Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Paducah, KY-IL

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

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 · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$378,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$146,100 – $485,100+42.5%
2Conveyor Operators and Tenders$59,140
No formal educational credential
$49,460 – $81,330+39.4%
3Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$82,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,340 – $95,380+28.7%
4Sheet Metal Workers$79,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,620 – $85,630+27.9%
5Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$78,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,760 – $102,330+27.7%
6Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$77,170
Bachelor's degree
$50,340 – $86,010+20.9%
7Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,620 – $73,590+17.1%
8Electricians$73,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,910 – $89,490+17.0%
9First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$87,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,340 – $135,390+16.9%
10Healthcare Social Workers$78,660
Master's degree
$43,560 – $86,350+15.9%
11Printing Press Operators$48,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,150 – $58,420+6.8%
12Construction and Building Inspectors$78,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,860 – $99,210+4.9%
13Cost Estimators$82,610
Bachelor's degree
$49,650 – $125,180+4.9%
14Bill and Account Collectors$49,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,970 – $57,200+4.5%
15Administrative Services Managers$117,840
Bachelor's degree
$57,450 – $166,830+3.3%
16Machinists$60,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,250 – $98,890+2.6%
17Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$109,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,170 – $181,440+2.5%
18Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$65,240
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,640 – $80,890+2.1%
19Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$91,740
Bachelor's degree
$70,400 – $134,170+1.8%
20Facilities Managers$106,820
Bachelor's degree
$59,990 – $168,340+0.2%
21Civil Engineers$100,950
Bachelor's degree
$67,110 – $222,750+0.1%
22Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$64,350
Master's degree
$40,840 – $77,3500.0%
23Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$47,810
Some college, no degree
$38,460 – $61,0400.0%
24Industrial Engineers$102,270
Bachelor's degree
$70,760 – $178,240-0.2%
25Construction Laborers$46,850
No formal educational credential
$34,110 – $56,990-0.6%
26Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$49,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,090 – $84,640-0.8%
27Postal Service Mail Carriers$59,880
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $83,740-1.1%
28Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,610 – $83,810-1.4%
29Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,110 – $69,930-1.4%
30Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$61,530
Bachelor's degree
$42,770 – $73,280-1.8%
31Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$57,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,500 – $80,780-1.8%
32Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$58,240
Master's degree
$33,680 – $79,780-1.9%
33Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$48,460
No formal educational credential
$32,970 – $53,540-2.5%
34Dental Assistants$46,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,020 – $59,260-2.7%
35Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$62,470
Bachelor's degree
$46,070 – $74,080-3.0%
36Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$62,030
Bachelor's degree
$45,700 – $71,160-3.0%
37Postal Service Clerks$60,250
No formal educational credential
$36,360 – $76,360-3.0%
38Food Service Managers$67,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$16,330 – $103,530-3.2%
39Physical Therapists$99,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,780 – $121,530-3.3%
40Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$62,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,750 – $65,270-3.6%
41Child, Family, and School Social Workers$57,280
Bachelor's degree
$37,810 – $78,660-3.8%
42Family Medicine Physicians$234,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,340 – $322,900-4.1%
43Pharmacists$134,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,480 – $161,380-4.3%
44Security Guards$36,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,430 – $86,710-4.3%
45First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$76,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,980 – $121,690-4.8%
46Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$59,730
Bachelor's degree
$37,990 – $79,630-5.1%
47Industrial Machinery Mechanics$61,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,560 – $83,160-5.3%
48Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$38,110
No formal educational credential
$29,070 – $47,990-5.3%
49Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$45,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $75,840-5.6%
50Management Analysts$96,080
Bachelor's degree
$54,940 – $144,640-5.7%

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	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$378,880	$146,100 – $485,100	+42.5%
2	Conveyor Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$59,140	$49,460 – $81,330	+39.4%
3	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,120	$46,340 – $95,380	+28.7%
4	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,020	$38,620 – $85,630	+27.9%
5	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,900	$45,760 – $102,330	+27.7%
6	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$77,170	$50,340 – $86,010	+20.9%
7	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,350	$48,620 – $73,590	+17.1%
8	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,930	$38,910 – $89,490	+17.0%
9	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,030	$56,340 – $135,390	+16.9%
10	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$78,660	$43,560 – $86,350	+15.9%
11	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,890	$31,150 – $58,420	+6.8%
12	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,360	$35,860 – $99,210	+4.9%
13	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$82,610	$49,650 – $125,180	+4.9%
14	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,150	$28,970 – $57,200	+4.5%
15	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,840	$57,450 – $166,830	+3.3%
16	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,300	$38,250 – $98,890	+2.6%
17	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$109,890	$56,170 – $181,440	+2.5%
18	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,240	$43,640 – $80,890	+2.1%
19	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,740	$70,400 – $134,170	+1.8%
20	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,820	$59,990 – $168,340	+0.2%
21	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,950	$67,110 – $222,750	+0.1%
22	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$64,350	$40,840 – $77,350	0.0%
23	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$47,810	$38,460 – $61,040	0.0%
24	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,270	$70,760 – $178,240	-0.2%
25	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$46,850	$34,110 – $56,990	-0.6%
26	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,920	$33,090 – $84,640	-0.8%
27	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$59,880	$42,390 – $83,740	-1.1%
28	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,000	$47,610 – $83,810	-1.4%
29	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,580	$35,110 – $69,930	-1.4%
30	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$61,530	$42,770 – $73,280	-1.8%
31	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,220	$40,500 – $80,780	-1.8%
32	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$58,240	$33,680 – $79,780	-1.9%
33	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$48,460	$32,970 – $53,540	-2.5%
34	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,750	$35,020 – $59,260	-2.7%
35	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$62,470	$46,070 – $74,080	-3.0%
36	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$62,030	$45,700 – $71,160	-3.0%
37	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$60,250	$36,360 – $76,360	-3.0%
38	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,140	$16,330 – $103,530	-3.2%
39	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,330	$73,780 – $121,530	-3.3%
40	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,060	$50,750 – $65,270	-3.6%
41	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$57,280	$37,810 – $78,660	-3.8%
42	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$234,140	$124,340 – $322,900	-4.1%
43	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,810	$94,480 – $161,380	-4.3%
44	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,370	$28,430 – $86,710	-4.3%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,020	$48,980 – $121,690	-4.8%
46	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$59,730	$37,990 – $79,630	-5.1%
47	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,100	$47,560 – $83,160	-5.3%
48	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$38,110	$29,070 – $47,990	-5.3%
49	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,850	$33,330 – $75,840	-5.6%
50	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,080	$54,940 – $144,640	-5.7%

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