Registered Nurses Pay Range in Kentucky
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$64,170
- 25th Percentile — Junior$75,670
- 50th Percentile — Median$81,040
- 75th Percentile — Senior$97,200
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$111,750
Half of Registered Nurses in Kentucky earn more than $81,040. The top 10% make $111,750 or more, while entry-level workers start around $64,170.
Registered Nurses in Kentucky: Key Facts
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
- Kentucky ranks 40th of 51 states for Registered Nurses pay, at $86,140 per year (15.1% below the U.S. average of $101,420).
- 50,300 people work as Registered Nurses in Kentucky — 1.5% of all U.S. Registered Nurses jobs.
- Location quotient 1.16: Registered Nurses jobs are more concentrated in Kentucky than in the U.S. overall.
- Pay range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $64,170; the top 10% earn over $111,750.
- Hourly equivalent: $41.41 per hour (2,080 hours/year).
- The highest-paying state is California at $150,280.
- Among healthcare jobs in Kentucky, Radiologists pays the most ($338,210).
Registered Nurses Job Market in Kentucky
Key factors affecting compensation
Kentucky's key industries are Manufacturing, Healthcare, Agriculture, and its job market is rated moderate. Registered Nurses here earn $86,140 on average, placing the state 40th nationally.
With a cost-of-living index of 0.83 (U.S. = 1.00), a Kentucky salary of $86,140 is roughly equivalent to $103,783 at the national average cost of living.
Compared with nearby states in the pay ranking, Nebraska ($88,330), Ohio ($87,730), South Carolina ($87,670) are the closest alternatives for Registered Nurses weighing a move.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Other Healthcare Jobs in Kentucky
Related career salary benchmarks
- Radiologists $338,210/yr Kentucky +292.6% vs this role
- Physicians All Other $331,860/yr Kentucky +285.3% vs this role
- Anesthesiologists $310,560/yr Kentucky +260.5% vs this role
- Surgeons All Other $271,370/yr Kentucky +215.0% vs this role
- Obstetricians and Gynecologists $268,360/yr Kentucky +211.5% vs this role
- Family Medicine Physicians $254,740/yr Kentucky +195.7% vs this role
- General Internal Medicine Physicians $250,140/yr Kentucky +190.4% vs this role
- Dermatologists $249,200/yr Kentucky +189.3% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average Registered Nurses salary in Kentucky?
The average Registered Nurses salary in Kentucky is $86,140 per year (median $81,040), which is 15.1% below the national average of $101,420.
How does Kentucky rank for Registered Nurses pay?
Kentucky ranks 40th out of 51 states. The highest-paying state is California ($150,280/yr).
How much do entry-level Registered Nurses make in Kentucky?
The lowest-paid 10% of Registered Nurses in Kentucky earn about $64,170 per year and the 25th percentile is $75,670.
How much do Registered Nurses make per hour in Kentucky?
About $41.41 per hour, based on the $86,140 annual average and 2,080 working hours per year.
How many Registered Nurses work in Kentucky?
BLS counts 50,300 Registered Nurses jobs in Kentucky (OEWS May 2025).
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