Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Licensed practical nurses in Tucson work mostly in skilled nursing, home health and community clinics, and LPNs here averaged $35.80 an hour in 2025, according to federal wage data. Pima Community College's three-semester Practical Nurse certificate is the main local route. Current openings are below.
Current Licensed Practical Nurse Openings in Tucson, AZ
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Licensed Practical Nurse Work in Tucson
Tucson's LPN openings cluster in long-term care, home health and clinics. Handmaker, the senior living and skilled nursing campus on Rosemont Boulevard in midtown, hires LPNs on every shift. The Arizona State Veterans' Home - Tucson on East Ajo Way, on the south side, keeps a pool of LPNs for its residents, and home health agencies send LPNs to patients' homes from the Foothills to the south side.
Clinics are the other big setting. El Rio Health runs community health centers across the metro, and the Southern Arizona VA has posted LPN openings at the Tucson VA Medical Center on South Sixth Avenue in past hiring rounds. Pima's LPN-to-ADN admission path also makes the job a common stepping stone toward the RN license.
Top Tucson Employers Hiring Licensed Practical Nurses
These Tucson employers post LPN roles on their own careers sites:
- Handmaker - midtown skilled nursing and assisted living, hiring LPNs full time, part time and per diem on all shifts.
- Arizona State Veterans' Home - Tucson - the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services home on East Ajo Way, hiring pool LPNs for skilled nursing care.
- Assured Home Health Tucson - an LHC Group home health agency hiring LPNs for visits in patients' homes.
- El Rio Health - Tucson's community health center network, which names nursing among the clinical roles it hires.
Licensed Practical Nurse Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level: roughly $24 to $28 an hour.
- Experienced: roughly $28 to $33 an hour.
- Charge or specialty LPN: roughly $33 to $38 an hour.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. Federal data put the Tucson LPN average at $35.80 an hour in May 2025. Assured Home Health posted a Tucson LPN role at $23.63 to $35.45 an hour, the State Veterans' Home lists pool pay up to $28.60 an hour with a night differential, and Handmaker adds $2 an hour for evening shifts. Home health pay often mixes per-visit and hourly rates.
How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Tucson
Pima Community College's Practical Nurse Certificate runs three semesters full time at the West Campus Center of Excellence in Health Professions on Anklam Road and prepares you for the NCLEX-PN. For high school students, Pima JTED's CNA program is a common first step.
Arizona licenses practical nurses as LPNs through the Arizona State Board of Nursing. You graduate from an approved program, pass the NCLEX-PN and complete the Board's fingerprint background check; a DPS fingerprint clearance card does not replace it, though some employers, including the State Veterans' Home, ask for one as well. Licenses renew every four years, and Arizona is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so a multistate LPN license from another compact state is valid here.
What the Job Involves
LPNs give medications, change dressings and care for wounds, check vital signs, chart and report changes to the supervising RN or physician. In skilled nursing you care for the same residents shift after shift. In home health you drive to patients and work on your own, and in clinics you handle intake, injections and follow-up calls.
Skills Employers Look For
- An active Arizona or multistate LPN license and current CPR or BLS
- Safe medication administration and wound care
- Accurate charting in electronic health records
- Patience and good judgment with older adults
- A reliable vehicle and driver's license for home health
- Spanish, which helps with many Tucson patients
Career Path and Advancement
Some Tucson LPNs build a career in long-term care and move into charge or unit lead roles. Others use Pima's LPN-to-ADN admission path to finish the nursing associate degree and become registered nurses, then add a BSN through Pima's university partners or the University of Arizona.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest alternatives for practical nurses:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to work as an LPN in Tucson?
Yes. The Arizona State Board of Nursing licenses LPNs after you finish an approved program, pass the NCLEX-PN and complete a fingerprint background check. Arizona uses the LPN title, not LVN, and accepts multistate licenses from other compact states.
How long does LPN school take in Tucson?
Pima Community College's Practical Nurse Certificate takes three semesters of full-time study at West Campus. Prerequisites and admission steps come first, so plan your application timeline with the college.
How much do LPNs make in Tucson?
Federal data put the Tucson LPN average at $35.80 an hour in May 2025. Posted Tucson pay ranges run from the low $20s to the mid $30s an hour, with evening and night differentials on top in long-term care.
Can an LPN become an RN in Tucson?
Yes. Pima Community College offers an LPN-to-ADN admission path into its nursing associate degree, which leads to the NCLEX-RN. The Arizona State Board of Nursing then licenses you as an RN.
Where do LPNs work most in Tucson?
Most Tucson LPN openings are in skilled nursing and senior living, home health and community clinics. Handmaker, the Arizona State Veterans' Home - Tucson and home health agencies such as Assured Home Health all have current LPN postings.
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