Accountants and Auditors Salary
The median pay for a accountants and auditors in Kentucky is $75,270/year ($36.19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $83,420 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $75K get you in Kentucky?
About accountants and auditors
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Kentucky
Accountants and auditors pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $75K locally vs. $84K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 22.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level accountants and auditors (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $70K spread from bottom to top.
Accountants and Auditors salary by metro in Kentucky
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owensboro | $78K | +3% | 250 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $78K | +3% | 1,830 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $76K | +1% | 4,590 |
| Elizabethtown | $74K | -2% | 250 |
| Paducah | $74K | -2% | 280 |
| Bowling Green | $72K | -5% | 390 |
Compare to other states
Track accountants and auditors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
Related careers in Business & Finance
Frequently asked questions
Can a accountants and auditor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 22.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for accountants and auditors in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new accountants and auditors typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,045/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is accountants and auditor a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $75K locally vs. $84K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for accountants and auditors?
Kentucky pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $84K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — below the national median.
How much do accountants and auditors make in Kentucky?
The median is $75,270 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,750, and experienced accountants and auditors can clear $121,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,861/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 22.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a accountants and auditors salary go in Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median accountants and auditors salary is worth about $83,420 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do accountants and auditors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.