Agricultural Equipment Operators Salary
The median pay for a agricultural equipment operators in Kentucky is $42,000/year ($20.19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $46,548 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 38.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Kentucky. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $42K get you in Kentucky?
About agricultural equipment operators
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Agricultural equipment operators pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $42K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 39.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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 agricultural equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track agricultural equipment operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a agricultural equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 39.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for agricultural equipment operators in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new agricultural equipment operators typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,216/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is agricultural equipment operator a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $42K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for agricultural equipment operators?
Kentucky pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do agricultural equipment operators make in Kentucky?
The median is $42,000 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,940, and experienced agricultural equipment operators can clear $84,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,842/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 39.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a agricultural equipment operators 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 agricultural equipment operators salary is worth about $46,548 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do agricultural equipment operators 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.