Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs in Denver, CO
Licensed practical nurses in Denver see posted ranges of roughly $23 to $45 an hour, from Kaiser Permanente's weekday clinics to night shifts in Denver Health's correctional care. Here are the current LPN openings across the metro, followed by who is hiring, what it pays and how to get licensed in Colorado.
Current licensed practical nurse Openings in Denver, CO
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Licensed Practical Nurse Work in Denver
Much of the LPN hiring posted by Denver's big health systems is in clinics, correctional care and specialty programs rather than on hospital floors. Kaiser Permanente hires LPNs for its Denver medical offices, from the Franklin Medical Offices in central Denver to primary care, pediatrics, wound care and an urgent care float pool. Denver Health places LPNs in correctional care at the Downtown Detention Center and the Denver County Jail and on the Oasis Transitional Care Unit at its Bannock Street campus.
In the suburbs, UCHealth uses LPNs in primary care and specialty clinics such as its Highlands Ranch sites, while National Jewish Health off East Colfax staffs its Clinical Telephonic Nursing Center with registered and practical nurses. Clinic jobs tend to run on weekday daytime hours, while correctional and transitional care work covers nights and weekends and the posted pay runs higher.
Top Denver Employers Hiring Licensed Practical Nurses
These Denver-area employers are posting LPN roles on their own career sites:
- Kaiser Permanente - hires LPNs for Denver medical offices in primary care, pediatrics, wound care and urgent care, with some roles represented by SEIU Local 105.
- Denver Health - the city's safety-net system staffs LPNs in correctional care downtown and on its transitional care unit.
- UCHealth - hires LPNs for primary care and specialty clinics such as cardiology, orthopedics and neurology across the metro.
- National Jewish Health - the respiratory and immune specialty hospital uses LPNs in its Clinical Telephonic Nursing Center.
Licensed Practical Nurse Salaries in Denver
- Entry level: about $23 to $28 an hour for newly licensed LPNs in clinics.
- Experienced: roughly $29 to $36 an hour for LPNs with a few years in primary care, specialty clinics or rehab.
- Senior: about $37 to $45 an hour for experienced LPNs on night shifts and in correctional care.
These are estimates drawn from posted ranges at Denver employers in 2026, such as $30.51 to $39.94 an hour at Kaiser's Franklin Medical Offices, $22.75 to $35.26 at UCHealth's Highlands Ranch clinics and $31.40 to $45.53 for night correctional care at Denver Health. Experience, night shifts, IV certification and setting move pay, and Kaiser has offered a $5,000 sign-on bonus on some LPN roles.
How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Denver
You need to complete a board-approved practical nursing program, pass the NCLEX-PN and hold a license from the Colorado Board of Nursing in the Division of Professions and Occupations. Colorado uses the title Licensed Practical Nurse, and because the state is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, a multistate PN license from another compact state is valid here. Community College of Denver's Practical Nursing certificate, taught at the Lowry Campus on Alton Way, takes three to four semesters and 51 credits; the college reports a three-year average first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate of 78.8 percent and an ultimate pass rate of 98 percent.
What the Job Involves
LPNs take vital signs, give medications and injections, change dressings, collect specimens and document care in the electronic health record under the direction of registered nurses and providers. In clinics they room patients, give vaccines, handle prescription refills and answer patient calls. In correctional and transitional care they pass medications, monitor patients and respond to health requests across a full shift.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active Colorado or multistate compact LPN license
- BLS certification, often required within 30 days of hire
- IV certification for hospital and rehab roles
- Medication administration and injections
- Electronic health record documentation
- Customer service and phone triage skills for clinic work
Career Path and Advancement
Many Denver LPNs start in a clinic, build experience, then return to school to become registered nurses. Community College of Denver runs an LPN-to-BSN pathway built for practical nursing graduates, and RN roles at Denver Health, UCHealth and Kaiser pay noticeably more. Others stay LPNs and move into specialty clinics, correctional care or telephone nursing.
Related Careers in Denver
If practical nursing interests you, these Denver guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do LPNs make in Denver?
Posted ranges at Denver employers in 2026 run from about $23 an hour for new LPNs in clinics to about $45 for experienced night-shift correctional nurses. Kaiser Permanente's Franklin Medical Offices, for example, posted $30.51 to $39.94 an hour for a weekday LPN role.
Is it LPN or LVN in Colorado?
Colorado uses Licensed Practical Nurse. The Colorado Board of Nursing licenses LPNs after an approved program and the NCLEX-PN. Nurses licensed as LVNs in another state can work here on a multistate compact license or apply to the Board for a Colorado license by endorsement.
How long does it take to become an LPN in Denver?
Community College of Denver's Practical Nursing certificate takes three to four semesters at the Lowry Campus. After you finish, you sit for the NCLEX-PN, and the Board allows three attempts within three years.
Do hospitals in Denver hire LPNs?
Some do, but in postings from Denver's large health systems LPN roles cluster in clinics, rehab and transitional care, correctional health and telephone nursing. Denver Health uses LPNs on its transitional care unit and in the city jails, while Kaiser Permanente and UCHealth hire them for outpatient clinics.
Can an LPN become an RN in Denver?
Yes. Community College of Denver offers an LPN-to-BSN pathway designed for practical nursing graduates, leading to a bachelor's degree and eligibility for the NCLEX-RN.
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