Salaries / Registered nurse / Kentucky
Registered nurse pay in Kentucky
The median RN in Kentucky earns $38.96 an hour, about $81,037 a year (BLS, May 2025).
Survey wages for registered nurses across all employers in Kentucky, before tax. Your offer depends on the employer, shift and experience. Informational only.
The range
Half of Kentucky's registered nurses earn between $36.38 and $46.73 an hour. The top 10% earn more than $53.73; the bottom 10% less than $30.85.
- $38.96median hourly
- $81,037median, full-time year
- #42 of 51by median, among states and D.C. with data
- -17%vs the U.S. median ($46.90)
| Percentile | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30.85 | $64,168 |
| 25th | $36.38 | $75,670 |
| Median | $38.96 | $81,037 |
| 75th | $46.73 | $97,198 |
| 90th | $53.73 | $111,758 |
Yearly figures are hourly × 2,080 hours (40 a week, 52 weeks), the way BLS converts them. Three 12s a week is 1,872 hours, so at the median that is about $72,933 before overtime and differentials.
By metro area
Registered nurse pay in Kentucky's metro areas, from Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN ($40.79) down to Elizabethtown, KY ($37.47). Metro areas that cross a state line are listed in each state. Rural areas are not shown.
| Metro area | Median hourly | Middle half | Top 10% earn more than |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $40.79 | $37.44–$46.98 | $56.83 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $40.22 | $38.72–$49.34 | $51.53 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $38.95 | $36.61–$48.07 | $59.93 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $38.42 | $36.73–$45.80 | $48.69 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $38.20 | $33.64–$45.62 | $48.36 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $38.04 | $36.66–$45.23 | $50.19 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $38.00 | $36.47–$46.76 | $51.87 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $37.47 | $37.14–$44.36 | $50.60 |
What it is worth at Kentucky prices
Prices in Kentucky run 9.8% below the U.S. average (BEA regional price parity 90.2). At U.S.-average prices the median RN wage here buys what $43.21 an hour would, which ranks #37 of 51 states and D.C. Rent is the biggest piece; check the area you would live in with the housing cost reference or the offer calculator.
RN jobs in Kentucky
431 RN jobs listed in Kentucky on our board as of November 11, 2026; 190 post pay. Pay is weekly as posted, before tax; contract and travel pay includes the stipend.
- $2,095/wkmedian posted weekly pay
- $1,879–$2,252middle half of posted pay
- $2,154/wkContract and travel, stipend included, 154 jobs
Nearby in the ranking
- Missouri: #40, $39.32/hr
- Tennessee: #41, $39.18/hr
- North Dakota: #43, $38.81/hr
- Louisiana: #44, $38.57/hr
- All states for registered nurses
Weighing a staff job here against PRN or a contract? See what each pays over a year and how to read a pay package.
Sources for this page
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 state estimates SOC 29-1141. Released May 15, 2026. Checked November 10, 2026.
- BLS Handbook of Methods, OEWS annual wage calculation Checked November 10, 2026.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, metropolitan areas Released May 15, 2026; imported 2026-11-10. A + marks a wage BLS publishes only as $115.00 an hour or more. Checked November 10, 2026.
- BLS May 2025 metro-area release footnote (wages shown only as $115.00 an hour or more) Checked November 10, 2026.
- Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 Values imported 2026-10-11. Checked November 10, 2026.