Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs in Minneapolis, MN
Licensed practical nurses in Minneapolis earn a metro median of about $32 an hour, and the Minneapolis VA has posted LPN jobs paying up to $87,906 a year. Clinics, veterans homes and hospitals across the city are hiring. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to get licensed.
Current licensed practical nurse Openings in Minneapolis, MN
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Licensed Practical Nurse Work in Minneapolis
About 6,300 LPNs work in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro, and in Minneapolis much of the hiring shows up in clinics and veterans care. The Minneapolis VA Medical Center by Fort Snelling posts LPN jobs for its Women's Clinic, specialty medicine and rehabilitation teams, and the Minnesota Veterans Home on the Minnehaha side of the city hires LPNs on day, evening and overnight shifts. M Health Fairview staffs LPNs in its Minneapolis orthopedic and cancer clinics, and Children's Minnesota hires LPNs and medical assistants for clinics from its Chicago Avenue campus out to Brooklyn Park and Minnetonka.
Minnesota uses the title licensed practical nurse, and the Board of Nursing defines the role clearly: LPNs work at the direction of a registered nurse or other licensed provider and carry out focused assessments. In Minneapolis that makes the LPN license a common stepping stone, because Minneapolis College offers LPNs an advanced-standing entry into its RN program.
Top Minneapolis Employers Hiring Licensed Practical Nurses
These employers have posted or recruit for LPN roles at Minneapolis locations on their own careers sites:
- Minneapolis VA Health Care System - the VA Medical Center on One Veterans Drive hires LPNs for clinic and rehabilitation teams through USAJOBS.
- Minnesota Veterans Home - Minneapolis - the state-run home is hiring LPNs, RNs and nursing assistants for long-term care on all three shifts.
- M Health Fairview - the health system hires LPNs for Minneapolis specialty clinics, including orthopedics and cancer care.
- Children's Minnesota - the pediatric system hires LPNs and medical assistants for primary and specialty clinics in Minneapolis and the west metro.
- HealthPartners - the health system recruits LPNs for clinics and specialty centers across the Twin Cities, including Minneapolis.
Licensed Practical Nurse Salaries in Minneapolis
- Entry level: about $27 to $30 an hour for newly licensed LPNs.
- Experienced: roughly $30 to $35 an hour, around the metro median of $32.45.
- Senior: about $35 to $37 an hour or more, with federal VA postings reaching $87,906 a year.
These are estimates from DEED's 2026 wage data and federal May 2025 figures for the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro. Employer type, shift and experience move pay the most. Evening, overnight and weekend shifts typically carry differentials, and VA pay follows federal GS grades that rise with experience.
How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Minneapolis
You need to finish an approved practical nursing program and pass the NCLEX-PN. Hennepin Technical College runs a two-semester practical nursing diploma at its Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie campuses, Herzing University offers a program of about 12 months at its campus in St. Louis Park, and Saint Paul College offers one on Marshall Avenue. Licensure comes from the Minnesota Board of Nursing: a $105 application fee, a criminal background check with fingerprints, and the exam through Pearson VUE.
What the Job Involves
LPNs give hands-on nursing care under an RN or provider's direction. Daily work includes taking vital signs, giving oral and injected medications, changing dressings, collecting specimens, rooming clinic patients, updating charts in the electronic health record, and reporting changes in a patient's condition. In long-term care, LPNs often run a medication pass for a full hall of residents and supervise nursing assistants.
Skills Employers Look For
- An active Minnesota LPN license or eligibility for one
- BLS (Basic Life Support) certification
- Accurate medication administration
- Electronic health record charting
- Clear reporting to RNs and providers
- Patience with older adults and children
Career Path and Advancement
Many Minneapolis LPNs start as nursing assistants, finish a practical nursing diploma, and move into clinic or long-term care roles. With experience, LPNs take on charge duties in long-term care or step up federal pay grades at the VA. The biggest jump is to registered nurse: Minneapolis College's LPN advanced-standing entry shortens the path to an associate degree, opening hospital RN jobs at HCMC, Abbott Northwestern and the University of Minnesota Medical Center.
Related Careers in Minneapolis
If practical nursing interests you, these Minneapolis guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it LPN or LVN in Minnesota?
Minnesota uses licensed practical nurse, or LPN. The license is issued by the Minnesota Board of Nursing after you pass the NCLEX-PN.
How much do LPNs make in Minneapolis?
The metro median is about $32.45 an hour, according to DEED's 2026 wage data. Newly licensed LPNs usually start around $27 to $30, and the Minneapolis VA has posted LPN jobs at $52,659 to $87,906 a year.
How long does LPN school take near Minneapolis?
Hennepin Technical College's practical nursing diploma takes two semesters, and Herzing University's program in St. Louis Park can be finished in about 12 months. After that you need to pass the NCLEX-PN, and your authorization to test is valid for 90 days.
Where do LPNs work in Minneapolis?
Mostly in clinics, veterans care and long-term care. The Minneapolis VA, the Minnesota Veterans Home, M Health Fairview clinics, Children's Minnesota clinics and HealthPartners all hire LPNs for Minneapolis locations.
Can an LPN become an RN in Minneapolis?
Yes. Minneapolis College offers an LPN advanced-standing entry into its associate degree nursing program, which shortens the path to sitting for the NCLEX-RN.
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