Retail Salespersons Salary in Kentucky
In Kentucky, retail salespersons earn a median $29,650 a year, well below the national median of $35,410 (−16%); the state ranks 47th of 51 states by median. That is 37% less than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Virginia, Missouri, Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio pay more (up to $35,370 in Illinois) and West Virginia pays less (down to $28,950 in West Virginia). Kentucky employs 51,250 retail salespersons, 25.6 per 1,000 jobs, the 25th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.02 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 | $10.77 | $12.59 | $14.26 | $17.19 | $21.08 | $15.66 | 51,250 | 25.62 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $22,400 | $26,190 | $29,650 | $35,760 | $43,850 | $32,570 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.08 | $14.38 | $17.03 | $18.59 | $23.02 | $17.94 | 3,897,860 | – | – |
| Annual | $27,210 | $29,900 | $35,410 | $38,670 | $47,890 | $37,310 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 47th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 25th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.02
- Jobs per 1,000
- 25.62
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 retail salespersons, 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 | $14.81 | $30,810 | $25,300 | $46,350 | 28,670 | 26.04 | 1.04 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $14.74 | $30,660 | $23,210 | $45,510 | 17,540 | 25.59 | 1.02 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $14.47 | $30,100 | $22,880 | $44,500 | 7,810 | 27.22 | 1.09 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $13.99 | $29,100 | $22,410 | $45,280 | 3,470 | 33.58 | 1.34 |
| Owensboro, KY | $13.96 | $29,030 | $22,340 | $42,440 | 1,490 | 30.23 | 1.21 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $13.77 | $28,650 | $22,100 | $43,590 | 1,570 | 30.42 | 1.21 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $13.67 | $28,430 | $21,910 | $37,670 | 2,720 | 33.05 | 1.32 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $13.65 | $28,390 | $22,090 | $38,420 | 1,800 | 35.89 | 1.43 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $13.57 | $28,220 | $21,640 | $37,720 | 4,290 | 30.51 | 1.22 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $13.92 | $28,950 | $21,430 | $42,920 | 2,870 | 22.27 | 0.89 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $13.86 | $28,820 | $21,600 | $42,590 | 4,010 | 23.22 | 0.93 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $13.64 | $28,360 | $21,400 | $39,310 | 2,250 | 24.51 | 0.98 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $13.49 | $28,060 | $21,720 | $41,600 | 4,380 | 25.44 | 1.02 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $14.26 | $29,650 | 51,250 | 1.02 |
| Illinois | $17.00 | $35,370 | 126,610 | 0.83 |
| Indiana | $15.16 | $31,530 | 83,670 | 1.04 |
| Missouri | $16.09 | $33,460 | 67,140 | 0.91 |
| Ohio | $14.81 | $30,800 | 137,370 | 0.99 |
| Tennessee | $15.36 | $31,950 | 87,380 | 1.06 |
| Virginia | $16.46 | $34,240 | 100,290 | 0.97 |
| West Virginia | $13.92 | $28,950 | 19,050 | 1.08 |
See the national page for Retail Salespersons (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.