Known by many as the "Bluegrass State", a name it received because of vast expanses of bluegrass that covers its meadows and valleys, Kentucky is truly one of the most unique states in the nation. It has a rich history, was explored by Daniel Boone, settled by pioneers and was split down the middle by the Civil War, providing soldiers to both sides of the conflict. With a population of over 4.5 million people Kentucky is the 26th most populous state in the U.S. It is also home to Fort Knox, the longest system of underground caves in the nation, the longest navigable waterway and stream system of any continental U.S. state, is home to large herds of deer, elk, and wild turkeys and is ranked 5th in the nation for goat farming. It is truly a unique place.
Search Kentucky Nursing Schools
With millions of residents Kentucky has a vibrant and growing health care economy. Nurses are in high demand, and good jobs can be found in hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout the state. Some of the top employers of nurses in Kentucky include Norton Hospital, University of Kentucky Hospital, Baptist Hospital East, and Jewish Hospital. While most job opportunities are going to be found in larger cities, including Louisville, Lexington, and Bowling Green, nursing jobs can be found in just about every rural city in the state. The hourly wage for nurses in Kentucky is roughly $28 an hour, slightly lower than the national average, but the cost of living in Kentucky isn’t very high.
If you plan on studying nursing in Kentucky you’ll have a fairly large selection of schools to choose from. There are over 40 accredited schools and colleges in Kentucky that offer nursing programs. Programs range from diplomas to master’s degrees in nursing. There are also several scholarships and financial aid programs available for nursing students in Kentucky.
Salaries
| $38k | Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) |
| $58k | Registered Nurse (RN)* |
| $93k | Nurse Practitioner |
Schools
| 47 | Colleges and Universities |
| 46 | Offer Undergraduate Degrees |
| 13 | Offer Graduate Degrees |
Sources: Salary info from Bureau of Labor Statistics, School info from National Center for Education Statistics. *Includes Clinical Nurse Specialists. Excludes nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners.
Below you can explore our directory nursing schools and colleges in Kentucky offering various degree and diploma programs.
Browse Kentucky nursing schools:
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Thomas More College
Location:
Crestview Hills, KY
Student Enrollment: 1,900
Type of School: Private
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: BS/BSN
learn more… -
Eastern Kentucky University – College of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing
Location:
Richmond, KY
Student Enrollment: 15,760
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: BS/BSN, Accelerated BSN, RN-to-BSN, MSN, Nurse Practitioner
www.bsn-gn.eku.edu -
Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing
Location:
Hyden, KY
Student Enrollment: 745
Type of School: Private
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: Yes
Degree Programs: RN-to-MSN, MSN, Certified Nurse Midwife, Nurse Practitioner, DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
www.frontierschool.edu -
Spencerian College – School of Practical Nursing
Location:
Louisville, KY
Student Enrollment:
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: No
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, LPN
www.spencerian.edu -
National College – Pikesville Campus
Location:
Pikesville, KY
Student Enrollment:
Type of School: Private
College Accredited: No
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate
www.ncbt.edu -
Ashland Community and Technical College
Location:
Ashland, KY
Student Enrollment: 4,420
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, LPN-to-RN, LPN
ashland.kctcs.edu -
Berea College
Location:
Berea, KY
Student Enrollment: 1,550
Type of School: Private
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: BS/BSN
www.berea.edu -
Elizabethtown Community & Technical College
Location:
Elizabethtown, KY
Student Enrollment: 4,980
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, LPN-to-RN, LPN
www.elizabethtown.kctcs.edu -
Hazard Community College
Location:
Hazard, KY
Student Enrollment: 2,200
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: No
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate
www.hazard.kctcs.edu -
Henderson Community College
Location:
Henderson, KY
Student Enrollment: 1,200
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate
www.hencc.kctcs.edu -
Galen College of Nursing � Louisville
Location:
Louisville, KY
Student Enrollment: 1,090
Type of School: Private
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, LPN-to-RN, LPN
www.galencollege.edu -
University of Kentucky College of Nursing
Location:
Lexington, KY
Student Enrollment: 16,900
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: RN-to-BSN, BS/BSN, RN-to-MSN, MSN, Nurse Practitioner, PhD (Doctoral)
www.mc.uky.edu -
University of Louisville
Location:
Louisville, KY
Student Enrollment: 21,015
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: Yes
Degree Programs: BS/BSN, Accelerated BSN, RN-to-BSN, MSN, Nurse Educator, Nurse Practitioner, PhD (Doctoral)
louisville.edu -
Bellarmine University – Lansing School of Nursing
Location:
Louisville, KY
Student Enrollment: 3,090
Type of School: Private
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: BS/BSN, Accelerated BSN, RN-to-BSN, RN-to-MSN, MSN, Nurse Educator, Nurse Practitioner, DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
www.bellarmine.edu -
Hopkinsville Community College
Location:
Hopkinsville, KY
Student Enrollment: 3,200
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, LPN
http://www.hopkinsville.kctcs.edu/ -
Bowling Green Technical College
Location:
Bowling Green, KY
Student Enrollment: 3,940
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: No
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, LPN-to-RN, LPN
bowlinggreen.kctcs.edu -
Western Kentucky University
Location:
Bowling Green, KY
Student Enrollment: 13,300
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: BS/BSN, RN-to-BSN
www.wku.edu -
Maysville Community College
Location:
Maysville, KY
Student Enrollment: 1,300
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: No
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate
www.maysville.kctcs.edu -
Midway College
Location:
Midway, KY
Student Enrollment: 850
Type of School: Private
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, RN-to-BSN
www.midway.edu -
Kentucky State University
Location:
Frankfort, KY
Student Enrollment: 2,200
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, BS/BSN, RN-to-BSN
www.kysu.edu -
Bluegrass Community and Technical College
Location:
Lexington, KY
Student Enrollment: 7,200
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, LPN
www.uky.edu -
St. Catharine College
Location:
St. Catharine, KY
Student Enrollment: 2,800
Type of School: Private
College Accredited: No
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate
www.sccky.edu -
Madisonville Community College
Location:
Madisonville, KY
Student Enrollment: 1,900
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate
www.madcc.kctcs.net -
Morehead State University
Location:
Morehead, KY
Student Enrollment: 6,800
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, BS/BSN
www.morehead-st.edu -
Northern Kentucky University
Location:
Highland Heights, KY
Student Enrollment: 10,900
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: BS/BSN, Accelerated BSN, RN-to-BSN, MSN
www.nku.edu -
Owensboro Community College
Location:
Owensboro, KY
Student Enrollment: 2,300
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: No
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate
www.owecc.net -
West Kentucky Community and Technical College
Location:
Paducah, KY
Student Enrollment: 7,465
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, LPN-to-RN, LPN
www.westkentucky.kctcs.edu -
Pikeville College
Location:
Pikeville, KY
Student Enrollment: 900
Type of School: Private
College Accredited: No
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate
nursing.pc.edu -
Jefferson Community College
Location:
Louisville, KY
Student Enrollment: 10,000
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, LPN
www.jefferson.kctcs.edu -
Murray State University
Location:
Murray, KY
Student Enrollment: 10,070
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: RN-to-BSN, BS/BSN, MSN, Nurse Educator, Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Practitioner
www.murraystate.edu -
Big Sandy Community and Technical College
Location:
Prestonburg, KY
Student Enrollment: 4,860
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: No
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, LPN-to-RN, LPN
bigsandy.kctcs.edu -
Somerset Community College
Location:
Somerset, KY
Student Enrollment: 2,400
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate
www.somcc.kctcs.net -
Southeast Community College
Location:
Cumberland, KY
Student Enrollment: 2,500
Type of School: Public
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: Associate, LPN
www.southeast.edu -
Spalding University
Location:
Louisville, KY
Student Enrollment: 1,000
Type of School: Private
College Accredited: Yes
Offers Online Programs: No
Degree Programs: BS/BSN, Accelerated BSN, RN-to-MSN, MSN, Nurse Practitioner
www.spalding.edu