PermanentPosted 7 days ago
RN CVICU
CommonSpirit Health · Lexington, KY
$30.00–$43.50/ hour
New this week
ICU nurse jobs in Lexington, KY
Pay for registered nurses in the Lexington area centers on $39.80 per hour, or about $82,780 a year. The lower quarter earns under $33.72 and the upper quarter over $43.03. The CMS hospital directory lists 7 hospitals in Lexington. That ranks 177th of 379 U.S. metro areas for registered nurse pay, and 166th of 335 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Lexington.
- $39.80median pay per hour, Lexington
- $34–$43typical range per hour
- 8,110registered nurses employed in the metro area
- 4open roles with published pay
Open ICU nurse roles in Lexington
PermanentPosted 10 days ago
RN Neuro ICU
CommonSpirit Health · Lexington, KY
$30.00–$43.50/ hour
For youUpdated weekly
390+ more healthcare roles for you in Lexington, KY
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PermanentPosted 10 days ago
RN Medical ICU
CommonSpirit Health · Lexington, KY
$30.00–$43.50/ hour
PermanentPosted 30+ days ago
RN ICU
CommonSpirit Health · Lexington, KY
$30.00–$43.50/ hour
Get the Lexington ICU nurse pay report
Named employers near Lexington, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportRegistered Nurse pay in Lexington, KY
The metro median is 4% above the Kentucky statewide median of $38.42 per hour. Nationally the median is $45.00 per hour. BLS counts about 8,110 registered nurses employed in the Lexington-Fayette metro area, 28.7 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.35).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $32.38 | $67,350 | 28% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $33.72 | $70,140 | 25% below U.S. median |
| Median | $39.80 | $82,780 | 12% below U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $43.03 | $89,500 | 4% below U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $50.91 | $105,890 | 13% above U.S. median |
How Lexington ranks
- 177th of 379 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 166th of 335 after adjusting for local prices
- 1st of 6 Kentucky metro areas
BLS does not publish a separate figure for ICU nurse. These numbers are for the broader category it belongs to, Registered Nurses.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
What your pay buys in Lexington
- Overall prices in Lexington-Fayette run 7% below the U.S. average (index 92.9, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 23% below the U.S. average (index 77.1).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $39.80 median hour buys what $42.85 buys at the national price level, 5% below the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Estimate your Lexington paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,433
- Per year: $71,640
- Per month: $5,970
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Lexington-Fayette metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Lexington
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $118 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $80 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,386 |
| 13-week assignment | $18,018 |
Travel ICU nurse assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.
Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).
Hospitals in Lexington
CMS lists 7 hospitals in Lexington, 2 of the 5 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of ICU nurses.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baptist Health Lexington Lexington, KY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| University Of Kentucky Hospital Lexington, KY | Acute care | Government and federal | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Lexington Va Medical Center Lexington, KY | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| Saint Joseph Hospital Lexington, KY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| Saint Joseph East Lexington, KY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| Eastern State Hospital Lexington, KY | Psychiatric | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
| The Ridge Behavioral Health System Lexington, KY | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Primary care shortage areas in Fayette County
HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Fayette County (4 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 22 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.
Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.
Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.
License and tax basics in Kentucky
Kentucky is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a Kentucky license by endorsement.
Kentucky taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Lexington
Lexington city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do ICU nurses make in Lexington, KY?
BLS reports pay for registered nurses overall, not by specialty. Registered Nurses in the Lexington-Fayette metro area have a median pay of $39.80 per hour, about $82,780 a year. The middle half earn between $33.72 and $43.03 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Lexington a good place for ICU nurses once cost of living is counted?
Lexington-Fayette ranks 166th of 335 metro areas for registered nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 177th of 379 before adjusting. Overall prices run 7% below the U.S. average.
Who is hiring ICU nurses in Lexington?
We list 4 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in Lexington. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Lexington.
Do I need a Kentucky license to work in Lexington as an ICU nurse?
Kentucky is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a Kentucky license by endorsement. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
Is Lexington in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Fayette County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.
What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Lexington?
The federal per diem benchmark in Lexington is $118 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,386 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place ICU nurses in Lexington?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Lexington and across Kentucky. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Lexington.
Free for every candidate
What do employers near Lexington pay ICU nurses? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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590+ Registered Nurse roles in Kentucky, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your RN pay reportLexington, KY · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings
1Pay for your role at other employers
- Veterans Health AdministrationLexington, KY · 2 postings$54.19/ hr$38–$71
- CommonSpirit HealthLEXINGTON, KY · 41 postings$36.75/ hr$27–$56
- Insight Global, LLCCovington, KY · 2 wage offers$39.56/ hr$38–$41
Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.
2What they are offering now
Low$30Median$36.75High$45
44 RN postings with published pay in Kentucky, 39 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 44 RN roles
- RN Home HealthPermanent$35.53–$52.85/ hour
- Registered Nurse - Progressive Care UnitPermanent$78k–$145k/ year
+ 42 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.