Registered Nurse salary in Kentucky
The median annual wage for registered nurses in Kentucky is $81,040, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 estimates — below the national median of $97,550. Kentucky ranks 42 of 50 states and DC with published data for this occupation.
Median
$81,040
25th percentile
$75,670
75th percentile
$97,200
90th percentile
$111,750
Employment and national comparison
| Employment in Kentucky | 50,300 |
|---|---|
| Mean annual wage in Kentucky | $86,140 |
| National median | $97,550 |
| National employment | 3,379,720 |
Metro areas in Kentucky
- Louisville, KY: median $84,850
States with similar pay for registered nurses
- North Dakota: median $80,730
- Tennessee: median $81,500
- Missouri: median $81,780
- Louisiana: median $80,230
- West Virginia: median $80,130
- South Carolina: median $82,360
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates; state, metropolitan area and national files from https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm. State estimates are for BLS occupation "Registered Nurses" (29-1141), cross-industry, all ownerships. Retrieved 2026-10-02. Where BLS does not publish a numeric estimate (suppressed, or reported only as at or above $239,200) the value is shown as —.