How Much Does an RN Make in Jefferson County, KY in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Jefferson County, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Kentucky.
BLS OES May 2025 · Louisville/Jefferson County metro area
A typical RN in Jefferson County, Kentucky earns $40.79 per hour, or $84,850 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,071 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $65,300, and the top 10% of earners make over $118,200.
That pay is 5% above the Kentucky figure of $81,040 and 13% below the national figure of $97,550. Jefferson County ranks 1st of 6 metro areas in Kentucky for RN pay. About 18,180 RNs work in the Louisville/Jefferson County area. Jefferson County is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Louisville share these figures.
RN pay in Jefferson County at a glance
- Typical pay is $40.79 an hour, or $84,850 a year.
- That is 5% above the Kentucky figure, ranking 1st of 6 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $65,300; the top 10% make over $118,200.
- Typical pay rose +38% from 2015 to 2025, against +40% for Kentucky as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Jefferson County?
Pay in Jefferson County runs from entry-level positions at around $31.39 an hour to more than $56.83 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Kentucky and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Jefferson County
| Career stage | Jefferson County | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $65,300$31.39 an hour | $64,170$30.85 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $77,870$37.44 an hour | $75,670$36.38 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $84,850$40.79 an hour | $81,040$38.96 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $97,710$46.98 an hour | $97,200$46.73 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $118,200$56.83 an hour | $111,750$53.73 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Louisville/Jefferson County area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Jefferson County
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Louisville/Jefferson County area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Jefferson County was $61,510 a year. By 2025 it had reached $84,850, a change of +38%, compared with +40% for Kentucky over the same years.
How Jefferson County compares with other Kentucky cities
Jefferson County pays RNs the most of any metro area in Kentucky. The lowest-paying area in the state is Elizabethtown at $77,930.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Jefferson County | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson County metro incl. Louisville | $84,850 | $40.79 | this city | 18,180 |
| 2 | Ashland | $81,010 | $38.95 | -5% | 5,580 |
| 3 | Paducah | $79,920 | $38.42 | -6% | 1,720 |
| 4 | Bowling Green | $79,120 | $38.04 | -7% | 1,870 |
| 5 | Fayette metro incl. Lexington | $79,040 | $38.00 | -7% | 8,070 |
| 6 | Elizabethtown | $77,930 | $37.47 | -8% | 870 |
Every metro area in Kentucky with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Kentucky typical pay $81,040
Is Jefferson County a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Jefferson County earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $84,850 a year, 13% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Louisville/Jefferson County area, about 27 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 Jefferson County, KY?
- A typical RN in Jefferson County earns $84,850 a year, or $40.79 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $65,300 and the top 10% earn over $118,200.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Jefferson County?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Jefferson County is $40.79. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $31.39, and the top 10% earn over $56.83 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Jefferson County?
- Entry-level RN positions in Jefferson County typically offer around $31.39 an hour, or $65,300 a year.
- Is RN pay in Jefferson County higher than in the rest of Kentucky?
- Jefferson County pay is 5% above the Kentucky figure of $81,040 a year, ranking 1st of 6 metro areas in the state.