Students at Kentucky online nursing schools can enjoy an affordable lifestyle--the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center ranked the state's cost of living as 6th lowest in the U.S. for the 2nd quarter of 2011. In terms of wages, registered nurses in the state earned a mean annual wage of $58,130 in 2010, while licensed practical and vocational nurses were paid $36,550, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Bluegrass State showcases wilderness alongside thriving cities, with opportunities for everyone from outdoor adventurers to urban sophisticates. About 4.3 million people call this state their home, according to the 2010 U.S. Census figures, and a distinct Southern hospitality remains very much alive.

Campus-based and online nursing schools in Kentucky: during and after

The first step to becoming a nurse is completing a training program provided by an institution approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing. Kentucky nursing schools, online and campus-based, include these:

• Western Kentucky University
• University of Louisville
• University of Kentucky
• Galen College of Nursing

Each school provides its own degree programs that can set students on the path to careers as LVNs, LPNs and RNs. Graduates go on to become licensed and, subsequently, can seek work in hospitals, nursing homes, private practices, home health care companies, schools, the military and more. More than 50,000 nurses work in Kentucky, and health care employers include the following:

• St. Joseph Hospital
• VA Medical Center
• Norton Healthcare
• Owensboro Medical Health System

Among other medical institutions in the state are UK HealthCare in Lexington as well as the University of Louisville and Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare in Louisville.