Paducah, KY-IL
Across all occupations in the Paducah, KY-IL metropolitan area, the median wage is $45,860 a year ($22.05 an hour) and the mean $58,060, May 2025. That median is −10% against the US median of $50,980 and −2% against Kentucky's $46,920. BLS counts 50,270 jobs in the area, which spans Kentucky and Illinois. The highest-paying occupation is physicians, all other; the largest is retail salespersons.
All occupations: Paducah, KY-IL vs Kentucky and Illinois and the United States
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| Paducah, KY-IL | Hourly | $13.21 | $16.00 | $22.05 | $32.04 | $47.01 | $27.91 | 50,270 |
| Annual | $27,470 | $33,280 | $45,860 | $66,650 | $97,770 | $58,060 | ||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $13.45 | $17.02 | $22.56 | $32.10 | $47.30 | $28.36 | 2,000,360 |
| Annual | $27,970 | $35,410 | $46,920 | $66,760 | $98,380 | $58,990 | ||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.82 | $18.25 | $24.98 | $39.93 | $61.43 | $34.20 | 6,098,130 |
| Annual | $32,900 | $37,960 | $51,960 | $83,060 | $127,770 | $71,130 | ||
| United States | Hourly | $15.00 | $18.07 | $24.51 | $38.71 | $61.81 | $33.54 | 155,495,730 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $37,590 | $50,980 | $80,520 | $128,560 | $69,770 | ||
207 detailed occupations publish a median in this area. State profiles: Kentucky, Illinois. Compare any occupation across every area in the wage explorer.
20 highest-paying occupations in Paducah, KY-IL
| Rank | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physicians, All Other | $378,880 | $182.16 | 80 |
| 2 | Anesthesiologists | $350,260 | $168.39 | 40 |
| 3 | Family Medicine Physicians | $234,140 | $112.57 | 40 |
| 4 | Chief Executives | $148,710 | $71.49 | 40 |
| 5 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $143,940 | $69.20 | 60 |
| 6 | Pharmacists | $134,810 | $64.81 | 130 |
| 7 | Sales Managers in Kentucky | $132,660 | $63.78 | 130 |
| 8 | Computer and Information Systems Managers in Kentucky | $130,300 | $62.64 | 80 |
| 9 | Physician Assistants | $124,990 | $60.09 | 60 |
| 10 | Nurse Practitioners | $124,200 | $59.71 | 110 |
| 11 | Administrative Services Managers | $117,840 | $56.66 | 70 |
| 12 | Financial Managers in Kentucky | $114,460 | $55.03 | 130 |
| 13 | Industrial Production Managers | $113,380 | $54.51 | 110 |
| 14 | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $109,890 | $52.83 | 60 |
| 15 | Facilities Managers | $106,820 | $51.36 | 50 |
| 16 | Medical and Health Services Managers | $105,460 | $50.70 | 210 |
| 17 | Industrial Engineers | $102,270 | $49.17 | 80 |
| 18 | Civil Engineers | $100,950 | $48.54 | 80 |
| 19 | Physical Therapists | $99,330 | $47.76 | 80 |
| 20 | Software Developers in Kentucky | $99,260 | $47.72 | 140 |
Ranked by median; an occupation whose median BLS withholds or top-codes in this area cannot appear here, however well it pays.
20 largest occupations in Paducah, KY-IL
Most concentrated occupations in Paducah, KY-IL
The 10 occupations with the highest location quotient among those employing at least 100 people in the area. A quotient of 2.00 means the occupation's share of local jobs is twice its national share.
| Rank | Occupation | Location quotient | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sailors and Marine Oilers | 104.67 | 1,070 | 21.32 | $47,550 |
| 2 | Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | 58.50 | 700 | 13.86 | * |
| 3 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | 4.11 | 190 | 3.69 | $44,220 |
| 4 | Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 3.43 | 170 | 3.30 | $52,170 |
| 5 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 3.07 | 440 | 8.71 | $35,310 |
| 6 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | 2.98 | 460 | 9.16 | $59,000 |
| 7 | Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in Kentucky | 2.60 | 810 | 16.06 | $38,340 |
| 8 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 2.50 | 380 | 7.49 | $82,120 |
| 9 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 2.27 | 310 | 6.08 | $48,560 |
| 10 | Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | 2.07 | 190 | 3.86 | $78,900 |
Occupation groups in Paducah, KY-IL
| Group | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $95,190 | $108,850 | 2,980 | 59.34 | 0.83 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $89,740 | $97,850 | 660 | 13.07 | 0.78 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $84,540 | $80,830 | 400 | 7.98 | 0.84 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $79,650 | $85,080 | 630 | 12.46 | 0.37 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $76,910 | $96,480 | 4,260 | 84.65 | 1.34 |
| Legal | $74,090 | $88,710 | 260 | 5.20 | 0.62 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $69,780 | $76,170 | 1,810 | 35.98 | 0.53 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $58,620 | $61,650 | 2,680 | 53.22 | 1.36 |
| Construction and Extraction | $56,390 | $60,360 | 3,050 | 60.75 | 1.47 |
| Community and Social Service | $56,120 | $56,540 | 690 | 13.65 | 0.80 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $49,170 | $50,870 | 2,270 | 45.17 | 0.77 |
| Production | $47,330 | $55,250 | 2,650 | 52.80 | 0.96 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $46,320 | $60,900 | 5,980 | 118.96 | 1.35 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $45,620 | $55,480 | 400 | 7.86 | 0.60 |
| Protective Service | $45,210 | $52,370 | 690 | 13.79 | 0.57 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $40,450 | $43,830 | 5,900 | 117.34 | 1.03 |
| Healthcare Support | $37,850 | $39,140 | 2,400 | 47.83 | 0.94 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $36,590 | $38,080 | 50 | 0.94 | 0.34 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $34,170 | $35,150 | 1,280 | 25.48 | 0.87 |
| Sales and Related | $31,200 | $40,730 | 5,100 | 101.39 | 1.17 |
| Personal Care and Service | $30,060 | $34,990 | 570 | 11.34 | 0.54 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $28,930 | $30,980 | 5,570 | 110.80 | 1.26 |
Every occupation in Kentucky and Illinois, and the area's place among the state's metros, is on the state profiles. All 207 published occupations for this area are in the wage explorer; other metros are on the metros hub.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Paducah, KY-IL estimates (area 37140).
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Jobs per 1,000 is the occupation's employment per 1,000 jobs in the Paducah, KY-IL area; the location quotient is that share divided by the national share.
- The concentration table keeps only occupations with employment of 100 or more in the area, so a quotient built on a handful of rounded jobs cannot top it.
- The area spans Kentucky and Illinois; its figures are the whole MSA, as BLS publishes them, under the primary state Kentucky.