Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse Salary in Louisville, KY

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area earn a median $64,460 a year — 0% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $51,835 take-home, or $4,320 a month.

Median salary
$64,460
$30.99 per hour
Typical range
$53,340 – $74,270
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Louisville, KY
2,850
1.00× national concentration
▲3.6%
Pay trend: The median for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in Louisville, KY rose from $62,240 (May 2024) to $64,460 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.2%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse salary in Louisville, KY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse in Louisville, KY
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$51,835
per year · effective tax rate 19.6%
$4,320Monthly
$2,160Twice a month
$1,994Every 2 weeks
$24.92Hourly
  • Federal income tax$5,555
  • Social Security (6.2%)$3,997
  • Medicare (1.45%)$935
  • Kentucky income tax$2,139
  • Take-home pay$51,835

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.50% state

The Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro spans Kentucky, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse pay by experience in Louisville, KY

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$53,340$25.64$43,289$3,607
25th percentile$59,610$28.66$48,108$4,009
Median (50th)$64,460$30.99$51,835$4,320
75th percentile$70,930$34.10$56,364$4,697
90th percentile (top earners)$74,270$35.71$58,597$4,883

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Kentucky resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $64,460 buys in Louisville, KY

Prices in Louisville, KY are 6.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse's $51,835 take-home pay has the buying power of $55,692 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,026
24% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,248
29% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$3,294
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse jobs are about as common in Louisville, KY as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.00).

Best-paying cities for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, adjusted for cost of living

Louisville, KY ranks #17 of 53 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1San Jose, CA $95,320$70,013$63,405
2Seattle, WA $85,690$69,113$62,189
3Las Vegas, NV $75,920$62,240$62,106
4Providence, RI $78,990$62,054$60,973
5San Francisco, CA $94,310$69,410$60,036
6Phoenix, AZ $78,080$62,016$60,026
7Boston, MA $82,190$62,761$57,969
8Chicago, IL $78,070$60,033$57,949
17Louisville, KY$64,460$51,835$55,692

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 53 metros →

About the job: licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Care for ill, injured, or convalescing patients or persons with disabilities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group homes, and similar institutions. May work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Licensing required.

Typical education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
+3.0% (about average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse make in Louisville, KY?

The median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse salary in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area is $64,460 a year, or about $30.99 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $59,610 and $70,930.

What is a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse’s take-home pay in Louisville, KY?

On the median $64,460 salary, a single filer living in Kentucky takes home about $51,835 a year ($4,320 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,139 in Kentucky taxes in 2026.

Is Louisville, KY a good place to work as a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse?

Pay here is 0% above the national median of $64,400. Local prices are 6.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $55,692 would in a typical U.S. city. Louisville, KY ranks #17 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse afford rent in Louisville, KY?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Louisville, KY is $1,026 a month ($1,248 for two bedrooms) — 24% of a median licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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