Average and median wage in Kentucky
Half of the 2,000,360 workers in Kentucky earn less than $46,920 a year, the median wage, while the average pay is $58,990, or $28.36 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% make $27,970 or less and the top 10% $98,380 or more. The average is 15% less than the U.S. average ($69,770) and the median 8% less than the U.S. median ($50,980).
- $28K10th
- $35K25th
- $47KMedian
- $67K75th
- $98K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Kentucky per year | Per hour* | U.S. per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $58,990 | $28.36 | $69,770 |
| Median | $46,920 | $22.56 | $50,980 |
| 10th percentile | $27,970 | $13.45 | $31,200 |
| 25th percentile | $35,410 | $17.02 | $37,590 |
| 75th percentile | $66,760 | $32.10 | $80,520 |
| 90th percentile | $98,380 | $47.30 | $128,560 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Statewide figures include every employer in the state, metro and rural. Median vs. average salary · reading percentiles.
Average salary by city in Kentucky
- Louisville$62,310
- Lexington$62,210
- Paducah$58,060
- Elizabethtown$56,110
- Bowling Green$54,720
- Owensboro$54,150
Map of Kentucky metro areas
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Salary, take-home pay and cost of living by city
| City | Average | Median | Take-home* | Cost of living | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | $62,310 | $48,370 | $48,812 | 93 | $283,232 |
| Lexington | $62,210 | $48,620 | $48,395 | 93 | $327,671 |
| Paducah | $58,060 | $45,860 | $45,756 | 86 | $171,436 |
| Elizabethtown | $56,110 | $46,810 | $44,324 | 91 | $253,920 |
| Bowling Green | $54,720 | $45,040 | $43,256 | 90 | $267,047 |
| Owensboro | $54,150 | $44,960 | $42,948 | 89 | $213,657 |
*Average salary after federal and state income tax and payroll taxes for a single filer. Cost of living: BEA price parity, U.S. = 100.
Highest-paying jobs in Kentucky
- Cardiologists · Lexington$375,750
- Physicians, All Other · Owensboro$360,910
- Physicians, All Other · Elizabethtown$358,950
- Anesthesiologists · Louisville$355,850
- Physicians, All Other · Paducah$349,330
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric · Lexington$346,060
- Physicians, All Other · Bowling Green$345,110
- Radiologists · Louisville$337,700
- Physicians, All Other · Louisville$336,370
- General Internal Medicine Physicians · Louisville$312,640
Most common jobs in Kentucky
| Job | Jobs statewide | Average | Median | Highest city average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 57,930 | $41,960 | $42,770 | $44,440 |
| General and Operations Managers | 52,100 | $99,990 | $79,370 | $110,700 |
| Retail Salespersons | 51,250 | $32,570 | $29,650 | $33,870 |
| Registered Nurses | 50,300 | $86,140 | $81,040 | $90,190 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 47,730 | $39,480 | $36,810 | $41,040 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 47,320 | $49,440 | $47,950 | $62,470 |
| Cashiers | 44,550 | $28,720 | $28,590 | $30,920 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 41,860 | $26,890 | $27,130 | $28,750 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 38,630 | $42,440 | $38,700 | $44,640 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 31,760 | $59,870 | $56,340 | $63,290 |
Jobs, average and median: BLS statewide estimates. Highest city average: best-paid metro area we cover in the state.
Average salary by job family in Kentucky
Kentucky income tax and take-home pay
Take-home figures on these pages apply Kentucky's 2026 income tax rules for a single filer with the standard deduction, plus federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security and Medicare. City or county income taxes are included for Louisville (2.2%), Lexington (2.75%), Bowling Green (2%), Owensboro (1.78%), Elizabethtown (1.95%), Paducah (2%).
Kentucky at a glance
Average salary in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Salary in Kentucky: questions
What is the average salary in Kentucky?
$58,990 a year across all jobs, according to BLS statewide estimates (OEWS, May 2025). That is 15% less than the U.S. average ($69,770).
What is the median salary in Kentucky?
$46,920 a year: half of Kentucky workers earn more and half earn less. The median is lower than the average because a minority of high earners lifts the average.
What is the average hourly wage in Kentucky?
$28.36 an hour on average, and $22.56 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
Which city in Kentucky pays the most?
Louisville, with an average of $62,310 a year among the metro areas we cover.
Is Kentucky expensive to live in?
BEA puts Kentucky prices 10% below the U.S. average (price parity 90.2). Within the state, Louisville 93, Lexington 93, Elizabethtown 91 are the most expensive metros.
Sources and how to read this page
- Statewide figures: BLS OEWS state estimates, May 2025, all occupations and every employer in the state (metro and rural areas).
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. City figures: the metro areas we cover in Kentucky.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Population and median household income: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2023.
- Crime: FBI Crime Data Explorer, violent and property crimes reported by agencies statewide, latest 12 months available.
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