State comparison · 2025
Registered Nurses salary: California vs Kentucky
Registered Nurses in California earn a median of $140,270. In Kentucky, $81,040. After cost-of-living, the gap is 41% — not 73.1%.
Nominal pay gap
+73.1%
California vs Kentucky
COL-adjusted gap
+41%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
California
Registered Nurses
- Median
- $140,270
- p25
- $122,440
- p75
- $173,170
- p10
- $101,260
- p90
- $213,320
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 110.7
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- -86%
Kentucky
Registered Nurses
- Median
- $81,040
- p25
- $75,670
- p75
- $97,200
- p10
- $64,170
- p90
- $111,750
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 90.2
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- +100%
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.