How Much Does an RN Make in Lexington, KY in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Lexington, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Kentucky.
BLS OES May 2025 · Lexington · Fayette metro area
A typical RN in Lexington, Kentucky earns $38.00 per hour, or $79,040 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,587 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $66,270, and the top 10% of earners make over $107,880.
That pay is 2% below the Kentucky figure of $81,040 and 19% below the national figure of $97,550. Lexington ranks 5th of 6 metro areas in Kentucky for RN pay. About 8,070 RNs work in the Lexington · Fayette area. Lexington is part of the Lexington · Fayette metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Fayette share these figures.
RN pay in Lexington at a glance
- Typical pay is $38.00 an hour, or $79,040 a year.
- That is 2% below the Kentucky figure, ranking 5th of 6 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $66,270; the top 10% make over $107,880.
- Typical pay rose +32% from 2015 to 2025, against +40% for Kentucky as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Lexington?
Pay in Lexington runs from entry-level positions at around $31.86 an hour to more than $51.87 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Kentucky and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Lexington
| Career stage | Lexington | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $66,270$31.86 an hour | $64,170$30.85 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $75,860$36.47 an hour | $75,670$36.38 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $79,040$38.00 an hour | $81,040$38.96 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $97,250$46.76 an hour | $97,200$46.73 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $107,880$51.87 an hour | $111,750$53.73 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Lexington · Fayette area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Lexington
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Lexington · Fayette area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Lexington was $59,870 a year. By 2025 it had reached $79,040, a change of +32%, compared with +40% for Kentucky over the same years.
How Lexington compares with other Kentucky cities
Louisville pays RNs the most in Kentucky at $84,850 a year, $5,810 more than Lexington. The lowest-paying area in the state is Elizabethtown at $77,930.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Lexington | 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 | 0% | 1,870 |
| 5 | Lexington metro incl. Fayette | $79,040 | $38.00 | this city | 8,070 |
| 6 | Elizabethtown | $77,930 | $37.47 | -1% | 870 |
Every metro area in Kentucky with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Kentucky typical pay $81,040
Is Lexington a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Lexington earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $79,040 a year, 19% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Lexington · Fayette area, about 28 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 Lexington, KY?
- A typical RN in Lexington earns $79,040 a year, or $38.00 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $66,270 and the top 10% earn over $107,880.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Lexington?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Lexington is $38.00. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $31.86, and the top 10% earn over $51.87 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Lexington?
- Entry-level RN positions in Lexington typically offer around $31.86 an hour, or $66,270 a year.
- Is RN pay in Lexington higher than in the rest of Kentucky?
- Lexington pay is 2% below the Kentucky figure of $81,040 a year, ranking 5th of 6 metro areas in the state. Louisville pays the most in Kentucky at $84,850.