all roles
Composite score weighing O*NET task data completeness, BLS projection methodology, and cross-validation with employer risk grades.
Employment Projections
Occupation Insight
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (SOC 29-2061) carries an AI exposure score of 21%, placing it in the Medium automation-risk tier. This score is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each task an occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The economic context matters alongside the risk score. BLS counted approximately 651,400 workers in this occupation in 2024, and projects a +2.6% change through 2034 — modest growth that keeps the occupation viable even as tasks evolve. Median annual compensation stands at $62,340, reflecting both skill scarcity and the value employers place on the tasks that remain difficult to automate. Entry typically requires Postsecondary nondegree award, plus None of related experience.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure. Pair the AI exposure score with the BLS employment projection and wage percentiles above for a complete career assessment.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action.
- 2. Measure and record patients' vital signs, such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration.
- 3. Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients' charts.
- 4. Provide basic patient care or treatments, such as taking temperatures or blood pressures, dressing wounds, treating bedsores, giving enemas or douches, rubbing with alcohol, massaging, or performing catheterizations.
- 5. Answer patients' calls and determine how to assist them.
- 6. Provide medical treatment or personal care to patients in private home settings, such as cooking, keeping rooms orderly, seeing that patients are comfortable and in good spirits, or instructing family members in simple nursing tasks.
- 7. Supervise nurses' aides or assistants.
- 8. Sterilize equipment and supplies, using germicides, sterilizer, or autoclave.
- 9. Evaluate nursing intervention outcomes, conferring with other healthcare team members as necessary.
- 10. Work as part of a healthcare team to assess patient needs, plan and modify care, and implement interventions.
Key Skills Required
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Time Management
Knowledge Areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Psychology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Administration and Management
- Education and Training
- Therapy and Counseling
- Mathematics
- Computers and Electronics
- Administrative
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses has an AI exposure score of 21%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is projected to grow by 2.6% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 651,400 workers.
What skills are needed for Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
Key skills for Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses include Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, and others. Typical entry-level education is Postsecondary nondegree award.
How much do Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses earn?
The median annual wage for Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is $62,340, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
The typical entry-level education for Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is Postsecondary nondegree award. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Related Occupations
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Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).