Ranking · original analysis of BLS and O*NET data
Highest-paying jobs in Kentucky
The 40 best-paid occupations in Kentucky with at least 100 people employed, by state median wage.
Quick answer
The highest-paying occupation in Kentucky with at least 100 people employed was Airline Pilot, with a state median of $350,950 (BLS May 2025).
The ranking
40 occupations
Data Every figure is from BLS OEWS May 2025 or O*NET 31.0; the selection rule is below.
| # | Occupation | Median pay in Kentucky | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airline Pilot | $350,950 | 6,260 |
| 2 | Anesthesiologist | $347,960 | 1,090 |
| 3 | Neurologist | $338,850 | 230 |
| 4 | Physicians, All Other | $327,390 | 3,340 |
| 5 | OB-GYN | $317,110 | 240 |
| 6 | Family Medicine Physician | $248,730 | 1,170 |
| 7 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | $241,530 | 1,060 |
| 8 | Psychiatrist | $237,770 | 160 |
| 9 | CRNA | $222,520 | 1,640 |
| 10 | CEO | $179,530 | 2,070 |
| 11 | Pediatrician | $175,690 | 380 |
| 12 | Emergency Medicine Physician | $169,390 | 620 |
| 13 | Surgeons, All Other | $162,160 | 440 |
| 14 | Judge | $150,650 | 370 |
| 15 | Psychologists, All Other | $149,990 | 300 |
| 16 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $147,680 | 1,800 |
| 17 | Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $140,820 | 120 |
| 18 | IT Manager | $140,360 | 3,130 |
| 19 | Pharmacist | $136,530 | 5,030 |
| 20 | Dentist | $134,160 | 790 |
| 21 | Financial Manager | $130,650 | 6,630 |
| 22 | Commercial Pilot | $129,990 | 800 |
| 23 | Marketing Manager | $128,930 | 1,930 |
| 24 | Optometrist | $128,860 | 430 |
| 25 | Sales Manager | $128,650 | 6,650 |
| 26 | Air Traffic Controller | $127,800 | 230 |
| 27 | Natural Sciences Managers | $126,440 | 400 |
| 28 | Aerospace Engineer | $126,130 | 290 |
| 29 | Database Architect | $125,400 | 350 |
| 30 | Fundraising Managers | $124,770 | 210 |
| 31 | Purchasing Manager | $124,350 | 920 |
| 32 | Airfield Operations Specialists | $123,290 | 290 |
| 33 | Managers, All Other | $122,930 | 2,390 |
| 34 | Nurse Practitioner | $122,870 | 4,770 |
| 35 | HR Manager | $121,460 | 1,960 |
| 36 | Physician Assistant | $120,760 | 1,360 |
| 37 | Chemical Engineer | $117,170 | 190 |
| 38 | Computer Hardware Engineer | $116,200 | 500 |
| 39 | Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $114,310 | 890 |
| 40 | Compensation and Benefits Managers | $114,290 | 110 |
Method
How this page is built
BLS OEWS state estimates for Kentucky, May 2025: occupations with at least 100 people employed and a published median, ranked by median annual wage.
What this page can't tell you
Sources- Pay at a specific employer or for self-employed workers.
- Openings in your area: these are national figures.
- Whether a job suits you personally.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.