Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Kentucky | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $51,470 | $53,934 | -5% |
| Median hourly wage | $24.75 | $25.93 | -5% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $57,062.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Welder in Kentucky is $51,470, or about $24.75 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Welders is $53,934. Kentucky is -5% below the national median.
Entry-level welders in Kentucky typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 6,630 welder jobs on record and a median salary of $51,470, Kentucky offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, welders rank 389 of the 699 occupations reported in Kentucky — higher than 44% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $105,600, Chemical Plant and System Operators at $97,550, Power Plant Operators at $93,400 — 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, welders rank 389 of the 699 occupations reported in Kentucky — higher than 44% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Kentucky | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $105,600 | $140 |
| Chemical Plant and System Operators | $97,550 | $40 |
| Power Plant Operators | $93,400 | $690 |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $78,670 | $520 |
| Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders | $75,620 | $240 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $72,490 | $13,820 |
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.