Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Kentucky
In Kentucky, waiters and waitresses earn a median $29,660 a year, well below the national median of $35,230 (−16%); the state ranks 33rd of 51 states by median. That is 37% less than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia and Illinois pay more (up to $44,760 in Virginia) and Missouri, Indiana and Tennessee pay less (down to $27,760 in Tennessee). Kentucky employs 27,150 waiters and waitresses, 13.6 per 1,000 jobs, the 27th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.93 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 | $7.94 | $8.74 | $14.26 | $21.98 | $29.82 | $17.02 | 27,150 | 13.58 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $16,520 | $18,170 | $29,660 | $45,710 | $62,030 | $35,410 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $8.70 | $13.34 | $16.94 | $22.65 | $31.12 | $19.26 | 2,270,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $18,100 | $27,750 | $35,230 | $47,110 | $64,720 | $40,060 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 33rd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 27th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.93
- Jobs per 1,000
- 13.58
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 waiters and waitresses, 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 | $17.56 | $36,530 | $23,280 | $74,040 | 17,790 | 16.15 | 1.11 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $16.79 | $34,910 | $16,940 | $63,020 | 5,020 | 17.51 | 1.20 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $14.75 | $30,690 | $18,200 | $59,010 | 1,720 | 12.23 | 0.84 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $14.55 | $30,270 | $16,150 | $60,300 | 760 | 14.65 | 1.00 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $14.51 | $30,180 | $17,070 | $63,500 | 10,220 | 14.92 | 1.02 |
| Owensboro, KY | $14.32 | $29,790 | $16,210 | $60,900 | 780 | 15.80 | 1.08 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $14.08 | $29,280 | $15,970 | $57,810 | 1,010 | 20.01 | 1.37 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $13.85 | $28,810 | $16,070 | $60,390 | 1,250 | 15.24 | 1.04 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $10.48 | $21,790 | $15,080 | $47,440 | 1,570 | 15.24 | 1.04 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $12.99 | $27,030 | $15,940 | $59,440 | 1,880 | 10.86 | 0.74 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $13.00 | $27,030 | $16,050 | $59,440 | 630 | 6.81 | 0.47 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $11.13 | $23,150 | $15,670 | $59,440 | 1,820 | 10.59 | 0.73 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $10.64 | $22,140 | $15,950 | $56,800 | 1,640 | 12.71 | 0.87 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $14.26 | $29,660 | 27,150 | 0.93 |
| Illinois | $15.00 | $31,200 | 72,900 | 0.82 |
| Indiana | $13.69 | $28,480 | 43,620 | 0.93 |
| Missouri | $14.13 | $29,400 | 41,640 | 0.97 |
| Ohio | $17.65 | $36,700 | 77,250 | 0.95 |
| Tennessee | $13.35 | $27,760 | 52,120 | 1.09 |
| Virginia | $21.52 | $44,760 | 59,370 | 0.99 |
| West Virginia | $17.01 | $35,380 | 8,600 | 0.84 |
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (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.