Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary in Kentucky
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Kentucky have a median of $60,460 a year, below the national $64,400 (−6%); the state ranks 42nd of 51 states by median. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses earn 29% more than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia, Ohio and Missouri pay more (up to $75,000 in Illinois) and Tennessee and West Virginia pay less (down to $55,360 in West Virginia). Kentucky employs 8,570 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, 4.28 per 1,000 jobs, the 25th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.03 is close to the national share.
Kentucky vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $23.28 | $26.10 | $29.07 | $31.29 | $35.20 | $29.07 | 8,570 | 4.28 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $48,420 | $54,290 | $60,460 | $65,090 | $73,220 | $60,460 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $23.91 | $28.37 | $30.96 | $36.55 | $40.12 | $32.24 | 648,410 | – | – |
| Annual | $49,740 | $59,000 | $64,400 | $76,030 | $83,440 | $67,050 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 42nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 25th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.03
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.28
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Kentucky's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Kentucky
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Kentucky publish a row for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $30.99 | $64,460 | $53,340 | $74,270 | 2,850 | 4.16 | 1.00 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $30.85 | $64,180 | $51,570 | $75,310 | 6,400 | 5.81 | 1.39 |
| Owensboro, KY | $29.90 | $62,180 | $49,950 | $72,740 | 170 | 3.50 | 0.84 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $29.84 | $62,060 | $50,750 | $65,270 | 300 | 6.05 | 1.45 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $29.56 | $61,480 | $48,140 | $73,540 | 970 | 3.39 | 0.81 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $29.37 | $61,080 | $49,710 | $76,440 | 200 | 3.93 | 0.94 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $29.25 | $60,830 | $50,360 | $66,320 | 250 | 3.06 | 0.73 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $28.01 | $58,260 | $45,760 | $71,430 | 630 | 6.11 | 1.47 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $26.22 | $54,540 | $46,520 | $62,140 | 1,390 | 9.84 | 2.36 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $28.82 | $59,940 | $46,060 | $67,340 | 640 | 4.97 | 1.19 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $28.54 | $59,360 | $47,960 | $70,040 | 980 | 5.69 | 1.36 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $28.47 | $59,220 | $46,800 | $72,650 | 1,020 | 5.93 | 1.42 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $27.89 | $58,000 | $43,270 | $67,120 | 680 | 7.43 | 1.78 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $29.07 | $60,460 | 8,570 | 1.03 |
| Illinois | $36.06 | $75,000 | 17,440 | 0.69 |
| Indiana | $31.60 | $65,720 | 14,480 | 1.08 |
| Missouri | $29.58 | $61,530 | 14,700 | 1.20 |
| Ohio | $29.78 | $61,950 | 39,900 | 1.72 |
| Tennessee | $28.31 | $58,870 | 20,830 | 1.52 |
| Virginia | $31.21 | $64,920 | 15,550 | 0.91 |
| West Virginia | $26.61 | $55,360 | 6,050 | 2.07 |
See the national page for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (every state ranked) and the Kentucky wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Kentucky estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.