Registered Nurses Salary in Kentucky (2024)
The median registered nurses salary in Kentucky is $79,910/year, based on May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). That is 14.6% below the national median of $93,600.
Wage table
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual mean | $83,900 |
| Annual median | $79,910 |
| 10th percentile | $63,180 |
| 25th percentile | $72,450 |
| 75th percentile | $95,190 |
| 90th percentile | $104,430 |
| Hourly median | $38.42/hr |
| Employment (state) | 48,170 |
What the numbers mean
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is wide: the highest-paid 10% of registered nurses in Kentucky earn about 1.7× what the lowest-paid 10% earn. That spread usually reflects differences in experience, employer type, and local cost of living within the state — the median is a more representative figure than the mean for a "typical" salary, since a small number of very high earners can pull the mean upward.
Higher-paying states for Registered Nurses
See the full Registered Nurses salary by state ranking for all 53 states with available data.
Frequently asked questions
Is registered nurses pay in Kentucky above the national average?
The median registered nurses salary in Kentucky is $79,910/year, which is 14.6% below the national median of $93,600/year (May 2024 BLS OEWS data).
What is the median registered nurses salary in Kentucky?
$79,910/year, based on May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
How much do the highest-paid registered nurses in Kentucky earn?
The 90th percentile registered nurses in Kentucky earns $104,430/year or more, compared to $63,180/year or less for the 10th percentile.
Which states pay registered nurses more than Kentucky?
West Virginia pays more ($79,990/year median), along with 3 other states listed below.