State Median Salary
$85,526
Total DOL Filings
22,920
Companies Hiring
25+
Cost of Living Index
92.9
National average = 100
Kentucky vs National Average
Kentucky
$85,526
National Average (BLS)
$49,500
Kentucky median DOL salary is +72.8% above the national average.
Top Cities by Hiring Activity in Kentucky
| City | DOL Filings | Median Salary | Top Employer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY | 12,251 | $77,476 | Tata Consultancy Services Limited |
| Lexington, KY | 2,575 | $90,974 | University of Kentucky |
| Frankfort, KY | 1,498 | $71,495 | Deloitte Consulting LLP |
| Erlanger, KY | 1,055 | $87,655 | Archer Daniels Midland Company |
| Florence, KY | 611 | $86,751 | Tata Consultancy Services Limited |
| Bowling Green, KY | 587 | $103,397 | Western Kentucky University |
| Georgetown, KY | 406 | $73,494 | Infosys Limited |
| Covington, KY | 337 | $82,584 | Fidelity Technology Group |
| Elizabethtown, KY | 151 | $102,650 | Aspire Systems Inc. |
| Hebron, KY | 121 | $85,331 | AMAZON.COM.KYDC |
Top Employers in Kentucky
Highest-Paying Occupations in Kentucky
| Job Title | Median Salary | vs BLS State | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $291,200 | N/A | 11 |
| Chief Executives | $180,000 | +22.8% | 22 |
| Dentists, General | $123,390 | -9% | 28 |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $120,000 | +13.6% | 5 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $119,800 | +47.4% | 11 |
| Pharmacists | $119,600 | -9.9% | 73 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $115,092 | +46.4% | 188 |
| Purchasing Managers | $110,000 | -3.4% | 5 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $106,766 | -20.8% | 35 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $105,061 | -20.3% | 6 |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $105,000 | +32.4% | 47 |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | $100,000 | +60% | 5 |
| Mathematicians | $99,000 | N/A | 5 |
| General and Operations Managers | $97,638 | +26.6% | 30 |
| Marketing Managers | $95,000 | -23.1% | 31 |
| Sales Managers | $91,579 | -24% | 14 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $90,750 | -9.4% | 26 |
| Financial Managers | $90,687 | -27.7% | 16 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $90,480 | -14% | 27 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $81,500 | -20.9% | 42 |
BLS Wage Survey - Kentucky
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, state-level occupational wages (all workers, not just sponsored positions).| Occupation | BLS Median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $239,100 | 310 |
| Pediatricians, General | $237,740 | 260 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $231,240 | 510 |
| Psychiatrists | $229,630 | 200 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $212,430 | 1,050 |
| Podiatrists | $198,990 | 60 |
| Physicists | $168,660 | 30 |
| Chief Executives | $146,630 | 2,950 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $138,620 | 420 |
| Dentists, General | $135,550 | 910 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $134,880 | 1,420 |
| Medical Dosimetrists | $134,070 | 50 |
| Pharmacists | $132,750 | 5,310 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $132,700 | 2,870 |
| Optometrists | $132,000 | 500 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $131,780 | 400 |
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $128,380 | 120 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | $126,550 | 210 |
| Financial Managers | $125,490 | 6,120 |
| Psychologists, All Other | $124,550 | 220 |
Cost of Living Analysis
How far does your salary actually go in Kentucky?
Kentucky has a cost of living index of
92.9 (national average = 100), meaning it is
7.1% less expensive than the national average.
A salary of $100,000 in Kentucky has the purchasing power equivalent of
$107,643 in a city at the national average cost of living.
Top Occupations - COL-Adjusted Salary
| Job Title | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $291,200 | $313,455 |
| Chief Executives | $180,000 | $193,757 |
| Dentists, General | $123,390 | $132,820 |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $120,000 | $129,171 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $119,800 | $128,956 |
Salary Trend in Kentucky
Median DOL-filed salary by fiscal yearPopular Searches in Kentucky
Compare Kentucky to Another State
See how Kentucky stacks up against other states.Source: US Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) public disclosure files (PERM Form ETA-9089 and LCA Form ETA-9035), and US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Salary figures represent employer filings and government survey estimates, not individual worker pay.