Nurse Practitioners Salary
In Kentucky, nurse practitioners earn $122,870 at the median, or about $59.07 an hour. The range runs from $96K at the entry level to $163K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $136,174 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 14.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $123K get you in Kentucky?
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Nurse practitioners pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $123K locally vs. $132K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 14.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level nurse practitioners (10th percentile) start around $96K. Mid-career wages sit at $123K. Top earners bring in $163K or more, a $67K spread from bottom to top.
Nurse Practitioners salary by metro in Kentucky
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owensboro | $129K | +5% | 150 |
| Paducah | $124K | +1% | 110 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $123K | +0% | 540 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $123K | +0% | 1,580 |
| Elizabethtown | $116K | -6% | 90 |
| Bowling Green | $113K | -8% | 150 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a nurse practitioner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $123K, rent takes 14.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for nurse practitioners in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nurse practitioners typically earn — is $96K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,743/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 19% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nurse practitioner a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $123K locally vs. $132K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for nurse practitioners?
Kentucky pays $123K median vs. the U.S. average of $132K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $136K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nurse practitioners make in Kentucky?
The median is $122,870 a year, that works out to about $59 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $95,710, and experienced nurse practitioners can clear $162,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $123K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,485/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 14.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a nurse practitioners salary go in Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median nurse practitioners salary is worth about $136,174 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nurse practitioners get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.