How Much Does an RN Make in Ashland, KY in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Ashland, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Kentucky.
BLS OES May 2025 · Huntington · Ashland metro area
A typical RN in Ashland, Kentucky earns $38.95 per hour, or $81,010 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,751 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $62,810, and the top 10% of earners make over $124,650.
That pay is right at the Kentucky figure of $81,040 and 17% below the national figure of $97,550. Ashland ranks 2nd of 6 metro areas in Kentucky for RN pay. About 5,580 RNs work in the Huntington · Ashland area.
RN pay in Ashland at a glance
- Typical pay is $38.95 an hour, or $81,010 a year.
- That is right at the Kentucky figure, ranking 2nd of 6 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $62,810; the top 10% make over $124,650.
- Typical pay rose +46% from 2015 to 2025, against +40% for Kentucky as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Ashland?
Pay in Ashland runs from entry-level positions at around $30.20 an hour to more than $59.93 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Kentucky and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Ashland
| Career stage | Ashland | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $62,810$30.20 an hour | $64,170$30.85 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $76,150$36.61 an hour | $75,670$36.38 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $81,010$38.95 an hour | $81,040$38.96 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $99,980$48.07 an hour | $97,200$46.73 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $124,650$59.93 an hour | $111,750$53.73 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Huntington · Ashland area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Ashland
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Huntington · Ashland area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Ashland was $55,600 a year. By 2025 it had reached $81,010, a change of +46%, compared with +40% for Kentucky over the same years.
How Ashland compares with other Kentucky cities
Louisville pays RNs the most in Kentucky at $84,850 a year, $3,840 more than Ashland. The lowest-paying area in the state is Elizabethtown at $77,930.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Ashland | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville metro incl. Jefferson County | $84,850 | $40.79 | +5% | 18,180 |
| 2 | Ashland | $81,010 | $38.95 | this city | 5,580 |
| 3 | Paducah | $79,920 | $38.42 | -1% | 1,720 |
| 4 | Bowling Green | $79,120 | $38.04 | -2% | 1,870 |
| 5 | Fayette metro incl. Lexington | $79,040 | $38.00 | -2% | 8,070 |
| 6 | Elizabethtown | $77,930 | $37.47 | -4% | 870 |
Every metro area in Kentucky with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Kentucky typical pay $81,040
Is Ashland a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Ashland earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $81,010 a year, 17% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Huntington · Ashland area, about 40 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. That makes the local economy more reliant on RNs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Ashland, KY?
- A typical RN in Ashland earns $81,010 a year, or $38.95 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $62,810 and the top 10% earn over $124,650.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Ashland?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Ashland is $38.95. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $30.20, and the top 10% earn over $59.93 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Ashland?
- Entry-level RN positions in Ashland typically offer around $30.20 an hour, or $62,810 a year.
- Is RN pay in Ashland higher than in the rest of Kentucky?
- Ashland pay is right at the Kentucky figure of $81,040 a year, ranking 2nd of 6 metro areas in the state. Louisville pays the most in Kentucky at $84,850.