Kentucky · Registered Nursing

Best institutions to study Registered Nursing in Kentucky

The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…

Institutions
43
offering CIP 51.38
States & territories
57
with a program page
Degrees / yr
7,511
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$72,614
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
39
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,542
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
50%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Registered Nurses
$86,140
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of the Cumberlands
Williamsburg Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$81,01216450%$11,672$29,400
2Kentucky Christian University
Grayson Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$76,9701337%$21,713$27,750
3University of Pikeville
Pikeville Private not-for-profit · Associate degree
$76,5707242%$13,886$17,140
4Galen College of Nursing - Louisville
Louisville Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$76,2341,60861%$34,859
5American National University - Louisville
Louisville Private for-profit · Associate degree
$75,9795250%$17,427$30,205
6Union Commonwealth University
Barbourville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$72,6145132%$28,386$27,830
7University of Kentucky
Lexington Public · Bachelor's degree
$71,46141471%$27,000
8Thomas More University
Crestview Hills Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$70,9551740%$18,902$28,000
9Bellarmine University
Louisville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$70,54410764%$22,542$30,800
10Morehead State University
Morehead Public · Bachelor's degree
$70,52310352%$29,000

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.9%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~189,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$93,600
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionMonitoringWriting

What Registered Nurses earn in Kentucky

Jobs in Kentucky
50,300
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$86,140
median $81,040
Best-paying metro
$90,190
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

Related careers

Registered Nurses
$86,140 avg · 50,300 jobs
Medical and Health Services Managers
$123,590 avg · 8,600 jobs
Nurse Practitioners
$125,010 avg · 4,770 jobs
Nurse Anesthetists
$229,690 avg · 1,640 jobs
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
$76,560 avg · 1,130 jobs
Nurse Midwives

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Kentucky.

Which Registered Nursing program in Kentucky has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), University of the Cumberlands tops the list at $81,012. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Registered Nurses earn in Kentucky?+

The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Kentucky is $86,140 (median $81,040), across about 50,300 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+

The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+

The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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