ICU Nurse vs PACU Nurse salary in Kentucky
In Kentucky, icu nurses earn more — an estimated $93,960 a year versus $88,930 for pacu nurses, a gap of about $5,030 (roughly 6% more). Both are estimates based on national pay for each role adjusted for Kentucky.
ICU Nurse — Kentucky
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$93,960
-14% vs nationalHourly
$45.17/hr
- Typical range
- $77,370–$108,220
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $132,410
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $66,400
- Newer nurses
PACU Nurse — Kentucky
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$88,930
-14% vs nationalHourly
$42.75/hr
- Typical range
- $73,230–$102,420
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $125,320
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $62,850
- Newer nurses
Why the gap in Kentucky
ICU and PACU (post-anesthesia) nurse pay is close, as both are RN roles on the same wage base. The ICU carries round-the-clock critical-care acuity and certifications, while PACU work is recovery-focused with often more predictable hours; local market and shift differentials usually matter more than the role itself. The Kentucky figures apply the same local pay adjustment to both roles, so the gap here mirrors the national picture, shifted for Kentucky's cost of labor. Actual pay varies with experience, specialty, shift, and employer — compare the national ICU Nurse vs PACU Nurse comparison or personalize the calculator.
ICU Nurse vs PACU Nurse in Kentucky — FAQ
- Do icu nurses or pacu nurses earn more in Kentucky?
- In Kentucky, icu nurses earn more — an estimated $93,960 a year versus $88,930 for pacu nurses, a gap of about $5,030 (roughly 6% more). Both are estimates based on national pay for each role adjusted for Kentucky's local pay level.
- How much is the icu nurse vs pacu nurse pay gap in Kentucky?
- The estimated gap in Kentucky is about $5,030 a year, or roughly 6% more for icu nurses. Your actual pay depends on experience, specialty, shift, and employer — use the calculator to compare both for your situation.
- Are these Kentucky figures exact?
- No — they're modeled estimates, not verified Kentucky wages. They start from each role's national pay and adjust for Kentucky's cost of labor, and they update to verified numbers when official state data is loaded.
- Why are some figures verified and others estimates?
- National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.
Source & confidence— An estimate for a specialty that public pay data does not list on its own. A ballpark to start from, not an exact figure.
Modeled estimate (BLS national × state wage index)
Kentucky figures are estimated by adjusting the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS national median for local pay levels (a state adjustment of 0.86×).
Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 3, 2026. Full methodology
Estimated figures for Kentucky. Last reviewed July 3, 2026.