Registered Nurses Salary in Kentucky
In Kentucky, registered nurses earn a median $81,040 a year, well below the national median of $97,550 (−17%); the state ranks 42nd of 51 states by median. Registered Nurses earn 73% more than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri and Tennessee pay more (up to $95,990 in Illinois) and West Virginia pays less (down to $80,130 in West Virginia). Kentucky employs 50,300 registered nurses, 25.1 per 1,000 jobs, the 24th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.16 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 | $30.85 | $36.38 | $38.96 | $46.73 | $53.73 | $41.41 | 50,300 | 25.14 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $64,170 | $75,670 | $81,040 | $97,200 | $111,750 | $86,140 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $33.14 | $38.62 | $46.90 | $54.02 | $66.09 | $48.76 | 3,379,720 | – | – |
| Annual | $68,940 | $80,330 | $97,550 | $112,350 | $137,470 | $101,420 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 42nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 24th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.16
- Jobs per 1,000
- 25.14
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 registered 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 | $40.79 | $84,850 | $65,300 | $118,200 | 18,180 | 26.54 | 1.22 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $40.22 | $83,650 | $67,820 | $107,190 | 28,520 | 25.91 | 1.19 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $38.95 | $81,010 | $62,810 | $124,650 | 5,580 | 39.65 | 1.82 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $38.42 | $79,920 | $65,200 | $101,280 | 1,720 | 34.19 | 1.57 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $38.20 | $79,450 | $57,680 | $100,590 | 1,670 | 16.19 | 0.74 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $38.04 | $79,120 | $64,380 | $104,380 | 1,870 | 22.79 | 1.05 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $38.00 | $79,040 | $66,270 | $107,880 | 8,070 | 28.15 | 1.29 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $37.47 | $77,930 | $63,530 | $105,250 | 870 | 16.92 | 0.78 |
| Owensboro, KY | * | * | * | * | 1,770 | 35.71 | 1.64 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $37.80 | $78,630 | $61,420 | $104,390 | 3,770 | 21.92 | 1.01 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $37.64 | $78,280 | $59,360 | $120,430 | 3,210 | 18.59 | 0.86 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $37.00 | $76,960 | $57,990 | $104,740 | 2,710 | 21.06 | 0.97 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $35.35 | $73,520 | $59,510 | $95,610 | 3,190 | 34.71 | 1.60 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $38.96 | $81,040 | 50,300 | 1.16 |
| Illinois | $46.15 | $95,990 | 138,910 | 1.05 |
| Indiana | $40.14 | $83,500 | 68,980 | 0.99 |
| Missouri | $39.32 | $81,780 | 76,310 | 1.20 |
| Ohio | $39.67 | $82,510 | 143,730 | 1.19 |
| Tennessee | $39.18 | $81,500 | 72,200 | 1.01 |
| Virginia | $45.00 | $93,600 | 77,490 | 0.87 |
| West Virginia | $38.52 | $80,130 | 23,430 | 1.54 |
See the national page for Registered 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.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- 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.