New Mexico LPN Salary - How Much Do LPNs Make in NM?
LPN Salary in New Mexico – A Look at the LPN Salary in New Mexico
Nationwide nursing shortages are hitting most states hard. New Mexico is facing a potential healthcare crisis if more individuals do not consider entering a career in nursing. There just are not enough trained and experienced individuals to adequately staff hospitals, nursing homes, and home healthcare agencies. This inability to adequately staff these elements of the healthcare industry can lead to a potential decrease in the quality of care patients receive. To help relieve the nursing shortage, many people are considering becoming an LPN. Here’s a look at what the average LPN salary in New Mexico is, and what you need to do to become an LPN in the state of New Mexico.
Pursuing a career as an LPN is considering taking the fast track to becoming a nurse. LPNs are only required to take a year of schooling before they are allowed to enter the workforce, and work their way up to earning the average statewide LPN salary in New Mexico. This fast track schooling option is appealing to many potential LPNs as they don’t have to go through years of schooling before they can enter the workforce. After a student has completed their LPN course, they must take and pass a statewide LPN test to receive their certification to work as an LPN in the state of New Mexico.
The average LPN salary in New Mexico is $42,000, which is almost 8% less than the nationwide average LPN salary. The lower salary is due to the fact that the cost of living is lower in New Mexico, and the salary an individual makes reflects that cost of living. Starting salaries for individuals who have recently graduated from an LPN program in New Mexico, and who have little or no experience in the healthcare industry is around $22,000.
Some LPNs such as those that work in a specific medical field such as cardiology, neurology, and pediatrics can expect to make more than the average LPN salary in New Mexico. Working in these specialized medical fields requires extensive knowledge and experience. An employer must compensate the LPN for their knowledge and experience by offering them a higher than statewide average salary. LPNs who enter a career in a specific medical field can expect to earn an average salary of $50,000 in New Mexico. Some LPNs in specialized fields of medicine can earn all the way up to the maximum LPN salary of $70,000, but this requires years of experience and continuing education to achieve.