Nursing Assistants Salary in Kentucky
Nursing Assistants in Kentucky have a median of $38,370 a year, below the national $42,260 (−9%); the state ranks 37th of 51 states by median. That is 18% less than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Virginia and Ohio pay more (up to $45,960 in Illinois) and Indiana, Tennessee, Missouri and West Virginia pay less (down to $36,720 in West Virginia). Kentucky employs 23,410 nursing assistants, 11.7 per 1,000 jobs, the 23rd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.26 means the occupation is more concentrated in Kentucky than nationally.
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 | $14.61 | $17.38 | $18.45 | $21.21 | $22.33 | $18.83 | 23,410 | 11.70 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $30,390 | $36,150 | $38,370 | $44,120 | $46,450 | $39,170 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.32 | $17.91 | $20.32 | $22.70 | $24.99 | $20.53 | 1,448,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $33,940 | $37,260 | $42,260 | $47,220 | $51,980 | $42,700 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 37th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 23rd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.26
- Jobs per 1,000
- 11.70
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 nursing assistants, 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 | $20.30 | $42,220 | $35,360 | $47,260 | 7,650 | 11.16 | 1.20 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $19.40 | $40,350 | $37,300 | $47,180 | 11,390 | 10.35 | 1.11 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $18.93 | $39,380 | $33,090 | $46,930 | 3,250 | 11.33 | 1.22 |
| Owensboro, KY | $18.76 | $39,020 | $32,850 | $45,260 | 890 | 18.09 | 1.94 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $18.43 | $38,340 | $30,390 | $44,680 | 790 | 9.65 | 1.04 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $18.28 | $38,030 | $31,230 | $44,910 | 450 | 8.70 | 0.93 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $18.20 | $37,860 | $30,210 | $44,240 | 710 | 14.19 | 1.52 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $17.94 | $37,320 | $29,800 | $45,050 | 620 | 6.02 | 0.65 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $17.86 | $37,140 | $29,600 | $45,400 | 1,950 | 13.82 | 1.48 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.97 | $37,380 | $30,220 | $43,880 | 2,100 | 12.14 | 1.30 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.90 | $37,230 | $27,980 | $42,870 | 1,810 | 14.05 | 1.51 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.47 | $36,340 | $28,360 | $43,570 | 2,230 | 12.95 | 1.39 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $16.99 | $35,330 | $28,620 | $43,090 | 2,020 | 22.00 | 2.36 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $18.45 | $38,370 | 23,410 | 1.26 |
| Illinois | $22.10 | $45,960 | 68,640 | 1.21 |
| Indiana | $18.43 | $38,330 | 33,640 | 1.13 |
| Missouri | $18.11 | $37,680 | 34,050 | 1.24 |
| Ohio | $18.76 | $39,010 | 63,280 | 1.22 |
| Tennessee | $18.27 | $37,990 | 27,040 | 0.89 |
| Virginia | $20.77 | $43,200 | 40,580 | 1.06 |
| West Virginia | $17.66 | $36,720 | 9,390 | 1.44 |
See the national page for Nursing Assistants (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.