Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in Kentucky is $126,130/year ($60.64/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $100K at the entry level to $172K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $139,787 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 14.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
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What $126K actually covers in Kentucky, month by month
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Aerospace engineers pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $126K locally vs. $135K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 14.5% 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 aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $100K. Mid-career wages sit at $126K. Top earners bring in $172K or more, a $72K spread from bottom to top.
Aerospace Engineers salary by metro in Kentucky
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $126K | +0% | 120 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $126K, rent takes 14.5% 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 aerospace engineers in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $100K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,252/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 18% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is aerospace engineer a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $126K locally vs. $135K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
Kentucky pays $126K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $140K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in Kentucky?
The median is $126,130 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $100,440, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $172,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $126K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,660/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 14.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a aerospace engineers 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 aerospace engineers salary is worth about $139,787 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do aerospace engineers 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.