Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Kentucky | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $100,930 | $102,499 | -2% |
| Median hourly wage | $48.52 | $49.28 | -2% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $111,896.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | $87,260 | $59,150 | $113,750 | 89 |
The median annual salary for a Civil Engineer in Kentucky is $100,930, or about $48.52 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Civil Engineers is $102,499. Kentucky is -2% below the national median.
Entry-level civil engineers in Kentucky typically earn from $59,150 depending on the city and employer.
With 2,690 civil engineer jobs on record and a median salary of $100,930, Kentucky offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, civil engineers rank 75 of the 699 occupations reported in Kentucky — higher than 89% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Aerospace Engineers at $126,130, Chemical Engineers at $117,170, Computer Hardware Engineers at $116,200 — all figures are median annual wages for Kentucky.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Kentucky levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 89.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, civil engineers rank 75 of the 699 occupations reported in Kentucky — higher than 89% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Kentucky | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineers | $126,130 | $290 |
| Chemical Engineers | $117,170 | $190 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $116,200 | $500 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $107,760 | $300 |
| Environmental Engineers | $107,520 | $350 |
| Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | $103,300 | $230 |
Kentucky levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 89.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 699 occupations in Kentucky.