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Average Salary in Kentucky
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Kentucky, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 698 occupations in Kentucky. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Kentucky's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Kentucky jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Kentucky
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Kentucky is obstetricians and gynecologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 421.5% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 100 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Kentucky pays 26.0% higher for this work. Next on the list are general internal medicine physicians at a mean of $239,200+ and physicians, all other at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 3,890 people in Kentucky, so they describe the top of the Kentucky wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 100 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 510 | $111.17 | $231,240 | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 3,280 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 710 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,520 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 310 | $114.95 | $239,100 | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 190 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 200 | $110.40 | $229,630 | $238,150 |
| Pediatricians, General | 260 | $114.30 | $237,740 | $236,980 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 1,050 | $102.13 | $212,430 | $224,920 |
| Chief Executives | 2,950 | $70.49 | $146,630 | $208,380 |
| Podiatrists | 60 | $95.67 | $198,990 | $186,830 |
| Dentists, General | 910 | $65.17 | $135,550 | $179,380 |
| Physicists | 30 | $81.09 | $168,660 | $178,660 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | 1,870 | $38.03 | $79,100 | $162,520 |
Largest occupations in Kentucky
The occupation with the most jobs in Kentucky is general and operations managers, employing an estimated 58,570 people at a median annual wage of $77,150 and a mean of $96,350. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $102,950, so Kentucky's typical pay for this work runs 25.1% lower. The next-largest occupations are laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand (58,120 jobs, median $41,770) and stockers and order fillers (49,470 jobs, median $36,150). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Kentucky pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 58,570 | $77,150 | $96,350 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 58,120 | $41,770 | $41,550 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 49,470 | $36,150 | $38,370 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 49,390 | $44,670 | $45,430 |
| Registered Nurses | 48,170 | $79,910 | $83,900 |
| Retail Salespersons | 47,680 | $29,450 | $33,270 |
| Cashiers | 44,220 | $26,970 | $26,860 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 43,970 | $37,580 | $40,720 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 41,890 | $27,170 | $26,600 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 33,430 | $55,590 | $60,060 |
| Office Clerks, General | 29,400 | $36,010 | $37,790 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 27,800 | $22,260 | $29,120 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 27,620 | $34,810 | $35,990 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 27,110 | $30,470 | $33,150 |
| Nursing Assistants | 22,910 | $37,330 | $37,960 |
Where Kentucky pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Kentucky median with its own national median shows where Kentucky's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Kentucky jobs, the largest premium is for conveyor operators and tenders: a median of $55,920 in Kentucky versus $41,230 nationally, 35.6% higher. The largest discount is for firefighters, at $37,140 in Kentucky versus $59,530 nationally, 37.6% lower. In total, 34 of the 279 occupations with 1,000 or more Kentucky jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 183 of the 698 occupations published for Kentucky have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Kentucky's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Kentucky median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conveyor Operators and Tenders | $55,920 | $41,230 | +35.6% |
| Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $57,590 | $47,060 | +22.4% |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other | $57,430 | $48,640 | +18.1% |
| Food Batchmakers | $46,900 | $40,790 | +15.0% |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $55,400 | $49,500 | +11.9% |
| Lawyers | $102,670 | $151,160 | -32.1% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $62,700 | $92,430 | -32.2% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $50,950 | $76,310 | -33.2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $22,260 | $33,760 | -34.1% |
| Firefighters | $37,140 | $59,530 | -37.6% |
Kentucky salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Kentucky?
By average pay, obstetricians and gynecologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Kentucky, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Kentucky?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Kentucky, the largest occupation, general and operations managers, paid a median of $77,150 across 58,570 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 698 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Kentucky have?
General and Operations Managers is the largest occupation published for Kentucky, with an estimated 58,570 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $96,350.
Which occupations pay more in Kentucky than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Kentucky jobs, conveyor operators and tenders shows the largest premium: a median of $55,920 in Kentucky versus $41,230 nationally, 35.6% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.