First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Salary in Kentucky
In Kentucky, first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers earn a median $35,810 a year, well below the national median of $44,080 (−19%); the state ranks 47th of 51 states by median. That is 24% less than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, Indiana, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri and Ohio pay more (up to $45,550 in Virginia) and West Virginia pays less (down to $33,070 in West Virginia). Kentucky employs 18,010 first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers, 9.00 per 1,000 jobs, the 26th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.14 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 | $13.56 | $14.35 | $17.21 | $21.72 | $28.36 | $18.90 | 18,010 | 9.00 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $28,190 | $29,850 | $35,810 | $45,170 | $58,980 | $39,320 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.40 | $17.30 | $21.19 | $26.24 | $31.52 | $22.20 | 1,223,240 | – | – |
| Annual | $29,940 | $35,980 | $44,080 | $54,570 | $65,570 | $46,180 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 47th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 26th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.14
- Jobs per 1,000
- 9.00
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 first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $18.65 | $38,800 | $29,150 | $62,690 | 5,360 | 7.83 | 1.00 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $18.45 | $38,370 | $31,840 | $61,760 | 10,240 | 9.30 | 1.18 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $18.34 | $38,150 | $29,110 | $56,070 | 870 | 10.56 | 1.34 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $18.24 | $37,950 | $28,800 | $60,010 | 1,140 | 11.07 | 1.41 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $17.48 | $36,350 | $28,850 | $60,860 | 2,410 | 8.40 | 1.07 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $17.21 | $35,800 | $29,120 | $55,290 | 530 | 10.27 | 1.31 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $16.93 | $35,210 | $28,710 | $57,990 | 550 | 10.99 | 1.40 |
| Owensboro, KY | $16.79 | $34,910 | $28,710 | $57,520 | 460 | 9.27 | 1.18 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $14.94 | $31,070 | $27,570 | $49,000 | 1,480 | 10.51 | 1.34 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $15.33 | $31,890 | $28,190 | $45,980 | 1,230 | 9.56 | 1.21 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $15.00 | $31,200 | $27,190 | $47,670 | 1,960 | 11.33 | 1.44 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $14.59 | $30,360 | $26,140 | $47,410 | 1,620 | 9.39 | 1.19 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $14.43 | $30,000 | $24,230 | $45,840 | 1,010 | 10.97 | 1.39 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $17.21 | $35,810 | 18,010 | 1.14 |
| Illinois | $18.98 | $39,470 | 41,030 | 0.86 |
| Indiana | $21.58 | $44,880 | 23,500 | 0.93 |
| Missouri | $17.98 | $37,400 | 21,650 | 0.94 |
| Ohio | $17.95 | $37,340 | 51,990 | 1.19 |
| Tennessee | $19.47 | $40,500 | 29,100 | 1.13 |
| Virginia | $21.90 | $45,550 | 30,640 | 0.95 |
| West Virginia | $15.90 | $33,070 | 6,390 | 1.16 |
See the national page for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers (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.