High paying jobs in Paducah, KY-IL

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Paducah, KY-IL. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Paducah, KY-IL run 13.9% below the national average (2024), so a Paducah, KY-IL salary is worth about 1.16× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Paducah, KY-IL

OccupationMedian, Paducah, KY-IL · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$378,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$146,100 – $485,10080
2Anesthesiologists$350,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$87,810 – $457,57040
3Family Medicine Physicians$234,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,340 – $322,90040
4Chief Executives$148,710
Bachelor's degree
$59,930 – $348,40040
5Architectural and Engineering Managers$143,940
Bachelor's degree
$104,480 – $237,49060
6Pharmacists$134,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,480 – $161,380130
7Sales Managers$132,660
Bachelor's degree
$61,660 – $281,490130
8Computer and Information Systems Managers$130,300
Bachelor's degree
$79,150 – $200,02080
9Physician Assistants$124,990
Master's degree
$53,830 – $178,21060
10Nurse Practitioners$124,200
Master's degree
$99,790 – $151,380110
11Administrative Services Managers$117,840
Bachelor's degree
$57,450 – $166,83070
12Financial Managers$114,460
Bachelor's degree
$74,990 – $206,230130
13Industrial Production Managers$113,380
Bachelor's degree
$71,060 – $194,630110
14Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$109,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,170 – $181,44060
15Facilities Managers$106,820
Bachelor's degree
$59,990 – $168,34050
16Medical and Health Services Managers$105,460
Bachelor's degree
$58,470 – $211,580210
17Industrial Engineers$102,270
Bachelor's degree
$70,760 – $178,24080
18Civil Engineers$100,950
Bachelor's degree
$67,110 – $222,75080
19Physical Therapists$99,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,780 – $121,53080
20Software Developers$99,260
Bachelor's degree
$62,680 – $155,570140
21Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$98,130
Master's degree
$81,100 – $119,650110
22Construction Managers$97,660
Bachelor's degree
$67,760 – $189,96090
23Managers, All Other$97,470
Bachelor's degree
$51,680 – $162,36040
24Lawyers$96,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,980 – $163,680150
25Management Analysts$96,080
Bachelor's degree
$54,940 – $144,64060
26Electrical Engineers$95,940
Bachelor's degree
$59,040 – $124,44050
27Computer Systems Analysts$94,550
Bachelor's degree
$59,390 – $127,98080
28Occupational Therapists$94,250
Master's degree
$73,930 – $115,70050
29Mechanical Engineers$94,060
Bachelor's degree
$61,420 – $151,49090
30Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$92,460
Bachelor's degree
$45,480 – $157,12040
31Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$91,740
Bachelor's degree
$70,400 – $134,17080
32First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$87,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,340 – $135,390290
33Cost Estimators$82,610
Bachelor's degree
$49,650 – $125,18080
34Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$82,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,340 – $95,380380
35Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$80,480
Associate's degree
$48,400 – $114,92030
36Registered Nurses$79,920
Bachelor's degree
$65,200 – $101,2801,720
37Dental Hygienists$79,610
Associate's degree
$60,630 – $97,40090
38Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$79,340
Bachelor's degree
$61,600 – $143,88040
39Sheet Metal Workers$79,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,620 – $85,63070
40Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$78,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,760 – $102,330190
41Network and Computer Systems Administrators$78,690
Bachelor's degree
$45,970 – $134,59050
42Healthcare Social Workers$78,660
Master's degree
$43,560 – $86,35070
43Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$78,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,470 – $101,89070
44Construction and Building Inspectors$78,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,860 – $99,21040
45Project Management Specialists$78,090
Bachelor's degree
$48,320 – $125,560280
46Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$77,170
Bachelor's degree
$50,340 – $86,01080
47Respiratory Therapists$76,100
Associate's degree
$57,650 – $93,15080
48First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$76,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,980 – $121,690220
49General and Operations Managers$75,470
Bachelor's degree
$40,090 – $168,3301,440
50Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$75,200
Associate's degree
$52,000 – $99,700120

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

#	Occupation	MedianPaducah, KY-IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$378,880	$146,100 – $485,100	80
2	AnesthesiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$350,260	$87,810 – $457,570	40
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$234,140	$124,340 – $322,900	40
4	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$148,710	$59,930 – $348,400	40
5	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$143,940	$104,480 – $237,490	60
6	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,810	$94,480 – $161,380	130
7	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,660	$61,660 – $281,490	130
8	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,300	$79,150 – $200,020	80
9	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$124,990	$53,830 – $178,210	60
10	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,200	$99,790 – $151,380	110
11	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,840	$57,450 – $166,830	70
12	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,460	$74,990 – $206,230	130
13	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$113,380	$71,060 – $194,630	110
14	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$109,890	$56,170 – $181,440	60
15	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,820	$59,990 – $168,340	50
16	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,460	$58,470 – $211,580	210
17	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,270	$70,760 – $178,240	80
18	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,950	$67,110 – $222,750	80
19	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,330	$73,780 – $121,530	80
20	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$99,260	$62,680 – $155,570	140
21	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$98,130	$81,100 – $119,650	110
22	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$97,660	$67,760 – $189,960	90
23	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,470	$51,680 – $162,360	40
24	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$96,960	$59,980 – $163,680	150
25	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,080	$54,940 – $144,640	60
26	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,940	$59,040 – $124,440	50
27	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$94,550	$59,390 – $127,980	80
28	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$94,250	$73,930 – $115,700	50
29	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,060	$61,420 – $151,490	90
30	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$92,460	$45,480 – $157,120	40
31	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,740	$70,400 – $134,170	80
32	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,030	$56,340 – $135,390	290
33	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$82,610	$49,650 – $125,180	80
34	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,120	$46,340 – $95,380	380
35	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$80,480	$48,400 – $114,920	30
36	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$79,920	$65,200 – $101,280	1,720
37	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$79,610	$60,630 – $97,400	90
38	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$79,340	$61,600 – $143,880	40
39	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,020	$38,620 – $85,630	70
40	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,900	$45,760 – $102,330	190
41	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$78,690	$45,970 – $134,590	50
42	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$78,660	$43,560 – $86,350	70
43	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,510	$47,470 – $101,890	70
44	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,360	$35,860 – $99,210	40
45	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,090	$48,320 – $125,560	280
46	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$77,170	$50,340 – $86,010	80
47	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$76,100	$57,650 – $93,150	80
48	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,020	$48,980 – $121,690	220
49	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$75,470	$40,090 – $168,330	1,440
50	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,200	$52,000 – $99,700	120

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Paducah, KY-IL. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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

High paying jobs in Paducah, KY-IL

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