Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Bowling Green, KY

Each occupation's median wage in Bowling Green, KY compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Bowling Green, KY pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Bowling Green, KY run 9.8% below the national average (2024), so a Bowling Green, KY 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.

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 Bowling Green, KY

OccupationMedian, Bowling Green, KY · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$407,570
Doctoral or professional degree
$126,900 – $479,110+53.3%
2Social Science Research Assistants$84,680
Bachelor's degree
$53,800 – $136,940+36.6%
3Education Administrators, Postsecondary$131,880
Master's degree
$69,120 – $247,160+26.1%
4Millwrights$77,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,990 – $92,290+17.9%
5Industrial Machinery Mechanics$74,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,600 – $83,700+15.3%
6Food Batchmakers$48,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,690 – $55,050+15.1%
7Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,710 – $60,510+14.6%
8Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$55,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,320 – $71,100+12.7%
9Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$56,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,590 – $61,590+11.2%
10Tool and Die Makers$69,790
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,000 – $83,220+9.0%
11Child, Family, and School Social Workers$64,050
Bachelor's degree
$39,240 – $94,140+7.6%
12Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$83,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$46,270 – $133,700+7.2%
13Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$46,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,170 – $55,510+7.2%
14Chemical Technicians$64,620
Associate's degree
$42,700 – $101,190+7.0%
15Tour and Travel Guides$40,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,780 – $45,700+5.8%
16Facilities Managers$112,770
Bachelor's degree
$70,040 – $146,470+5.7%
17Business Teachers, Postsecondary$104,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$40,300 – $220,130+5.2%
18Machine Feeders and Offbearers$43,220
No formal educational credential
$32,980 – $58,520+4.9%
19Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$60,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,440 – $103,380+4.8%
20Helpers--Production Workers$40,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,350 – $52,010+3.3%
21Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,930 – $57,930+2.6%
22Postal Service Clerks$63,670
No formal educational credential
$36,360 – $76,360+2.5%
23Instructional Coordinators$79,170
Master's degree
$51,720 – $93,830+2.2%
24Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$65,310
Master's degree
$41,740 – $80,900+1.5%
25Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,410 – $57,290+1.2%
26Administrative Services Managers$114,990
Bachelor's degree
$63,630 – $165,400+0.8%
27Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$64,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,060 – $93,660+0.7%
28Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$60,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,900 – $82,400+0.6%
29Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,710 – $59,820-0.2%
30Industrial Production Managers$125,170
Bachelor's degree
$78,000 – $196,670-0.7%
31Industrial Engineers$101,280
Bachelor's degree
$74,100 – $132,470-1.1%
32First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$73,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,160 – $104,980-1.2%
33Printing Press Operators$45,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,670 – $58,270-1.5%
34Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$61,720
Bachelor's degree
$49,690 – $65,510-1.5%
35Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,510 – $56,140-1.8%
36Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$45,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,280 – $56,790-2.0%
37Computer Network Architects$131,150
Bachelor's degree
$60,540 – $158,530-2.2%
38Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$49,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,330 – $69,910-2.3%
39Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$61,450
Bachelor's degree
$37,280 – $82,010-2.4%
40Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$45,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,730 – $72,800-2.6%
41Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$57,720
Master's degree
$33,330 – $95,710-2.7%
42Maintenance Workers, Machinery$59,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,890 – $146,930-2.9%
43Insurance Sales Agents$60,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,360 – $125,210-3.0%
44Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,060
Associate's degree
$44,940 – $78,830-3.1%
45Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,570 – $83,470-3.3%
46Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$34,040
No formal educational credential
$23,870 – $38,400-3.7%
47Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$42,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,500 – $58,400-3.8%
48Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$61,260
Bachelor's degree
$48,240 – $72,700-4.2%
49Pharmacists$134,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,050 – $159,050-4.2%
50Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,600
Bachelor's degree
$48,750 – $72,360-4.3%

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

#	Occupation	MedianBowling Green, KY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$407,570	$126,900 – $479,110	+53.3%
2	Social Science Research AssistantsBachelor's degree	$84,680	$53,800 – $136,940	+36.6%
3	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$131,880	$69,120 – $247,160	+26.1%
4	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,480	$49,990 – $92,290	+17.9%
5	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,410	$48,600 – $83,700	+15.3%
6	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,670	$34,690 – $55,050	+15.1%
7	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,620	$46,710 – $60,510	+14.6%
8	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,480	$37,320 – $71,100	+12.7%
9	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,390	$38,590 – $61,590	+11.2%
10	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,790	$49,000 – $83,220	+9.0%
11	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$64,050	$39,240 – $94,140	+7.6%
12	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$83,220	$46,270 – $133,700	+7.2%
13	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,330	$40,170 – $55,510	+7.2%
14	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,620	$42,700 – $101,190	+7.0%
15	Tour and Travel GuidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,330	$23,780 – $45,700	+5.8%
16	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$112,770	$70,040 – $146,470	+5.7%
17	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$104,190	$40,300 – $220,130	+5.2%
18	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$43,220	$32,980 – $58,520	+4.9%
19	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,830	$41,440 – $103,380	+4.8%
20	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,350	$40,350 – $52,010	+3.3%
21	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,490	$39,930 – $57,930	+2.6%
22	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$63,670	$36,360 – $76,360	+2.5%
23	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$79,170	$51,720 – $93,830	+2.2%
24	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$65,310	$41,740 – $80,900	+1.5%
25	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,840	$35,410 – $57,290	+1.2%
26	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,990	$63,630 – $165,400	+0.8%
27	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,260	$46,060 – $93,660	+0.7%
28	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,180	$45,900 – $82,400	+0.6%
29	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,630	$42,710 – $59,820	-0.2%
30	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,170	$78,000 – $196,670	-0.7%
31	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,280	$74,100 – $132,470	-1.1%
32	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,540	$48,160 – $104,980	-1.2%
33	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,100	$30,670 – $58,270	-1.5%
34	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$61,720	$49,690 – $65,510	-1.5%
35	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,160	$24,510 – $56,140	-1.8%
36	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,440	$34,280 – $56,790	-2.0%
37	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$131,150	$60,540 – $158,530	-2.2%
38	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,180	$39,330 – $69,910	-2.3%
39	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$61,450	$37,280 – $82,010	-2.4%
40	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,930	$27,730 – $72,800	-2.6%
41	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$57,720	$33,330 – $95,710	-2.7%
42	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,100	$45,890 – $146,930	-2.9%
43	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,400	$29,360 – $125,210	-3.0%
44	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,060	$44,940 – $78,830	-3.1%
45	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,790	$29,570 – $83,470	-3.3%
46	Food Servers, NonrestaurantNo formal educational credential	$34,040	$23,870 – $38,400	-3.7%
47	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,940	$33,500 – $58,400	-3.8%
48	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$61,260	$48,240 – $72,700	-4.2%
49	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,980	$103,050 – $159,050	-4.2%
50	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$61,600	$48,750 – $72,360	-4.3%

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