Bowling Green, KY metro area

Average Salary in Bowling Green, KY

The average salary in Bowling Green, Kentucky is $54,720 a year ($26.31 an hour) across all jobs, and the median is $45,040, according to BLS estimates for May 2025 covering the Bowling Green, KY metro area. That is 22% less than the U.S. average ($69,770) and 7% less than the Kentucky average ($58,990).

$54,720average salary
$45,040median salary
90cost of living (U.S. = 100)
82,160jobs in the metro
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Average salary by job family in Bowling Green

Management$106,150
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical$94,850
Legal$89,940
Computer and Mathematical$86,040
Architecture and Engineering$85,920
Life, Physical, and Social Science$79,700
Business and Financial Operations$74,960
Educational Instruction and Library$59,760
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair$57,690
Community and Social Service$56,130
Construction and Extraction$54,000
Production$52,270
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media$49,940
Protective Service$48,810
Office and Administrative Support$43,740
Transportation and Material Moving$43,110
Healthcare Support$41,420
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry$41,310
Sales and Related$41,120
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance$35,890
Personal Care and Service$33,520
Food Preparation and Serving Related$30,410
BLS OEWS May 2025, all employers in the metro area.

Highest-paying jobs in Bowling Green

Most common jobs in Bowling Green and what they pay

JobJobsAverage salaryMedian
Retail Salespersons2,720$30,490$28,430
Fast Food and Counter Workers2,540$27,140$27,650
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand2,070$40,020$38,040
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators2,030$44,240$42,940
General and Operations Managers2,010$89,030$71,170
Registered Nurses1,870$83,650$79,120
Cashiers1,670$28,020$28,540
Stockers and Order Fillers1,660$35,020$34,730
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers1,540$56,130$53,450
Waiters and Waitresses1,250$34,080$28,810
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Cost of living in Bowling Green

Prices in the Bowling Green area are 10% below the U.S. average, with a BEA price parity of 90.2 for 2024. The average local salary of $54,720 therefore buys what $60,679 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. A typical home is worth $267,047, 4.3 times the median household income of $62,437.

$267,047typical home value
$62,437median household income
90.2BEA price parity
183,194metro population

Take-home pay in Bowling Green

Salary levelGrossAfter taxPer month
25th percentile wage$33,920$27,687$2,307
Median wage$45,040$36,010$3,001
Average wage$54,720$43,256$3,605
75th percentile wage$62,650$49,191$4,099

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Bowling Green's local income tax (2%).

Compare Bowling Green with another city

Salaries for every job in Bowling Green

Management22 jobs
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical26 jobs
Legal2 jobs
Computer and Mathematical7 jobs
Architecture and Engineering9 jobs
Life, Physical, and Social Science4 jobs
Business and Financial Operations18 jobs
Educational Instruction and Library19 jobs
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair16 jobs
Community and Social Service7 jobs
Construction and Extraction13 jobs
Production23 jobs
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media7 jobs
Protective Service8 jobs
Office and Administrative Support31 jobs
Transportation and Material Moving15 jobs
Healthcare Support8 jobs
Sales and Related13 jobs
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance5 jobs
Personal Care and Service12 jobs
Food Preparation and Serving Related14 jobs

Average salary in nearby cities

Average salary in Kentucky

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Salary in Bowling Green: questions

What is a good salary in Bowling Green?

Half of all workers in the Bowling Green metro earn less than $45,040 and the average is $54,720. Earning more than $62,650 puts you in the top quarter of local wages.

How much do you need to earn in Bowling Green to match a $69,770 salary elsewhere?

About $62,918, because prices here are 10% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.2).

What are the highest-paying jobs in Bowling Green?

Physicians, All Other ($345,110), Chief Executives ($231,320), Sales Managers ($144,660).

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