Healthcare
Licensed Practical Nurse in the United States
44 postings read · sampled 2026-10-01 · source ats · 7 employers · largest 25% of it
What employers actually ask for
Credentials named in the 44 postings we read, ranked by how many mentioned each one.
- BLS / CPR CertificationAmerican Heart Association11%
What it costs
Exam and application fees plus typical self-study hours. Almost nobody needs every credential on this list — start with the top line.
What the official taxonomy says
O*NET surveys people already doing this job. That describes who got hired over a long window, not what employers are asking for now — where it disagrees with the counts above, the counts are the more current answer.
- Some college, no degree38%
- Post-secondary certificate35%
- Associate’s degree or other 2-year degree16%
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
O*NET 29-2061.00 · pulled 2026-10-01 · percentages are of surveyed workers, each rounded separately, so they need not total 100
What it pays
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. A different survey from the postings above, so the two do not share a sample.
Every credential above costs $70 — less than a day's pay at the median.
Who was hiring
Employers with at least one matching posting in this sample.
BAYADA Home Health Care · Otterbein SeniorLife · Mental Health Center of Denver · Integrated Resources Inc · Crestwood Behavioral Health · Mission Healthcare · Perfect Staffing Solutions
Next
- Roast and Resolve — Now aim your résumé at this target. Free roast, paid rewrite.
- Synap — Two-minute daily lessons to drill the skills underneath the credential.