Carpenters Salary in Kentucky
Carpenters in Kentucky have a median of $52,680 a year, below the national $60,580 (−13%); the state ranks 35th of 51 states by median. Carpenters earn 12% more than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio and Virginia pay more (up to $79,000 in Illinois) and Tennessee and West Virginia pay less (down to $48,710 in West Virginia). Kentucky employs 8,540 carpenters, 4.27 per 1,000 jobs, the 26th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.99 is close to the national share.
Kentucky vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $17.67 | $22.09 | $25.33 | $29.45 | $35.08 | $26.36 | 8,540 | 4.27 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $36,760 | $45,940 | $52,680 | $61,260 | $72,960 | $54,820 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.43 | $23.32 | $29.12 | $36.94 | $48.03 | $31.55 | 670,090 | – | – |
| Annual | $40,410 | $48,510 | $60,580 | $76,830 | $99,910 | $65,630 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 35th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 26th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.99
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.27
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Kentucky's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Kentucky
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Kentucky publish a row for carpenters, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $28.90 | $60,110 | $44,180 | $79,750 | 4,610 | 4.18 | 0.97 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $27.17 | $56,520 | $38,980 | $75,360 | 2,990 | 4.37 | 1.01 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $25.33 | $52,680 | $37,600 | $61,520 | 480 | 5.80 | 1.34 |
| Owensboro, KY | $25.17 | $52,360 | $35,340 | $75,010 | 210 | 4.35 | 1.01 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $25.01 | $52,030 | $37,660 | $75,340 | 1,200 | 4.19 | 0.97 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $25.00 | $52,000 | $35,850 | $70,510 | 780 | 5.53 | 1.28 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $24.86 | $51,700 | $36,340 | $73,320 | 310 | 6.14 | 1.42 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $23.60 | $49,080 | $36,270 | $65,060 | 290 | 2.81 | 0.65 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $23.59 | $49,070 | $35,500 | $69,250 | 190 | 3.61 | 0.84 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $23.22 | $48,300 | $34,780 | $66,190 | 740 | 4.26 | 0.99 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $23.02 | $47,880 | $35,250 | $64,410 | 590 | 4.57 | 1.06 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $22.97 | $47,770 | $35,180 | $63,070 | 590 | 3.45 | 0.80 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $22.49 | $46,780 | $35,110 | $70,430 | 250 | 2.74 | 0.64 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $25.33 | $52,680 | 8,540 | 0.99 |
| Illinois | $37.98 | $79,000 | 19,570 | 0.74 |
| Indiana | $30.23 | $62,870 | 15,240 | 1.10 |
| Missouri | $29.25 | $60,840 | 14,410 | 1.14 |
| Ohio | $29.24 | $60,810 | 18,450 | 0.77 |
| Tennessee | $24.44 | $50,830 | 8,200 | 0.58 |
| Virginia | $26.77 | $55,690 | 20,460 | 1.16 |
| West Virginia | $23.42 | $48,710 | 3,670 | 1.21 |
See the national page for Carpenters (every state ranked) and the Kentucky wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Kentucky estimates.
- 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.