Salary · KY · SOC 29-2061

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) salary in Kentucky, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025. Median, mean, and percentile pay for licensed practical and vocational nurses in Kentucky, with every metro area BLS publishes.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for licensed practical and vocational nurses in Kentucky was $60,460 a year, or $29.07 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $48,420 to $73,220. About 8,570 were employed.

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Licensed Practical Nurse pay in Kentucky vs the US

Licensed Practical Nurse wages in Kentucky and the US, May 2025
Measure	KY annual	KY hourly	US annual
Median (50th percentile)	$60,460	$29.07	$64,400
Mean (average)	$60,460	$29.07	$67,050
10th percentile	$48,420	$23.28	$49,740
25th percentile	$54,290	$26.10	$59,000
75th percentile	$65,090	$31.29	$76,030
90th percentile	$73,220	$35.20	$83,440

Employment in Kentucky: 8,570. Location quotient: 1.03 (1.0 = the national share of jobs).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Licensed Practical Nurse salary by metro area in Kentucky

Licensed Practical Nurse median wage by metro area, Kentucky
Metro area	Median annual	Median hourly	Employed
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$64,460	$30.99	2,850
Lexington-Fayette, KY	$61,480	$29.56	970
Paducah, KY-IL	$62,060	$29.84	300
Bowling Green, KY	$60,830	$29.25	250
Elizabethtown, KY	$61,080	$29.37	200
Owensboro, KY	$62,180	$29.90	170
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$64,180	$30.85	6,400
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	$54,540	$26.22	1,390
Clarksville, TN-KY	$58,260	$28.01	630

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Licensed Practical Nurse salary in Kentucky

Median pay: $60,460 a year ($29.07 an hour)

Middle 80% earn $48,420 to $73,220 a year

Employed: 8,570

BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: Rivvi

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<div style="font:14px/1.45 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#222;border:1px solid #E6E6EE;border-radius:12px;padding:14px 16px;max-width:360px;background:#fff"><div style="font-weight:600;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:6px">Licensed Practical Nurse salary in Kentucky</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Median pay: <strong>$60,460</strong> a year ($29.07 an hour)</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Middle 80% earn $48,420 to $73,220 a year</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Employed: 8,570</div><div style="margin-top:8px;font-size:12px;color:#555">BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: <a href="https://rivvi.ai/salary/licensed-practical-nurse/ky" style="color:#3C38C9">Rivvi</a></div></div>

Questions

How much does an LPN make per hour in Kentucky?

The median hourly wage was $29.07 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $23.28 and the 90th was $35.20.

What is the average LPN salary in Kentucky?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $60,460 a year and a median of $60,460 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Do licensed practical and vocational nurses in Kentucky earn more than the US median?

The Kentucky median of $60,460 is 6% lower than the US median of $64,400 (BLS, May 2025).

How does Kentucky rank for licensed practical nurse pay?

Kentucky ranks 42 of 51 states (plus DC) by median annual wage for licensed practical and vocational nurses (BLS, May 2025).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 29-2061. Figures BLS did not publish are left out.