Fastest growing jobs in Kentucky, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Kentucky. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

State projections are produced by Kentucky's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Kentucky run 9.8% below the national average (2024), so a Kentucky salary is worth about 1.11× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Kentucky.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Kentucky

OccupationMedian, Kentucky · Growth 2024–34

1Taxi Drivers$33,850
No formal educational credential
$28,290 – $44,960+22.9%
2Couriers and Messengers$35,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,580 – $42,390+18.5%
3Dental Hygienists$78,830
Associate's degree
$61,280 – $98,770+11.6%
4Dental Assistants$47,730
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,600 – $62,050+11.5%
5Marriage and Family Therapists$52,420
Master's degree
$41,180 – $74,690+11.3%
6Family Medicine Physicians$248,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$108,750 – $487,240+11.1%
7Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$99,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,220 – $174,820+11.0%
8Physical Therapist Assistants$61,480
Associate's degree
$27,870 – $79,500+10.9%
9Physical Therapists$100,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,900 – $126,920+10.9%
10Photographers$47,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,990 – $76,490+10.9%
11Medical Assistants$39,270
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,950 – $47,940+10.8%
12Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$38,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,320 – $51,840+10.7%
13Anesthesiologists$347,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,110 – $491,640+10.5%
14Nurse Anesthetists$222,520
Master's degree
$189,630 – $289,230+10.4%
15Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$54,190
Master's degree
$35,150 – $83,070+10.4%
16Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$38,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,700 – $49,770+10.4%
17Radiologists$279,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,650 – $752,080+10.3%
18Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$39,150
No formal educational credential
$36,860 – $45,590+10.2%
19Optometrists$128,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,240 – $254,630+10.2%
20Phlebotomists$42,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,230 – $48,820+10.2%
21Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$44,530
Bachelor's degree
$31,200 – $71,300+9.8%
22Psychiatric Technicians$40,370
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,300 – $54,750+9.8%
23Physician Assistants$120,760
Master's degree
$79,550 – $161,820+9.8%
24Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,160 – $71,310+9.7%
25Healthcare Social Workers$64,080
Master's degree
$43,010 – $86,240+9.7%
26Occupational Therapy Assistants$65,230
Associate's degree
$50,840 – $77,270+9.6%
27Dentists, General$134,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$44,820 – $344,040+9.6%
28Nurse Practitioners$122,870
Master's degree
$95,710 – $162,960+9.5%
29Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$82,200
Associate's degree
$66,170 – $101,760+9.4%
30Medical Transcriptionists$39,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$27,940 – $52,420+9.3%
31Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$69,670
Associate's degree
$51,740 – $99,170+9.2%
32Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$60,880
Bachelor's degree
$37,800 – $88,750+9.2%
33Surgical Technologists$60,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,440 – $79,980+9.2%
34Occupational Therapists$97,650
Master's degree
$71,030 – $119,250+9.1%
35Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$42,570
Master's degree
$33,880 – $63,960+9.1%
36Data Entry Keyers$36,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,280 – $50,910+9.1%
37Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$38,030
No formal educational credential
$24,820 – $54,760+9.0%
38Food Batchmakers$46,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,690 – $61,340+9.0%
39Home Health and Personal Care Aides$36,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,110 – $49,080+9.0%
40Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$91,230
Associate's degree
$62,440 – $115,390+8.9%
41Slaughterers and Meat Packers$38,330
No formal educational credential
$36,600 – $42,400+8.9%
42Athletic Trainers$60,680
Master's degree
$45,500 – $82,480+8.7%
43Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$49,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,410 – $81,950+8.6%
44Medical Equipment Preparers$46,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,340 – $60,410+8.6%
45Orderlies$35,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,150 – $40,500+8.6%
46Physicians, All Other$327,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,640 – $549,810+8.5%
47Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$60,980
Associate's degree
$37,870 – $101,250+8.4%
48Respiratory Therapists$72,750
Associate's degree
$58,330 – $92,540+8.4%
49Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$29,780
Associate's degree
$23,490 – $51,760+8.4%
50Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$62,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,570 – $92,670+8.3%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianKentucky	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Taxi DriversNo formal educational credential	$33,850	$28,290 – $44,960	+22.9%
2	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,880	$25,580 – $42,390	+18.5%
3	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$78,830	$61,280 – $98,770	+11.6%
4	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,730	$35,600 – $62,050	+11.5%
5	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$52,420	$41,180 – $74,690	+11.3%
6	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$248,730	$108,750 – $487,240	+11.1%
7	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,140	$49,220 – $174,820	+11.0%
8	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,480	$27,870 – $79,500	+10.9%
9	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,710	$73,900 – $126,920	+10.9%
10	PhotographersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,170	$23,990 – $76,490	+10.9%
11	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$39,270	$32,950 – $47,940	+10.8%
12	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$38,990	$30,320 – $51,840	+10.7%
13	AnesthesiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$347,960	$107,110 – $491,640	+10.5%
14	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$222,520	$189,630 – $289,230	+10.4%
15	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$54,190	$35,150 – $83,070	+10.4%
16	Medical Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,750	$30,700 – $49,770	+10.4%
17	RadiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$279,990	$82,650 – $752,080	+10.3%
18	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$39,150	$36,860 – $45,590	+10.2%
19	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,860	$82,240 – $254,630	+10.2%
20	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$42,480	$35,230 – $48,820	+10.2%
21	Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and DaycareBachelor's degree	$44,530	$31,200 – $71,300	+9.8%
22	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,370	$31,300 – $54,750	+9.8%
23	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$120,760	$79,550 – $161,820	+9.8%
24	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,770	$45,160 – $71,310	+9.7%
25	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$64,080	$43,010 – $86,240	+9.7%
26	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$65,230	$50,840 – $77,270	+9.6%
27	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$134,160	$44,820 – $344,040	+9.6%
28	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$122,870	$95,710 – $162,960	+9.5%
29	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$82,200	$66,170 – $101,760	+9.4%
30	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$39,000	$27,940 – $52,420	+9.3%
31	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,670	$51,740 – $99,170	+9.2%
32	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$60,880	$37,800 – $88,750	+9.2%
33	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,490	$41,440 – $79,980	+9.2%
34	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$97,650	$71,030 – $119,250	+9.1%
35	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$42,570	$33,880 – $63,960	+9.1%
36	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,870	$29,280 – $50,910	+9.1%
37	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$38,030	$24,820 – $54,760	+9.0%
38	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,900	$31,690 – $61,340	+9.0%
39	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,440	$28,110 – $49,080	+9.0%
40	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$91,230	$62,440 – $115,390	+8.9%
41	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$38,330	$36,600 – $42,400	+8.9%
42	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$60,680	$45,500 – $82,480	+8.7%
43	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,410	$38,410 – $81,950	+8.6%
44	Medical Equipment PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,880	$35,340 – $60,410	+8.6%
45	OrderliesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,260	$30,150 – $40,500	+8.6%
46	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$327,390	$120,640 – $549,810	+8.5%
47	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$60,980	$37,870 – $101,250	+8.4%
48	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$72,750	$58,330 – $92,540	+8.4%
49	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$29,780	$23,490 – $51,760	+8.4%
50	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,980	$39,570 – $92,670	+8.3%

More for Kentucky

Metro areas in Kentucky

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Kentucky

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Kentucky to rank honestly.

Fastest growing jobs in Kentucky, 2024–34

More for Kentucky

Metro areas in Kentucky

By field in Kentucky

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34