Nurse practitioner salary in Kentucky
Kentucky nurse practitioners earn a median of $122,870 a year ($59.07 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 7% below the national median of $132,300, and ranks 49th of 51 states.
Median, Kentucky
$122,870
Mean $125,010
Middle half earns
$106,240 to $132,720
US: $117,990 to $156,700
Employed in Kentucky
4,770
1.15x the national concentration
Where Kentucky sits in the range
Kentucky
Statewide
United States
National
Cincinnati
Metro area
Louisville/Jefferson County
Metro area
Huntington
Metro area
Lexington
Metro area
Nurse practitioner pay by percentile
Ten percent of Kentucky nurse practitioners earned less than $95,710 and ten percent earned more than $162,960, a spread of $67,250. Where you land depends mostly on specialty, setting, experience and how the productivity pay is built, which is why two offers in the same city can be far apart.
| Percentile | Kentucky | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $95,710 | $101,340 | -5.6% |
| 25th | $106,240 | $117,990 | -10.0% |
| Median | $122,870 | $132,300 | -7.1% |
| 75th | $132,720 | $156,700 | -15.3% |
| 90th | $162,960 | $174,420 | -6.6% |
Nurse practitioner pay by metro area
BLS published NP pay for 9 metro areas that include part of Kentucky. Owensboro, KY has the highest median at $128,780. Metro estimates rest on smaller samples than the statewide figure, so treat a low-precision row as a direction, not a number.
| Metro area | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 2,820 | $128,700 | $111,320 to $136,690 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 1,580 | $122,900 | $107,220 to $137,830 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 570 | $125,780 | $107,820 to $132,580 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 540 | $123,070 | $108,670 to $131,320 |
| Clarksville, TN-KYmoderate precision | 300 | $115,160 | $98,600 to $127,920 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 150 | $112,970 | $108,910 to $128,890 |
| Owensboro, KY | 150 | $128,780 | $107,880 to $140,970 |
| Paducah, KY-ILmoderate precision | 110 | $124,200 | $104,620 to $133,280 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | 90 | $115,540 | $102,030 to $130,640 |
How NP pay compares with other clinicians in Kentucky
| Occupation | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse practitioner | $122,870 | $132,300 |
| Physician assistant | $120,760 | $135,880 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $222,520 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $81,040 | $97,550 |
The Kentucky NP workforce
BLS counts 4,770 nurse practitioners on Kentucky payrolls, or 2.38 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, close to the national concentration. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 9,356 nurse practitioners with a Kentucky practice address, and 388 new NP NPIs there in the past twelve months.
Using these numbers when you negotiate
A state median is a reference point, not a target. If an offer comes in under $106,240, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Kentucky nurse practitioners earn, and you should know why before you sign: a new-grad rate, a light schedule, or a base kept low because a productivity bonus is supposed to make up the difference. If it is above $132,720, ask what is expected in return, such as call, volume targets or a longer non-compete.
Compare the whole package, not the base: how the bonus is calculated, call pay, CME, PTO and who pays malpractice tail coverage. The negotiation guide and the contract checklist walk through each term.
Questions about NP pay in Kentucky
How much does a NP make in Kentucky?
The median annual wage for nurse practitioners in Kentucky was $122,870 in May 2025, and the mean was $125,010, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $106,240 and $132,720.
What is the hourly rate for nurse practitioners in Kentucky?
The median hourly wage was $59.07 and the mean was $60.10. BLS computes hourly figures from annual pay assuming a full-time year, so per-shift or per-diem rates can differ.
Where do NPs earn the most in Kentucky?
Among Kentucky metro areas with published data, Owensboro, KY had the highest median at $128,780, and Bowling Green, KY the lowest at $112,970.
How does Kentucky rank for NP pay?
Kentucky ranks 49th of 51 states (including DC) by median NP pay, 7% below the national median of $132,300. Pay is only half the picture: compare it with what housing and taxes cost where you would live.
How many nurse practitioners work in Kentucky?
BLS estimated 4,770 nurse practitioners employed in Kentucky in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 9,356 with a Kentucky practice address.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), SOC 29-1171, all industries and ownerships. NPI counts: NPPES monthly file, August 2026 (CMS, public domain). BLS wages are straight-time pay: they include production bonuses but leave out overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits, and they exclude the self-employed.
Have an offer on the table?
Book a free intro call with Max. Tell him what you are weighing, and he will tell you whether coaching would help, or whether you just need a few answers.