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Many nursing professionals in Kentucky are discovering the tremendous earning power of a MSN degree. In 2014, the United States Department of Labor reported that BSN-educated nursing professionals such as registered nurses earned an average annual salary of $57,980 in Kentucky. On the other hand, several MSN-educated nurses were among the highest paid professionals in the entire state, including:
- Nurse anesthetists: $142,900
- Nurse practitioners: $89,500
- Nurse midwives: $89,300
Aside from high-paying positions, MSN nurses in Kentucky also benefitted from high employment opportunities in that year. In fact:
- Kentucky held the second highest concentration of postsecondary nursing instructor and teacher jobs in the country. Postsecondary nursing instructors and teachers working here earned an average annual salary of $68,750.
- Bowling Green held the second highest concentration of postsecondary nursing instructor and teacher jobs among all other metropolitan areas in the country. These MSN nursing pros were paid an average annual salary of $58,480.
- The East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area boasted the highest concentration of nurse practitioner jobs in the country. The average annual salary for nurse practitioners employed in this major nonmetropolitan region was $86,400.
How Experience Affects Salaries for MSN-Educated Nurses in Kentucky
Most local employers in Kentucky offer MSN nurse salaries based upon previous work experience. In 2014, the United States Department of Labor provided the following MSN nurse salary sets to illustrate this statewide tendency:
Postsecondary Nursing Instructors and Teachers
- Entry-level: $40,200
- Mid-career: $62,100
- Experienced: $101,500
Nurse Anesthetists
- Entry-level: $103,000
- Mid-career: $142,900
- Experienced: $187,200
Nurse Midwives
- Entry-level: $69,500
- Mid-career: $89,300
- Experienced: $122,500
Nurse Practitioners
- Entry-level: $68,500
- Mid-career: $89,500
- Experienced: $122,600
Salaries According to Region for MSN-Educated Nurses in Kentucky
Nurse Anesthetists – Salary statistics posted by the United States Department of Labor in 2014 reveal that a nurse anesthetist’s geographic location of employment could mean a $30,000 annual difference in pay. For instance, nurse anesthetists in the Louisville-Jefferson Country metropolitan area received an average annual salary of $156,450. Yet, those employed in the East Kentucky nonmetropolitan region collected a lower average annual salary of $110,410:
*This value is equal to or greater than $90/hour or $187,199/year. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report salary data beyond this level.
Nurse-Midwives – In 2014, the United States Department of Labor found that major metropolitan areas that employ large numbers of nurse midwives in Kentucky often offer widely difference pay rates. For example, nurse midwives located in the Louisville-Jefferson County area collected an average annual salary of $99,470. By contrast, those working in the Lexington-Fayette district were given an average annual salary of $86,540:
Nurse Practitioners – Wage studies conducted by the United States Department of Labor confirmed that the West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area and Owensboro awarded nurse practitioners the highest statewide salaries in 2014. Nurse practitioners with jobs in the West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area netted an average annual salary of $104,670 and those in Owensboro achieved an average annual salary of $102,550: