Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

Each occupation's median wage in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 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 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN run 6.9% below the national average (2024), so a Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

OccupationMedian, Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN · vs. national

1Maintenance Workers, Machinery$157,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,800 – $157,960+158.4%
2Commercial Pilots$193,940
Postsecondary nondegree award
$91,070 – $355,390+57.4%
3Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$79,050
Bachelor's degree
$37,660 – $129,410+55.3%
4Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels$130,380
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,220 – $212,820+41.0%
5Social Science Research Assistants$82,500
Bachelor's degree
$48,950 – $136,090+33.1%
6Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$60,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,980 – $66,280+30.0%
7Physicians, All Other$335,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$138,590 – $513,680+26.2%
8Anesthesiologists$491,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,990 – $491,640+25.6%
9Sailors and Marine Oilers$62,650
No formal educational credential
$34,470 – $102,210+21.6%
10Loan Interviewers and Clerks$60,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,760 – $79,380+20.2%
11Helpers--Production Workers$46,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,310 – $56,890+19.3%
12Tool and Die Makers$75,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,330 – $85,900+17.5%
13Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,390 – $60,930+17.4%
14Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$74,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,250 – $94,920+17.1%
15Massage Therapists$68,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,080 – $95,290+16.7%
16Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$46,830
No formal educational credential
$35,190 – $51,200+16.4%
17Bus Drivers, School$55,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,990 – $75,990+16.1%
18Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$55,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,290 – $59,540+16.1%
19Millwrights$76,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,690 – $88,650+16.1%
20Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$44,280
No formal educational credential
$38,940 – $45,590+15.6%
21Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,720 – $71,960+14.7%
22Family Medicine Physicians$280,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$138,750 – $578,460+14.7%
23General Internal Medicine Physicians$291,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$198,130 – $440,430+13.5%
24Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$72,910
Master's degree
$43,560 – $116,300+13.3%
25Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$48,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,340 – $59,280+12.4%
26Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$51,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,490 – $58,050+10.7%
27Structural Iron and Steel Workers$69,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,400 – $88,050+10.4%
28Food Batchmakers$46,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,500 – $58,000+10.0%
29Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$115,320
Bachelor's degree
$49,810 – $204,740+9.9%
30Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$63,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,410 – $91,380+9.4%
31Print Binding and Finishing Workers$46,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,280 – $59,840+9.1%
32Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$115,400
Master's degree
$81,440 – $134,860+9.0%
33Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$48,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,790 – $64,460+8.5%
34Community Health Workers$56,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,790 – $80,480+8.4%
35Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$55,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,800 – $60,760+7.6%
36Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$46,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,830 – $55,670+7.1%
37Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$83,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,600 – $133,060+7.0%
38Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$45,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,880 – $47,200+6.7%
39Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$61,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,200 – $87,940+6.5%
40Machine Feeders and Offbearers$43,870
No formal educational credential
$35,530 – $65,440+6.4%
41Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,890 – $64,700+5.9%
42Health Education Specialists$67,720
Bachelor's degree
$45,040 – $98,880+5.7%
43Speech-Language Pathologists$103,420
Master's degree
$66,650 – $142,030+5.7%
44Data Entry Keyers$43,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,480 – $55,490+5.4%
45Printing Press Operators$48,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,900 – $63,960+5.1%
46Light Truck Drivers$47,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,330 – $82,050+5.1%
47Bill and Account Collectors$49,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,400 – $65,090+5.0%
48Helpers--Electricians$44,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,160 – $50,760+5.0%
49Medical Records Specialists$53,460
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,650 – $74,520+4.5%
50Food Service Managers$72,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,760 – $100,010+4.5%

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

#	Occupation	MedianLouisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$157,260	$54,800 – $157,960	+158.4%
2	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$193,940	$91,070 – $355,390	+57.4%
3	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$79,050	$37,660 – $129,410	+55.3%
4	Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water VesselsPostsecondary nondegree award	$130,380	$59,220 – $212,820	+41.0%
5	Social Science Research AssistantsBachelor's degree	$82,500	$48,950 – $136,090	+33.1%
6	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,230	$38,980 – $66,280	+30.0%
7	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$335,670	$138,590 – $513,680	+26.2%
8	AnesthesiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$491,640	$119,990 – $491,640	+25.6%
9	Sailors and Marine OilersNo formal educational credential	$62,650	$34,470 – $102,210	+21.6%
10	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,110	$25,760 – $79,380	+20.2%
11	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,610	$36,310 – $56,890	+19.3%
12	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,250	$47,330 – $85,900	+17.5%
13	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,000	$47,390 – $60,930	+17.4%
14	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,680	$48,250 – $94,920	+17.1%
15	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$68,230	$46,080 – $95,290	+16.7%
16	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$46,830	$35,190 – $51,200	+16.4%
17	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,640	$38,990 – $75,990	+16.1%
18	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,420	$37,290 – $59,540	+16.1%
19	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,300	$48,690 – $88,650	+16.1%
20	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$44,280	$38,940 – $45,590	+15.6%
21	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,220	$49,720 – $71,960	+14.7%
22	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$280,050	$138,750 – $578,460	+14.7%
23	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$291,090	$198,130 – $440,430	+13.5%
24	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$72,910	$43,560 – $116,300	+13.3%
25	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,590	$36,340 – $59,280	+12.4%
26	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,330	$38,490 – $58,050	+10.7%
27	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,280	$51,400 – $88,050	+10.4%
28	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,540	$33,500 – $58,000	+10.0%
29	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$115,320	$49,810 – $204,740	+9.9%
30	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,490	$44,410 – $91,380	+9.4%
31	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,120	$30,280 – $59,840	+9.1%
32	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$115,400	$81,440 – $134,860	+9.0%
33	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,440	$34,790 – $64,460	+8.5%
34	Community Health WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,180	$39,790 – $80,480	+8.4%
35	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,250	$48,800 – $60,760	+7.6%
36	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,480	$35,830 – $55,670	+7.1%
37	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$83,090	$48,600 – $133,060	+7.0%
38	Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,200	$35,880 – $47,200	+6.7%
39	Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,140	$40,200 – $87,940	+6.5%
40	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$43,870	$35,530 – $65,440	+6.4%
41	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,740	$39,890 – $64,700	+5.9%
42	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$67,720	$45,040 – $98,880	+5.7%
43	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$103,420	$66,650 – $142,030	+5.7%
44	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,570	$31,480 – $55,490	+5.4%
45	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,110	$35,900 – $63,960	+5.1%
46	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,150	$28,330 – $82,050	+5.1%
47	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,400	$37,400 – $65,090	+5.0%
48	Helpers--ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,800	$37,160 – $50,760	+5.0%
49	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,460	$38,650 – $74,520	+4.5%
50	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,500	$43,760 – $100,010	+4.5%

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

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