EN

Language

Search
CostAnswer

Explore

Language

MethodologyAbout

Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a registered nurse make in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

In the Lexington-Fayette, KY metropolitan area, registered nurses earned a median of $79,040 a year ($38.00 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 8,070 of these jobs there. That is 63% above the $48,620 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $66,270 and $107,880; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kentucky tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $61,786 in take-home pay.

Registered nurse pay in Lexington-Fayette, KY at a glance

Median salary

$79,040$38.00 per hour · $6,587 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$66,270$31.86/hr
25th percentile$75,860$36.47/hr
75th percentile$97,250$46.76/hr
90th percentile$107,880$51.87/hr
Jobs in this metro8,070Location quotient 1.29 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here63% aboveAll-jobs median $48,620
Against Kentucky2% belowStatewide median $81,040
Against the U.S.19% belowNational median $97,550

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $79,000 a year leaves after tax in KentuckyFederal tax, FICA and Kentucky withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$38 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $79,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $79,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Kentucky publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Kentucky.

Registered nurse salary in Lexington-Fayette, KY after taxes

$79,040
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$79,040
Net 78%
Fed 11%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$61,786After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,149Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,376Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,559 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$2,649 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,047 / yr
Customize deductions in full Kentucky calculator

Registered nurses pay range in Lexington-Fayette, KY, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Lexington-Fayette, KY metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What registered nurses earned in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KY)
10th percentile$31.86/hr$5,523$66,270$53,226
25th percentile$36.47/hr$6,322$75,860$59,660
MedianMedian$38.00/hr$6,587$79,040$61,786
75th percentile$46.76/hr$8,104$97,250$73,959
90th percentile$51.87/hr$8,990$107,880$81,065

Is $79,040 a good salary in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for registered nurses next to both.

Median household income$71,966Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.97.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household109.8%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Compare markets

Registered nurses pay in other Kentucky metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Lexington-Fayette, KY. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Registered nurse pay in Lexington-Fayette, KY: common questions

What is the median salary for registered nurses in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

The BLS median annual wage for registered nurses in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area was $79,040 in May 2025, about $6,587 a month or $38.00 an hour. Statewide, the Kentucky median for this job is $81,040, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for registered nurses in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

The median hourly wage for registered nurses in Lexington-Fayette, KY was $38.00 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $31.86 an hour and one in ten earned more than $51.87.

How many registered nurses work in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

BLS estimated 8,070 jobs for registered nurses in the metro in May 2025, or 28.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.29 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for registered nurses in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

BLS wage estimates for registered nurses in Lexington-Fayette, KY run from $66,270 at the 10th percentile to $75,860 at the 25th, $97,250 at the 75th, and $107,880 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do registered nurses take home after taxes in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

On a median gross salary of $79,040, an estimated $61,786 lands in net take-home pay per year ($2,376 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kentucky in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $17,254 (an effective rate of 21.8%).

How much do registered nurses make per month in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

On the median annual salary of $79,040, gross monthly income is $6,587. After federal, FICA, and Kentucky state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $5,149 per month (or $2,376 every two weeks).

Is $79,040 a good salary in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

At $79,040, the median salary for registered nurses is 109.8% of the Lexington-Fayette, KY median household income ($71,966). It is 63% above the $48,620 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.9, so prices here run 7.1% below the U.S. average.