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What to Pay a Licensed Practical Nurse in Atlanta, GA (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$60,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$52K–$69K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.0%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~22
Atlanta metro average
To hire a Licensed Practical Nurse in Atlanta at market, plan on a base salary range of $52,000 to $69,000, with $60,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 22 days, expect to lead at $69K–$79K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Georgia does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your LPN pay range in Atlanta

Three pay positions, modeled against current Atlanta market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$46K–$52K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Atlanta average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$56.8K–$63.6K
Default for most Atlanta employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~22 days. A range width of ~30% (min $52,000 to max $69,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a LPN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$65.4K–$79K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

LPN salary percentile distribution in Atlanta, GA

Where the Atlanta market actually sits for LPN base pay.

10th $46K
25th $52K
Median $60K
75th $69K
90th $79K

Most Atlanta employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($60,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $52,000 and a max of $69,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Georgia pay transparency compliance for LPN job postings

What you must post when hiring a LPN in Georgia.

Not required statewide. Georgia has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a LPN role in Atlanta, a compliant good-faith range looks like $52,000 to $69,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $52,000–$69,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top LPN employers in Atlanta — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring LPNs in the Atlanta metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Emory Healthcare Academic medical center system $58K–$74K Common ($3K–$6K)
Piedmont Healthcare Health system $58K–$74K Common
Wellstar Health System Health system $56K–$72K Common ($3K–$5K)
Northside Hospital Health system $56K–$72K Common
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric specialty $58K–$74K Sometimes
PruittHealth SNF / post-acute network $48K–$62K Common ($3K–$6K)

LPN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Atlanta

How hard is it to fill a LPN role in Atlanta.

~22
Avg Days to Fill
~1,700
Active Postings
~11,440
Atlanta LPN Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Atlanta's LPN market is one of the most active in the Southeast — large hospital systems compete with a growing SNF base for the same candidate pool. Georgia's broader LPN scope allows hospital roles that more restrictive states limit.

Skill premiums LPN candidates command in Atlanta, GA

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
IV therapy certification +5–8% Very high — broader GA hospital scope
Bilingual Spanish +3–5% Moderate
Wound care certification +6–9% High — SNF demand
Pediatric experience +5–7% High — CHOA demand

LPN total compensation in Atlanta — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for LPNs in Atlanta. "Prevalence" reflects share of Atlanta disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Atlanta Postings
Base salary $60,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +10–16% premium ~78%
Sign-on bonus $3,000–$6,000 ~48%
Overtime opportunity $5K–$10K annualized ~90%
Tuition reimbursement $2,000–$4,500/yr ~32%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$72,000–$82,000

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

LPN pay by setting in Atlanta — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the LPN range splits by employer type in the Atlanta metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Hospital $66,000 $58K–$74K Moderate
Skilled nursing facility (SNF) $54,000 $48K–$62K High
Outpatient / clinic $58,000 $52K–$66K Moderate
Home health $60,000 $54K–$68K High
Physician office $54,000 $48K–$62K Low

Atlanta has unusually high hospital LPN employment compared to California and Northeast markets — Georgia's broader LPN scope of practice supports it. SNF, home health, and outpatient round out a balanced setting mix.

LPN salary in Atlanta vs. other Georgia and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

Location Median Base vs. Atlanta Hiring Difficulty
Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell, GA $60,000 Moderate
Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia, NC-SC $56,000 −6.7% Moderate
Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach, FL $60,000 0.0% Moderate
Nashville–Davidson, TN $54,000 −10.0% Moderate
Georgia statewide $54,000 −10.0%
U.S. national $63,540

FAQ: hiring a Licensed Practical Nurse in Atlanta, GA

Market median is $60,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $60,000 — typically $52,000 to $69,000. To lead the market, plan on $69K–$79K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Georgia. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $52,000–$69,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$54,000 falls below the Atlanta market median of $60,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 48% of Atlanta metro LPN postings include a sign-on bonus. Emory, Piedmont, Wellstar, and PruittHealth lead with $3,000–$6,000 offers across hospital and SNF segments.
Average fill time is approximately 22 days in the Atlanta metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($69K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($52K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Atlanta-metro posting volume: Emory Healthcare, Piedmont Healthcare, Wellstar Health System, Northside Hospital, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for LPN in Atlanta — for example, $52,000 to $69,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Georgia has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related LPN pay benchmarks — Georgia metros and nearby nursing roles

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.