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What to Pay a Licensed Practical Nurse in Birmingham, AL (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$50,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$44K–$57K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.9%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~21
Birmingham metro average
To hire a Licensed Practical Nurse in Birmingham at market, plan on a base salary range of $44,000 to $57,000, with $50,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 21 days, expect to lead at $57K–$66K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Alabama does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your LPN pay range in Birmingham

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

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$38K–$44K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Birmingham average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$47.6K–$52.8K
Default for most Birmingham employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~21 days. A range width of ~30% (min $44,000 to max $57,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a LPN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$54.2K–$66K
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 Birmingham, AL

Where the Birmingham market actually sits for LPN base pay.

10th $38K
25th $44K
Median $50K
75th $57K
90th $66K

Most Birmingham employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($50,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $44,000 and a max of $57,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Alabama pay transparency compliance for LPN job postings

What you must post when hiring a LPN in Alabama.

Not required statewide. Alabama 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 Birmingham, a compliant good-faith range looks like $44,000 to $57,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $44,000–$57,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

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

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
UAB Medicine Health system $47K–$59K Common ($3K–$5K)
Grandview Medical Center (HCA) Health system $46K–$58K Common ($3K–$5K)
Brookdale Senior Living SNF / assisted living $41K–$51K Very common ($3K–$6K)
Genesis Healthcare SNF network $41K–$51K Very common ($3K–$6K)
Diversicare (AL-HQ) SNF network $40K–$51K Common ($2K–$5K)

LPN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Birmingham

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

~21
Avg Days to Fill
~900
Active Postings
~11,000
Birmingham LPN Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Birmingham LPN market anchored by skilled nursing facilities and long-term care. LPN scope-of-practice patterns vary by state; SNF turnover drives most churn.

Skill premiums LPN candidates command in Birmingham, AL

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
IV therapy certification +5–8% High — where LPN scope permits
Bilingual Spanish +3–6% High
Wound care certification (WCC, CWS) +6–9% Moderate — SNF and home health
Long-term care certification +3–5% High — SNF concentration

LPN total compensation in Birmingham — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Birmingham Postings
Base salary $50,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +10–18% premium ~78%
Sign-on bonus $2K–$6K ~44%
Overtime opportunity $4K–$9K annualized ~88%
Tuition reimbursement (LPN-to-RN bridge) $2,500–$5,000/yr ~32%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$60K–$70K

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 Birmingham — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

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

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Skilled nursing facility (SNF) $45,000 $41K–$51K High — chronic turnover
Hospital $55,000 $49K–$61K Moderate
Outpatient / clinic $48,000 $43K–$54K Moderate
Home health $49,000 $44K–$56K High
Physician office $45,000 $40K–$51K Low

FAQ: hiring a Licensed Practical Nurse in Birmingham, AL

Market median is $50,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $50,000 — typically $44,000 to $57,000. To lead the market, plan on $57K–$66K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Alabama. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $44,000–$57,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$45,000 falls below the Birmingham market median of $50,000 — 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 44% of Birmingham LPN postings include a sign-on bonus, concentrated in SNF and home health ($2K–$6K).
Average fill time is approximately 21 days in the Birmingham metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($57K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($44K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Birmingham-metro posting volume: UAB Medicine, Grandview Medical Center (HCA), Brookdale Senior Living, Genesis Healthcare, Diversicare (AL-HQ) lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for LPN in Birmingham — for example, $44,000 to $57,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Alabama 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 — Alabama 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.