How Much Does an RN Make in Bowling Green, KY in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Bowling Green, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Kentucky.
BLS OES May 2025 · Bowling Green metro area
A typical RN in Bowling Green, Kentucky earns $38.04 per hour, or $79,120 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,593 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,380, and the top 10% of earners make over $104,380.
That pay is 2% below the Kentucky figure of $81,040 and 19% below the national figure of $97,550. Bowling Green ranks 4th of 6 metro areas in Kentucky for RN pay. About 1,870 RNs work in the Bowling Green area.
RN pay in Bowling Green at a glance
- Typical pay is $38.04 an hour, or $79,120 a year.
- That is 2% below the Kentucky figure, ranking 4th of 6 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,380; the top 10% make over $104,380.
- Typical pay rose +39% from 2015 to 2025, against +40% for Kentucky as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Bowling Green?
Pay in Bowling Green runs from entry-level positions at around $30.95 an hour to more than $50.19 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Kentucky and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Bowling Green
| Career stage | Bowling Green | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $64,380$30.95 an hour | $64,170$30.85 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $76,250$36.66 an hour | $75,670$36.38 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $79,120$38.04 an hour | $81,040$38.96 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $94,080$45.23 an hour | $97,200$46.73 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $104,380$50.19 an hour | $111,750$53.73 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Bowling Green area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Bowling Green
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Bowling Green area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Bowling Green was $57,100 a year. By 2025 it had reached $79,120, a change of +39%, compared with +40% for Kentucky over the same years.
How Bowling Green compares with other Kentucky cities
Louisville pays RNs the most in Kentucky at $84,850 a year, $5,730 more than Bowling Green. The lowest-paying area in the state is Elizabethtown at $77,930.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Bowling Green | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville metro incl. Jefferson County | $84,850 | $40.79 | +7% | 18,180 |
| 2 | Ashland | $81,010 | $38.95 | +2% | 5,580 |
| 3 | Paducah | $79,920 | $38.42 | +1% | 1,720 |
| 4 | Bowling Green | $79,120 | $38.04 | this city | 1,870 |
| 5 | Fayette metro incl. Lexington | $79,040 | $38.00 | 0% | 8,070 |
| 6 | Elizabethtown | $77,930 | $37.47 | -2% | 870 |
Every metro area in Kentucky with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Kentucky typical pay $81,040
Is Bowling Green a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Bowling Green earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $79,120 a year, 19% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Bowling Green area, about 23 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. RN jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Bowling Green, KY?
- A typical RN in Bowling Green earns $79,120 a year, or $38.04 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $64,380 and the top 10% earn over $104,380.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Bowling Green?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Bowling Green is $38.04. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $30.95, and the top 10% earn over $50.19 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Bowling Green?
- Entry-level RN positions in Bowling Green typically offer around $30.95 an hour, or $64,380 a year.
- Is RN pay in Bowling Green higher than in the rest of Kentucky?
- Bowling Green pay is 2% below the Kentucky figure of $81,040 a year, ranking 4th of 6 metro areas in the state. Louisville pays the most in Kentucky at $84,850.