Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Lexington-Fayette, KY

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

Cost of living: prices in Lexington-Fayette, KY run 7.1% below the national average (2024), so a Lexington-Fayette, KY salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY

OccupationMedian, Lexington-Fayette, KY · vs. national

1Surgical Assistants$102,330
Postsecondary nondegree award
$68,530 – $168,200+53.2%
2Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$87,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,580 – $100,160+42.7%
3Social Workers, All Other$102,070
Bachelor's degree
$43,130 – $118,540+42.0%
4Food Batchmakers$56,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,500 – $78,800+34.1%
5Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$59,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,320 – $78,330+33.8%
6Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$66,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,470 – $81,950+33.0%
7Education Administrators, Postsecondary$137,250
Master's degree
$77,860 – $424,710+31.2%
8Massage Therapists$76,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,000 – $93,180+30.5%
9Tool and Die Makers$83,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,670 – $94,960+30.4%
10Teachers and Instructors, All Other$83,770
Bachelor's degree
$50,970 – $105,530+26.7%
11Rehabilitation Counselors$58,570
Master's degree
$39,640 – $84,160+25.0%
12Insurance Underwriters$100,990
Bachelor's degree
$56,620 – $100,990+24.1%
13Maintenance Workers, Machinery$74,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,550 – $154,290+22.6%
14Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$50,640
Bachelor's degree
$31,270 – $80,200+18.0%
15Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$57,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,560 – $76,950+16.4%
16Cardiologists$558,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,260 – $610,380+12.5%
17Interpreters and Translators$66,320
Bachelor's degree
$40,280 – $110,120+10.2%
18Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,440 – $75,440+9.8%
19Bus Drivers, School$52,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,050 – $64,100+9.1%
20Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$105,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,590 – $176,180+9.0%
21Cooks, Short Order$39,040
No formal educational credential
$25,040 – $47,440+8.8%
22Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$39,960
Some college, no degree
$28,830 – $50,190+8.6%
23Administrative Services Managers$123,790
Bachelor's degree
$71,400 – $203,460+8.5%
24Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$64,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,840 – $78,360+8.4%
25Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$39,330
No formal educational credential
$25,060 – $54,810+7.3%
26Child, Family, and School Social Workers$63,780
Bachelor's degree
$39,840 – $88,430+7.1%
27Physicians, All Other$283,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,500 – $452,650+6.7%
28Medical Transcriptionists$42,900
Postsecondary nondegree award
$33,060 – $49,960+6.2%
29Food Service Managers$73,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,930 – $99,950+6.0%
30Helpers--Production Workers$41,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,680 – $56,680+5.6%
31Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$45,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,340 – $53,520+5.3%
32Real Estate Sales Agents$55,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,430 – $96,750+5.0%
33Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$66,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,630 – $94,670+4.5%
34Information and Record Clerks, All Other$51,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,850 – $64,540+4.5%
35Surveyors$78,690
Bachelor's degree
$46,720 – $92,240+4.3%
36Paramedics$63,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,160 – $65,620+4.3%
37Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$41,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,870 – $51,640+4.3%
38Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$41,910
No formal educational credential
$31,330 – $49,120+4.2%
39Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$110,210
Master's degree
$75,270 – $136,690+4.1%
40Fundraisers$75,230
Bachelor's degree
$42,590 – $124,380+3.7%
41Printing Press Operators$47,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,650 – $64,210+3.5%
42Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$82,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,320 – $165,450+3.5%
43Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,850 – $84,220+3.3%
44Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$48,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,630 – $77,540+3.1%
45Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$49,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,520 – $67,200+3.1%
46Facilities Managers$109,820
Bachelor's degree
$65,690 – $181,860+3.0%
47Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$61,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,610 – $72,720+2.9%
48Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$52,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,520 – $72,130+2.9%
49First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$76,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,260 – $98,770+2.6%
50Nurse Anesthetists$242,700
Master's degree
$207,080 – $271,530+2.6%

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

#	Occupation	MedianLexington-Fayette, KY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$102,330	$68,530 – $168,200	+53.2%
2	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,870	$53,580 – $100,160	+42.7%
3	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$102,070	$43,130 – $118,540	+42.0%
4	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,730	$36,500 – $78,800	+34.1%
5	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,730	$37,320 – $78,330	+33.8%
6	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,890	$41,470 – $81,950	+33.0%
7	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$137,250	$77,860 – $424,710	+31.2%
8	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,250	$36,000 – $93,180	+30.5%
9	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$83,510	$46,670 – $94,960	+30.4%
10	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,770	$50,970 – $105,530	+26.7%
11	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$58,570	$39,640 – $84,160	+25.0%
12	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$100,990	$56,620 – $100,990	+24.1%
13	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,610	$51,550 – $154,290	+22.6%
14	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$50,640	$31,270 – $80,200	+18.0%
15	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,300	$38,560 – $76,950	+16.4%
16	CardiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$558,180	$75,260 – $610,380	+12.5%
17	Interpreters and TranslatorsBachelor's degree	$66,320	$40,280 – $110,120	+10.2%
18	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,710	$36,440 – $75,440	+9.8%
19	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,260	$46,050 – $64,100	+9.1%
20	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,690	$49,590 – $176,180	+9.0%
21	Cooks, Short OrderNo formal educational credential	$39,040	$25,040 – $47,440	+8.8%
22	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$39,960	$28,830 – $50,190	+8.6%
23	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$123,790	$71,400 – $203,460	+8.5%
24	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,660	$40,840 – $78,360	+8.4%
25	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$39,330	$25,060 – $54,810	+7.3%
26	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$63,780	$39,840 – $88,430	+7.1%
27	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$283,730	$74,500 – $452,650	+6.7%
28	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$42,900	$33,060 – $49,960	+6.2%
29	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,560	$55,930 – $99,950	+6.0%
30	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,250	$34,680 – $56,680	+5.6%
31	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,510	$29,340 – $53,520	+5.3%
32	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,460	$34,430 – $96,750	+5.0%
33	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,750	$41,630 – $94,670	+4.5%
34	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,720	$38,850 – $64,540	+4.5%
35	SurveyorsBachelor's degree	$78,690	$46,720 – $92,240	+4.3%
36	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,210	$39,160 – $65,620	+4.3%
37	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,070	$33,870 – $51,640	+4.3%
38	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$41,910	$31,330 – $49,120	+4.2%
39	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$110,210	$75,270 – $136,690	+4.1%
40	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$75,230	$42,590 – $124,380	+3.7%
41	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,400	$36,650 – $64,210	+3.5%
42	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,740	$50,320 – $165,450	+3.5%
43	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,740	$33,850 – $84,220	+3.3%
44	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,600	$29,630 – $77,540	+3.1%
45	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,940	$42,520 – $67,200	+3.1%
46	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$109,820	$65,690 – $181,860	+3.0%
47	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,790	$45,610 – $72,720	+2.9%
48	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,150	$40,520 – $72,130	+2.9%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,410	$48,260 – $98,770	+2.6%
50	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$242,700	$207,080 – $271,530	+2.6%

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