Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Kentucky

Each occupation's median wage in Kentucky 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 Kentucky pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$350,950
Bachelor's degree
$182,780 – $407,760+51.2%
2Maintenance Workers, Machinery$76,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,980 – $162,460+26.1%
3Rehabilitation Counselors$58,540
Master's degree
$33,000 – $77,790+25.0%
4Physicians, All Other$327,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,640 – $549,810+23.1%
5Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$54,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,790 – $80,330+16.5%
6Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$49,680
Bachelor's degree
$31,270 – $80,200+15.8%
7Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,450 – $76,610+15.5%
8Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,160 – $71,310+13.9%
9Food Batchmakers$46,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,690 – $61,340+10.9%
10Real Estate Sales Agents$58,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,320 – $105,000+10.9%
11Education Administrators, Postsecondary$114,310
Master's degree
$77,630 – $230,220+9.3%
12Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$59,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,670 – $67,440+8.5%
13Helpers--Production Workers$42,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,730 – $54,420+7.8%
14Millwrights$70,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,210 – $86,640+7.5%
15Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$47,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,560 – $66,320+7.4%
16Social Science Research Assistants$66,390
Bachelor's degree
$45,050 – $106,590+7.1%
17Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$42,770
No formal educational credential
$30,890 – $49,750+6.3%
18Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,970 – $67,810+6.2%
19Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$49,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,700 – $61,450+6.0%
20Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,410 – $66,850+5.9%
21Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,260 – $73,540+5.6%
22Conveyor Operators and Tenders$44,800
No formal educational credential
$39,180 – $58,390+5.6%
23Commercial Pilots$129,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$83,130 – $355,390+5.5%
24Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$45,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,250 – $61,250+5.2%
25Printing Press Operators$48,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,920 – $63,720+4.8%
26Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,290 – $61,070+4.8%
27Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$51,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,920 – $81,780+4.2%
28Tool and Die Makers$66,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,570 – $90,150+3.9%
29Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$38,030
No formal educational credential
$24,820 – $54,760+3.7%
30Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,820 – $59,810+3.5%
31Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks$45,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,490 – $77,130+3.3%
32Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$47,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,790 – $59,650+3.0%
33Bill and Account Collectors$48,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,110 – $64,790+2.8%
34Machine Feeders and Offbearers$42,200
No formal educational credential
$35,340 – $65,650+2.4%
35Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$43,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,420 – $48,540+2.3%
36Massage Therapists$59,790
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,210 – $95,290+2.3%
37Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$39,150
No formal educational credential
$36,860 – $45,590+2.2%
38Health Education Specialists$65,370
Bachelor's degree
$44,610 – $98,030+2.0%
39Structural Iron and Steel Workers$64,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,240 – $98,360+2.0%
40Family Medicine Physicians$248,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$108,750 – $487,240+1.9%
41Home Health and Personal Care Aides$36,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,110 – $49,080+1.8%
42Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,850
No formal educational credential
$29,430 – $50,310+1.6%
43Food Service Managers$70,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,070 – $102,780+1.5%
44Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$60,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,120 – $75,550+1.0%
45Postal Service Clerks$62,610
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030+0.8%
46Chemical Technicians$60,830
Associate's degree
$40,940 – $97,810+0.7%
47Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$64,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,860 – $94,710+0.6%
48Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,530 – $60,560+0.5%
49Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$46,630
No formal educational credential
$35,540 – $70,840+0.5%
50Helpers--Electricians$42,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,350 – $50,760+0.3%

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	vs. national
1	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$350,950	$182,780 – $407,760	+51.2%
2	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,710	$48,980 – $162,460	+26.1%
3	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$58,540	$33,000 – $77,790	+25.0%
4	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$327,390	$120,640 – $549,810	+23.1%
5	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,960	$38,790 – $80,330	+16.5%
6	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$49,680	$31,270 – $80,200	+15.8%
7	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,050	$46,450 – $76,610	+15.5%
8	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,770	$45,160 – $71,310	+13.9%
9	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,900	$31,690 – $61,340	+10.9%
10	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,610	$34,320 – $105,000	+10.9%
11	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$114,310	$77,630 – $230,220	+9.3%
12	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,040	$44,670 – $67,440	+8.5%
13	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,130	$35,730 – $54,420	+7.8%
14	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,610	$48,210 – $86,640	+7.5%
15	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,950	$33,560 – $66,320	+7.4%
16	Social Science Research AssistantsBachelor's degree	$66,390	$45,050 – $106,590	+7.1%
17	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$42,770	$30,890 – $49,750	+6.3%
18	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,110	$33,970 – $67,810	+6.2%
19	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,140	$37,700 – $61,450	+6.0%
20	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,740	$39,410 – $66,850	+5.9%
21	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,160	$37,260 – $73,540	+5.6%
22	Conveyor Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$44,800	$39,180 – $58,390	+5.6%
23	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$129,990	$83,130 – $355,390	+5.5%
24	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,450	$35,250 – $61,250	+5.2%
25	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,000	$34,920 – $63,720	+4.8%
26	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,000	$37,290 – $61,070	+4.8%
27	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,310	$36,920 – $81,780	+4.2%
28	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,570	$46,570 – $90,150	+3.9%
29	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$38,030	$24,820 – $54,760	+3.7%
30	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,180	$37,820 – $59,810	+3.5%
31	Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,840	$34,490 – $77,130	+3.3%
32	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,220	$34,790 – $59,650	+3.0%
33	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,330	$36,110 – $64,790	+2.8%
34	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$42,200	$35,340 – $65,650	+2.4%
35	Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,330	$33,420 – $48,540	+2.3%
36	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,790	$30,210 – $95,290	+2.3%
37	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$39,150	$36,860 – $45,590	+2.2%
38	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,370	$44,610 – $98,030	+2.0%
39	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,060	$48,240 – $98,360	+2.0%
40	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$248,730	$108,750 – $487,240	+1.9%
41	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,440	$28,110 – $49,080	+1.8%
42	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$36,850	$29,430 – $50,310	+1.6%
43	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,410	$41,070 – $102,780	+1.5%
44	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,700	$45,120 – $75,550	+1.0%
45	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$62,610	$42,600 – $75,030	+0.8%
46	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$60,830	$40,940 – $97,810	+0.7%
47	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,160	$44,860 – $94,710	+0.6%
48	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,400	$38,530 – $60,560	+0.5%
49	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$46,630	$35,540 – $70,840	+0.5%
50	Helpers--ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,790	$35,350 – $50,760	+0.3%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Kentucky

More for Kentucky

Metro areas in Kentucky

By field in Kentucky

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state