Medical Assistants Salary in Kentucky
Medical Assistants in Kentucky have a median of $39,270 a year, below the national $45,690 (−14%); the state ranks 44th of 51 states by median. That is 16% less than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia, Ohio, Missouri and Tennessee pay more (up to $46,090 in Illinois) and West Virginia pays less (down to $37,180 in West Virginia). Kentucky employs 13,440 medical assistants, 6.72 per 1,000 jobs, the 20th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.28 means the occupation is more concentrated in Kentucky than nationally.
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 | $15.84 | $17.58 | $18.88 | $22.09 | $23.05 | $19.68 | 13,440 | 6.72 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $32,950 | $36,560 | $39,270 | $45,940 | $47,940 | $40,940 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.33 | $18.50 | $21.97 | $23.65 | $28.52 | $22.17 | 817,870 | – | – |
| Annual | $36,050 | $38,470 | $45,690 | $49,180 | $59,310 | $46,120 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 44th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 20th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.28
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.72
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 medical assistants, 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 | $21.37 | $44,450 | $37,280 | $49,940 | 4,140 | 6.05 | 1.15 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $21.32 | $44,340 | $36,020 | $49,810 | 5,560 | 5.05 | 0.96 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $19.41 | $40,370 | $36,510 | $47,620 | 2,210 | 7.71 | 1.47 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $18.92 | $39,360 | $34,620 | $46,530 | 450 | 8.90 | 1.69 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $18.88 | $39,270 | $32,610 | $44,530 | 600 | 7.33 | 1.39 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $18.53 | $38,530 | $34,490 | $46,020 | 240 | 4.70 | 0.89 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $18.03 | $37,500 | $31,540 | $44,920 | 1,040 | 7.36 | 1.40 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $17.98 | $37,390 | $31,950 | $46,340 | 670 | 6.47 | 1.23 |
| Owensboro, KY | $17.80 | $37,020 | $33,400 | $46,420 | 280 | 5.57 | 1.06 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $18.39 | $38,240 | $31,200 | $47,570 | 1,220 | 7.05 | 1.34 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.85 | $37,120 | $28,750 | $45,160 | 990 | 10.79 | 2.05 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.70 | $36,810 | $31,200 | $45,940 | 1,300 | 7.56 | 1.44 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.35 | $36,080 | $30,210 | $45,070 | 850 | 6.57 | 1.25 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $18.88 | $39,270 | 13,440 | 1.28 |
| Illinois | $22.16 | $46,090 | 20,260 | 0.63 |
| Indiana | $21.69 | $45,110 | 19,630 | 1.17 |
| Missouri | $19.44 | $40,440 | 13,050 | 0.85 |
| Ohio | $20.58 | $42,810 | 28,950 | 0.99 |
| Tennessee | $19.02 | $39,570 | 19,180 | 1.11 |
| Virginia | $21.51 | $44,740 | 16,650 | 0.77 |
| West Virginia | $17.87 | $37,180 | 4,540 | 1.23 |
See the national page for Medical Assistants (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.