Salaries · United States · Kentucky
Salaries in Kentucky 2026
The median pay for all jobs in Kentucky is $46,920 a year ($22.56 an hour), 8% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 44th highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Kentucky earn a median of $53,230 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in Kentucky: the key figures
| Figure | Kentucky | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $46,920 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $58,990 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $27,970 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $98,380 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 2,000,360 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $53,230 ± $278 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $63,726 ± $429 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 90.2 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $7.25 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $46,920, a single person keeps about $38,356 a year ($3,196 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Kentucky income tax. With prices 10% below the US average, $46,920 here buys what $52,000 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $46,920 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$3,450 |
| Social Security | -$2,909 |
| Medicare | -$680 |
| Kentucky income tax | -$1,525 |
| Take-home a year | $38,356 |
What drives pay in Kentucky
Kentucky's economy is built on making and moving goods. Manufacturing produced 15.7% of the state's GDP in 2025 (US 9.5%), with motor vehicles and parts at 3.2% (US 0.6%) and food, beverages and tobacco at 3.8% (US 1.2%), according to BEA. The state's Cabinet for Economic Development counts more than 550 automotive companies employing over 106,000 people, and says 95% of the world's bourbon is made in Kentucky. Transportation and warehousing add 5.1% of GDP (US 3.3%), and the state has three major air cargo hubs, run by UPS, DHL and Amazon, which helps explain why airline pilots top the highest-paid list, 6,260 of them on a median of $350,950.
Most jobs pay far less. Hand laborers and material movers are the most common job, 57,930 of them on $42,770, and retail salespersons, cashiers and fast food workers all earn medians under $30,000. Professional and technical services are 4.3% of GDP, about half the US share. The University of Kentucky's economists point to productivity: output per hour worked is $73.20, against a national median of $87.50, and because productivity and wages move together, Kentucky's wage growth trails the US. They also find the share of prime-age adults in work among the lowest of any state. The all-jobs median is $46,920, 8% below the US and 44th of the 50 states and DC, though prices are about 10% below average.
Real GDP grew 3.0% in 2025, faster than the US, and the state reports roughly $9.2 billion of food and beverage projects announced since 2020. The university's economists warn that slower national growth and contracting manufacturing activity pose near-term risks.
The highest-paid jobs in Kentucky
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 6,260 | $350,950 |
| Anesthesiologists | 1,090 | $347,960 |
| Physicians, All Other | 3,340 | $327,390 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,170 | $248,730 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,060 | $241,530 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 1,640 | $222,520 |
| Chief Executives | 2,070 | $179,530 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,800 | $147,680 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 3,130 | $140,360 |
| Pharmacists | 5,030 | $136,530 |
| Financial Managers | 6,630 | $130,650 |
| Marketing Managers | 1,930 | $128,930 |
| Sales Managers | 6,650 | $128,650 |
| Managers, All Other | 2,390 | $122,930 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 4,770 | $122,870 |
The most common jobs in Kentucky
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 57,930 | $42,770 | $20.56 |
| General and Operations Managers | 52,100 | $79,370 | $38.16 |
| Retail Salespersons | 51,250 | $29,650 | $14.26 |
| Registered Nurses | 50,300 | $81,040 | $38.96 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 47,730 | $36,810 | $17.70 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 47,320 | $47,950 | $23.05 |
| Cashiers | 44,550 | $28,590 | $13.75 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 41,860 | $27,130 | $13.04 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 38,630 | $38,700 | $18.61 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 31,760 | $56,340 | $27.09 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 31,260 | $36,440 | $17.52 |
| Office Clerks, General | 29,750 | $37,870 | $18.21 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 27,150 | $29,660 | $14.26 |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 26,430 | $38,750 | $18.63 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 25,750 | $32,320 | $15.54 |
Pay for careers we cover, in Kentucky
Official BLS medians for Kentucky; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,640 | $222,520 |
| Pharmacist | 5,030 | $136,530 |
| Dentist | 790 | $134,160 |
| Commercial Pilot | 800 | $129,990 |
| Air Traffic Controller | 230 | $127,800 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 290 | $126,130 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 4,770 | $122,870 |
| Physician Assistant | 1,360 | $120,760 |
| Actuary | 70 | $120,400 |
| Software Engineer | 7,660 | $109,010 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | 1,680 | $103,630 |
| Lawyer | 5,770 | $101,550 |
| Data Scientist | 1,540 | $91,760 |
| Project Manager | 10,250 | $81,700 |
| Financial Analyst | 2,460 | $81,660 |
| Registered Nurse | 50,300 | $81,040 |
| Dental Hygienist | 2,070 | $78,830 |
| UX Designer | 590 | $77,000 |
| Accountant | 11,930 | $75,270 |
| Compliance Officer | 4,360 | $69,240 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 1,680 | $67,920 |
| Plumber | 6,360 | $64,160 |
| Paralegal | 3,540 | $59,830 |
| Electrician | 11,030 | $59,720 |
| HVAC Technician | 5,100 | $58,620 |
| Welder | 6,630 | $51,470 |
| Elevator Technician | $42,670 |
Kentucky and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $46,920 | 90.2 | $52,000 |
| Illinois | $51,960 | 100.0 | $52,000 |
| Indiana | $47,860 | 93.3 | $51,300 |
| Missouri | $47,800 | 90.8 | $52,600 |
| Ohio | $49,380 | 92.8 | $53,200 |
| Tennessee | $47,380 | 91.9 | $51,600 |
| Virginia | $55,690 | 101.1 | $55,100 |
| West Virginia | $45,300 | 89.5 | $50,600 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in Kentucky, not the self-employed; Census figures cover people who live here. Take-home assumes a single filer with the standard deduction. More in our methodology.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B20018 and B19013)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (table SARPP), 2024
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 federal and state tax engine, see the methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: GDP by state and industry, 2025 (industry shares and growth rates are our calculation), data last updated 30 Sep 2026
- Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development: Automotive and Food & Beverage industry pages, accessed 31 Oct 2026 (also the Food and Beverage industry page on the same site)
- Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development: Logistics Quick Facts, PDF dated 14 Jun 2022
- University of Kentucky Gatton College, Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER): Kentucky Annual Economic Report 2026, 2026 edition (PDF dated 20 Dec 2025)
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