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March 23, 2023
If you desire a travel assignment that also offers a wide range of outdoor activities and interesting attractions, travel nursing in Kentucky might be exactly up your alley! From the beautiful rolling hills of horse country to the bustling cities of Louisville and Lexington, there’s something for everyone. You can spend your days off doing exciting outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and kayaking. Or peruse the city’s many historical sites, entertainment venues, world-class art galleries, or bourbon tastings.
Did we forget to mention Kentucky’s mouthwatering barbeque? Fun and food aside, travel nursing in Kentucky has its monetary benefits as well. According to ZipRecruiter, as of March 2023, the median annual salary of travel nurses in Kentucky is $92,813, just shy of $50/hr! Although that is slightly below Ziprecruter’s median nationwide travel nurse salary of $106,030, Kentucky also offers a significantly lower cost of living than most other US states. That means your money will stretch much further there.
Looking for travel nurse assignments in Kentucky? Speak with a recruiter today!
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Kentucky pays nurses an annual median salary of $67,260 or $32/hr. That is below the national median annual wage of $77,600. However, travel nurses in Kentucky may find contracts that offer much more due to staffing shortages or crisis needs.
That may also be why, according to Indeed.com, travel nurses in Kentucky earn an average of $2,463 per week. Here are the highest-paying cities for travel nurses in Kentucky:
| City | Hourly Wage | Weekly Wage | Monthly Wage |
| Hazard | $62.57 | $2,671 | $10,337 |
| Lexington | $62.38 | $2,481 | $10,305 |
| Louisville | $57.47 | $2,454 | $9,494 |
| Pikeville | $56.51 | $2,413 | $9,337 |
| Prestonburg | $55.81 | $2,383 | $9,221 |
Kentucky has a wide variety of hospitals and healthcare centers that serve the needs of its residents. This includes a mix of top-rated university medical centers, community hospitals, and smaller rural facilities.
It is important to understand that travel nurse income can vary widely depending on the following factors:
ZipRecruiter reports that Kentucky ranks 34 out of 50 states across the nation for travel nurse salaries. The travel nurse pay range in Kentucky ranges widely across the state, and there is a wide range of opportunities based on experience, specialty, and skill level. Keep in mind that travel nurse salaries can change quickly as staffing needs change.
According to ZipRecruiter, these are the highest-paying specialties in Kentucky:
Near or far – find the right travel nurse assignment for you.
Kentucky has 120 hospitals across the state. Of those, six meet U.S. News and World Report’s high standard qualifications. Here are the top five hospitals in the Bluegrass State:
St. Elizabeth Healthcare Edgewood-Covington Hospitals are a part of St. Elizabeth Healthcare, an award-winning network of hospitals and healthcare centers in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Services available include emergency care, primary care, cardiovascular care, cancer treatments, surgical services, pediatric services, and behavioral health services. The Edgewood-Covington hospitals are proudly recognized as Magnet Designated hospitals by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for excellence in nursing care.
University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital is a teaching hospital in Lexington and is tied with St. Elizabeth Healthcare as the #1 hospital in Kentucky. This 600-bed hospital has been providing comprehensive medical care for more than 70 years and is one of the largest healthcare complexes in Central and Eastern Kentucky. The hospital offers various services, including emergency medicine, cardiology, oncology, and obstetrics/gynecology.
The evaluation of this university hospital also includes information collected from Kentucky Childrens Hospital and the UK Health Good Samaritan Hospital.
Baptist Health Lexington Hospital is a 434-bed tertiary care hospital and major medical research and education facility. It is the flagship of Baptist Health, an integrated health system with eight hospitals and more than 120 outpatient centers across the state, along with an additional hospital located in Kentucky. The hospital offers various medical services, including cardiology, orthopedics, oncology, obstetrics, and gynecology.
Baptist Health Louisville is a 519-bed hospital located in Lexington, Kentucky, and is a part of the same health system as Baptist Health in Lexington. This facility offers a wide range of healthcare services in cancer care, diabetes, endocrinology, heart care, orthopedics, and neurology, just to name a few. Baptist Health Louisville also has innovative technologies like robotic-assisted surgery and a high-tech intensive care unit for advanced medical treatments.
Norton Hospitals are general medical and surgical facilities in Louisville and are rated high-performing in 9 adult procedures. This evaluation also includes data from four facilities: Norton Audubon Hospital, Norton Brownsboro Hospital, Norton Healthcare Pavilion, and Norton Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
If you are considering taking a travel nursing assignment in Kentucky, you may already know that the state has a lower cost of living than the U.S. average. According to Kentucky.gov, the cost of living in Kentucky is 11.4% lower than the U.S. average. Fortunately, this also means that your dollars should stretch farther than they would in most U.S. States.
The two major cities in Kentucky are Lexington and Louisville. Prospective renters and homeowners should know that these bustling cities have many affordable options. According to Rent.com:
BestPlaces.net has a cost-of-living index based on a US average of 100. This means anything above 100 equals a higher cost of living, and below 100 equals a lower cost of living compared to the rest of the nation. Bestplaces.net reports that Kentucky has an overall cost of living of 82.3, much lower than the national average. This is great news if you want to earn higher wages as a travel nurse but maintain a lower cost of living.
Here is a rundown of the cost of living based on a US average of 100, according to BestPlaces.net:
*Our cost of living indices are based on a US average of 100. An amount below 100 means Kentucky is cheaper than the US average. A cost of living index above 100 means Kentucky is more expensive. BestPlaces.net
Before taking the plunge and accepting a travel nursing assignment in Kentucky, it is wise to weigh the pros and cons.
There are so many exciting and fun activities to take advantage of during your travel assignment in Kentucky. Take a look at these fun adventures:
Outdoor
Art and Music
Theaters
If we haven’t clarified already, Kentucky is an awesome place for your next travel assignment! The Bluegrass State is well-known for its vibrant cities, rolling hills, outdoor activities, and friendly people. Not to mention that it’s home to some of the best bourbon, horse racing, and bluegrass music in the world. And Kentucky has a significantly lower cost of living compared with the rest of the nation to boot. Best of all, for those looking for a little bit of Southern hospitality, Kentucky has it in spades!
Speak with a recruiter about available travel nursing assignments in Kentucky!
