Median pay · Kentucky
$46,920A year, or $22.56 an hour.Take-home a month$3,196After federal, state and FICA tax at 18.3%
Worth at national prices$52,041Prices here sit at 90.2 against 100
Against the nation8% belowNational median $50,980
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileEntry and lowest-paid | $27,970 | $13.45 |
| 25th percentile | $35,410 | $17.02 |
| MedianHalf earn more, half less | $46,920 | $22.56 |
| 75th percentile | $66,760 | $32.10 |
| 90th percentileMost experienced and senior | $98,380 | $47.30 |
| MeanThe average, pulled up by the top | $58,990 | $28.36 |
All occupations combined. Individual occupations vary far more than this figure suggests. The tables below show the spread.
How we got this
- Median wage in KentuckyBLS OEWS May 2025. Half of all occupations earned more than this, half less.$46,920
- Median hourly wagePublished separately by BLS, not divided out of the annual figure.$22.56
- Take-home after federal, state and FICA tax$3,196 a month at an effective rate of 18.3%.$38,356 a year
- Worth at national average pricesPrices in Kentucky sit at 90.2 against a national 100 (BEA, 2024).$52,041
- Against the national medianThe national median is $50,980.8% below
- Jobs countedA concentration of 1 against the nation's 1.00.2,000,360
What we assumed
- Wages are BLS OEWS survey estimates for May 2025, not job postings or offers.
- OEWS surveys wage and salary workers. The self-employed and business owners are outside it.
- Take-home assumes one 2026 filer, filing single, taking the standard deduction, with no dependents, pre-tax retirement contributions or local income tax.
- Regional price parities compare price levels between places in one year. They are not inflation, and they do not adjust for what a household actually buys.
Technical details
Method occupation-wage-v1Data bls-oews-2025-05-v1, us-tax-2026-v1, bea-rpp-2024-v1, census-acs5-2024-v1