Kentucky Median
$81,040
per year
Hourly Rate
$38.96
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
vs National
-17% vs US median
US median $97,550
State Rank
#42 of 51
50,300 employed here
How much does a Registered Nurse make in Kentucky?
Registered Nurses in Kentucky take home a median of $81,040 annually — roughly $38.96 an hour — which runs 17% below the national median of $97,550.
Within Kentucky, entry-level pay starts around $64,170 while the top 10% make $111,750 or more. The middle 50% of earners fall between $75,670 and $97,200 a year.
Registered Nurse salary range in Kentucky
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $64,170 | $30.85 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $75,670 | $36.38 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $81,040 | $38.96 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $97,200 | $46.73 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $111,750 | $53.73 |
|
How Kentucky compares
Kentucky ranks 42nd out of 51 states and territories for Registered Nurse pay. The top 5 best-paying states:
Registered Nurse salary in other states
California $140,270Hawaii $136,320Oregon $129,010Washington $124,200Alaska $109,480New York $109,440New Jersey $106,500Massachusetts $104,550Nevada $103,670Connecticut $102,740District of Columbia $102,540Minnesota $101,510Rhode Island $100,640Colorado $100,260Maryland $99,790New Hampshire $99,700Delaware $99,520Arizona $99,500Vermont $97,460Pennsylvania $96,430Illinois $95,990Texas $95,970Wisconsin $95,530New Mexico $94,340Michigan $94,300Virginia $93,600Georgia $93,550Idaho $92,460Maine $86,990Montana $85,280Nebraska $84,730Utah $84,600North Carolina $84,350Florida $84,190Wyoming $83,760Indiana $83,500Oklahoma $82,920Ohio $82,510South Carolina $82,360Missouri $81,780Tennessee $81,500North Dakota $80,730Louisiana $80,230West Virginia $80,130Kansas $79,320Arkansas $78,940Iowa $78,630South Dakota $78,060Mississippi $77,090Alabama $77,080
Working as a Registered Nurse in Kentucky
Nationally, about 3,380,000 people work as Registered Nurses in the United States. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
Considering a move? Compare Kentucky pay ($81,040) against the highest-paying state above, and weigh the difference against housing and everyday costs — a smaller paycheck in a cheaper state can stretch further.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Registered Nurse make in Kentucky?
The median Registered Nurse salary in Kentucky is $81,040 per year, or about $38.96 per hour, per official BLS state wage estimates. Salaries typically range from $64,170 at the entry level to $111,750 for the top 10% of earners.
How does Kentucky pay compare to the national average?
Kentucky pays Registered Nurses about 17% less than the national median of $97,550. Kentucky ranks 42nd out of 51 states and territories reporting this occupation.
Is Kentucky a good state for Registered Nurses?
Pay runs below the national median here, at $81,040 a year. About 50,300 Registered Nurses are employed in Kentucky. A lower cost of living can offset the smaller paycheck, so compare take-home value, not just salary.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Kentucky?
The highest-paying occupations in Kentucky include Cardiologist ($558,180), Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($350,950), Anesthesiologist ($347,960), based on median annual pay in official BLS state estimates.
← See the national Registered Nurse salary report
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). State figures are official BLS state-level wage estimates. Where BLS suppresses a state percentile, it is scaled from the official national distribution. Individual pay varies by employer, metro area, and experience.