Licensed Practical Nurse in Kentucky
Requirements, salary data, licensing costs, and career ROI for KY. Updated with 2024 BLS OEWS wage data.
BLS OEWS 2024, Kentucky.
Jobs (KY)
10-yr job growth
Licensing fees
Time to complete
route How to become a licensed practical nurse in Kentucky
To become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in Kentucky, you must complete a state-approved practical nursing program and pass the NCLEX-PN examination. The licensing body is the Kentucky Board of Nursing. The application fee is $125, and the NCLEX-PN exam costs $200. Kentucky is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, allowing LPNs with a multistate license to practice in other compact states. New licensees and those endorsing from out-of-state have specific one-time continuing education requirements to fulfill within their first three years of licensure, covering topics such as pediatric abusive head trauma, domestic violence, suicide prevention, implicit bias, and Alzheimer's disease.
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Source: BLS OEWS 2024 for Kentucky. Metro-area wages may differ significantly from the state aggregate.
checklist Kentucky requirements
| Licensing body | Kentucky Board of Nursing |
| State license | Required |
| Education | Completion of a state-approved practical nursing program |
| Exam | NCLEX-PN ($200) |
| Application fee | $125 |
| Renewal | Every 1.0 year |
| Continuing education | 14.0 hours per cycle |
| Notes | Minimum age 18. Requires a thorough background investigation and fingerprinting. Graduates of Kentucky programs need to earn specific CE within 3 years of licensure: 1.5 hours of pediatric abusive head trauma, 3 hours of domestic violence, 2 hours of suicide prevention, 1.5 hours of implicit bias, and 1 hour of Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia training. Nurses seeking licensure by endorsement from another state or licensure by examination for candidates educated outside of Kentucky are also required to complete these one-time CE requirements within the first 3 years of licensure. If licensed longer than 5 years but haven't practiced for 500 hours in the past 5 years, 120 hours of CE earned within one year of application date are required for endorsement. Kentucky is a Nurse Licensure Compact state. |
Source: Kentucky Board of Nursing
work_outline Job outlook
AI & tech impact
This career has low exposure to AI automation. Most tasks require physical presence, human judgment, or hands-on skills that AI cannot easily replicate.
balance Is it worth it?
- check_circleKentucky license required — clearer credential signal to employers
- check_circleLow AI disruption risk