Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Kentucky | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $134,160 | $175,358 | -23% |
| Median hourly wage | $64.50 | $84.31 | -23% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $148,736.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | $155,528 | $127,400 | $227,500 | 89 |
The median annual salary for a Dentist in Kentucky is $134,160, or about $64.50 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Dentists is $175,358. Kentucky is -23% below the national median.
Entry-level dentists in Kentucky typically earn from $127,400 depending on the city and employer.
With 790 dentist jobs on record and a median salary of $134,160, Kentucky offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, dentists rank 28 of the 699 occupations reported in Kentucky — higher than 96% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Cardiologists at $558,180, Anesthesiologists at $347,960, Neurologists at $338,850 — 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, dentists rank 28 of the 699 occupations reported in Kentucky — higher than 96% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Kentucky | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $558,180 | — |
| Anesthesiologists | $347,960 | $1,090 |
| Neurologists | $338,850 | $230 |
| Physicians, All Other | $327,390 | $3,340 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $324,390 | — |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $317,110 | $240 |
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.