Registered Nurses Salary in Kentucky
Median annual wage in Kentucky: $81,040 -16.9% vs national
Kentucky vs United States
| Kentucky | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $81,040 | $97,550 |
| Median hourly | $38.96 | $46.90 |
| Employment | 50,300 | 3,379,720 |
| Location quotient | 1.16 | 1.00 |
Data source: BLS OES state file (Kentucky) · U.S. BLS OES, May 2024 (updated April 2025)
What the data says
The median wage in Kentucky is 16.9% below the national median — a difference of about $16,510 per year for a typical worker.
At $38.96 per hour, a full-time schedule (2,080 hours per year) works out to roughly $81,037 — in line with the reported median annual wage of $81,040.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average registered nurses salary in Kentucky?
The median annual wage in Kentucky is $81,040 ($38.96 per hour), per BLS OES May 2024 data.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for registered nurses?
The Kentucky median of $81,040 is 16.9% lower than the U.S. median of $97,550.
How many registered nurses work in Kentucky?
Approximately 50,300 are employed in Kentucky, per BLS OES.