Registered Nurse Salary in Kentucky: Average & Range (2024)

Kentucky RN Salary Overview (2024 Data)

According to recent BLS and state workforce reports:

• Average annual salary: $62,000
• Typical range: $43,100 – $80,910
• Median hourly: ~$29.80

Factors Affecting Pay

Factor	Impact
Experience	Entry‑level ~$48k; 20+ years ~$75k+
Education	BSN > ADN; MSN (NP/CNS) >$90k
Setting	Hospital > outpatient > LTC > home health
Region	Louisville/Lexington metro > rural
Specialty/Certification	CCRN, CEN, CNOR add $2–5k/yr
Shift Differentials	Night/weekend +10–20%

High‑Demand Areas in KY

• Critical care, ER, OR, labor & delivery, psychiatric, nurse educator.
• Rural health clinics offer loan repayment (NHSC, KY State Loan Repayment).

Data sources: BLS OEWS May 2023, Kentucky Board of Nursing workforce survey, Indeed/Glassdoor aggregates. Always verify with current job postings.