With nearly 44,000 RNs and an additional 3,500 advanced practice nurses, Kentucky has one of the highest concentrations of nurses per worker of any state. Nonetheless, according to a 2015 report by the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, the state has suffered from a shortage of healthcare staff since the early 2000s. The problem was exacerbated when the Affordable Care Act passed and more residents gained access to healthcare. Before the ACA passed, the state needed 5,635 registered nurses to meet patient need, and today the nursing shortage is significantly higher. That applies equally to advanced practice nurses, some of whom are taking on primary care roles. To explore how you can help Kentucky meet its nursing needs, compare nursing schools and programs and find out what it takes to start practicing.
Top 10 Nursing Schools and Licensing Requirements in Kentucky
| #1 | University of Louisville Louisville, KY |
| #2 | Murray State University Murray, KY |
| #3 | Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY |
| #4 | Bellarmine University Louisville, KY |
| #5 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KY |
| #6 | Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY |
| #7 | Kentucky State University Frankfort, KY |
| #8 | Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY |
| #9 | Morehead State University Morehead, KY |
| #10 | Kentucky Christian University Grayson, KY |
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Top Nursing Schools in Kentucky
4 - Year Colleges
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University of LouisvilleLocation
Louisville, KY
Graduation Rate54%
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Murray State UniversityLocation
Murray, KY
Graduation Rate52%
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Eastern Kentucky UniversityLocation
Richmond, KY
Graduation Rate42%
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Bellarmine UniversityLocation
Louisville, KY
Graduation Rate68%
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University of KentuckyLocation
Lexington, KY
Graduation Rate61%
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Western Kentucky UniversityLocation
Bowling Green, KY
Graduation Rate44%
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Kentucky State UniversityLocation
Frankfort, KY
Graduation Rate20%
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Northern Kentucky UniversityLocation
Highland Heights, KY
Graduation Rate36%
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Morehead State UniversityLocation
Morehead, KY
Graduation Rate43%
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Kentucky Christian UniversityLocation
Grayson, KY
Graduation Rate34%
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Berea CollegeLocation
Berea, KY
Graduation Rate62%
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Spalding UniversityLocation
Louisville, KY
Graduation Rate38%
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Midway CollegeLocation
Midway, KY
Graduation Rate43%
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University of PikevilleLocation
Pikeville, KY
Graduation Rate40%
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Campbellsville UniversityLocation
Campbellsville, KY
Graduation Rate39%
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Union CollegeLocation
Barbourville, KY
Graduation Rate32%
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Thomas More CollegeLocation
Crestview Hills, KY
Graduation Rate46%
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University of the CumberlandsLocation
Williamsburg, KY
Graduation Rate36%
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Lindsey Wilson CollegeLocation
Columbia, KY
Graduation Rate35%
2 - Year Colleges
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West Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Paducah, KY
Graduation Rate37%
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Owensboro Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Owensboro, KY
Graduation Rate31%
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Maysville Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Maysville, KY
Graduation Rate29%
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Henderson Community CollegeLocation
Henderson, KY
Graduation Rate25%
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Madisonville Community CollegeLocation
Madisonville, KY
Graduation Rate29%
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Hazard Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Hazard, KY
Graduation Rate31%
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Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Cumberland, KY
Graduation Rate29%
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Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Bowling Green, KY
Graduation Rate25%
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Ashland Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Ashland, KY
Graduation Rate20%
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Gateway Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Florence, KY
Graduation Rate30%
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Somerset Community CollegeLocation
Somerset, KY
Graduation Rate25%
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Elizabethtown Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Elizabethtown, KY
Graduation Rate24%
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Big Sandy Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Prestonsburg, KY
Graduation Rate20%
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Hopkinsville Community CollegeLocation
Hopkinsville, KY
Graduation Rate21%
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Bluegrass Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Lexington, KY
Graduation Rate17%
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Jefferson Community and Technical CollegeLocation
Louisville, KY
Graduation Rate13%
Kentucky’s Licensure Process
The Kentucky Board of Nursing provides licenses for nurses in the state. It is charged with enforcing state laws that govern the nursing profession, so the board imposes stringent rules when issuing licenses for practice. The agency also oversees Kentucky’s nursing education programs.
Steps to Licensure in KY
Graduates of a board-approved nursing degree program can apply for initial licensure by examination. In Kentucky, this process includes:
- Submitting an application and paying the required $125 fee to the Kentucky Board of Nursing
- Completing a criminal background check
- Filling out a fingerprint card after paying a $14.75 fee to the Kentucky State Police
- Paying $9 to take and pass a 35-question state jurisprudence exam covering Kentucky’s nursing regulations
- Arranging for their college to submit a certified list of graduates to the Kentucky Board of Nursing
- Registering to take the NCLEX-RN with Pearson VUE testing center and paying $200
After receiving an authorization to test (ATT) from Pearson VUE, applicants must schedule the exam within 90 days. Applicants who pass the test will be issued a license by the state. Those who do not pass will have to start the process over, except the jurisprudence exam. Background reports remain valid for six months from the date they were run.
Applicants who graduated from an out-of-state program have an additional requirement: Within three years of their initial licensure, they must complete three hours of continuing education in domestic violence and one and a half hours in pediatric head abuse trauma.
Nurses who have practiced out of state and who are transitioning to Kentucky have a slightly different set of licensure steps to follow:
- Submitting an application and paying a $165 fee to the Kentucky Board of Nursing
- Completing a criminal background check
- Filling out a fingerprint card after paying a $14.75 fee to the Kentucky State Police
- Paying $9 to take and pass a 35-question state jurisprudence exam
- Verifying their original license
- Sending an official transcript from the nursing program to the Kentucky Board of Nursing (if they graduated from a school in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Pennsylvania or Washington)
Steps to Renewing a KY License
Kentucky licenses must be renewed annually for $65. In the year leading up to renewal, RNs must have completed one of the following to keep up-to-date in the field:
- Fourteen contact hours of continuing education
- Seven contact hours and a nursing employment evaluation
- National certification
- Research project
- Publication of a nursing article
- Nursing presentation
- Preceptor service
- Specified college coursework
Steps to Advanced Practice Licensure in Kentucky
Advanced practice licensure in Kentucky is applicable to four groups: nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and clinical nurse specialists.
Nurses licensed in Kentucky or a compact state who are nationally certified by a board-approved body can become licensed as both an RN and an APRN by submitting a $330 fee for the upgrade. Additionally, they must:
- Complete post-basic nursing education
- Complete state and federal criminal background checks
- Fill out a fingerprint card
- Arrange for their official transcripts to be sent to the Kentucky Board of Nursing
- Show proof that they are nationally certified
- Verify their original RN license
- Pass the state jurisprudence exam
In order to renew an APRN license, advanced practice registered nurses need five hours of continuing education contact hours in pharmacology. In addition to paying the $65 to renew their RN license, they must pay $55 for each APRN specialty they are renewing.
More details on APRN licensure can be found at the Kentucky Board of Nursing.
Nursing Numbers: Pay & Employment in Kentucky
It pays to be a registered nurse in Kentucky, but salary and employment opportunities can vary from city to city. For a closer look at how nurses across Kentucky fare, as well as how they compare to nurses across the nation, review the tables below:
Top-Paying Areas for RNs in Kentucky
| Area | Hourly Median Wage | Annual Median Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville-Jefferson County KY-IN | $29.18 | $60,690 |
| Elizabethtown | $28.67 | $59,640 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $28.23 | $58,720 |
| Bowling Green | $26.89 | $55,930 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $26.70 | $55,540 |
| West Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $26.26 | $54,630 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $25.30 | $52,620 |
| Owensboro | $25.21 | $52,430 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $23.35 | $48,570 |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014
Kentucky vs. National Numbers
| Year | Annual salary(25th percentile) | Annual salary(median) | Annual salary(75th percentile) | Annual salary(25th percentile) | Annual salary(median) | Annual salary(75th percentile) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $48,310 | $57,120 | $67,490 | $0 | $54,620 | $66,640 | $81,080 |
| Certified Nurse Midwife | $78,660 | $89,320 | $103,000 | $0 | $82,580 | $96,970 | $114,090 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $119,200 | $142,870 | $168,680 | $0 | $132,380 | $153,780 | $181,860 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $78,720 | $89,510 | $102,340 | $0 | $82,720 | $95,350 | $113,470 |
- Annual Salary (25th percentile)
- Annual Salary (median)
- Annual Salary (75th percentile)
| Type | Kentucky | National |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | 43,740 | 2,687,310 |
| Certified Nurse Midwife | 190 | 5,110 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,100 | 36,590 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 2,190 | 122,050 |
| Type | Kentucky | National |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | 59,620 | 3,238,400 |
| Certified Nurse Midwife | 0 | 7,700 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 0 | 43,900 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 0 | 147,300 |
| Type | Kentucky | National |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | 2,150 | 105,260 |
| Certified Nurse Midwife | 0 | 290 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 0 | 1,560 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 0 | 5,850 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014 and Projections Central
Kentucky Nursing Resources
Kentuckiana Holistic Nurses Association
Nurses interested in the mind-body approach to wellness can join the Kentuckiana Holistic Nurses Association. This regional branch of the American Holistic Nurses Association has RN members who are also reiki masters, BodyTalk practitioners, aroma therapists and experts in multiple other holistic health practices.
The Kentucky Board of Nursing provides licenses for nurses in the state. The website is designed to facilitate the licensure process for new and veteran nurses alike.
Kentucky Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives
KCNPNM provides continuing education, professional publications and a career center to its members. It is also heavily involved in legislative advocacy, pushing for advanced practice nurses to play a stronger role in providing healthcare services to citizens.
Kentucky Emergency Nurses Association
The Kentucky Emergency Nurses Association represents the needs of emergency nurses around the state. KYENA’s national body is the Emergency Nurses Association.
The Kentucky Nurses Association is a full-service professional nursing organization that has existed since 1906, offering credentials, career services and continuing education to members. Its national body, the American Nurses Association, plays a strong role in advocating for healthcare policy; the Kentucky Nurses Association does the same on the state level.
Kentucky School Nurses Association
Nurses who work in schools can become members of the Kentucky School Nurses Association. Scholarships and continuing education courses are available to members.