Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Salary
In Kentucky, education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares earn $44,530 at the median, or about $21.41 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $49,352 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 36.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Kentucky?
About education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare in Kentucky runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 37% 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare salary by metro in Kentucky
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $46K | +4% | 350 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $46K | +3% | 140 |
| Bowling Green | $37K | -17% | 50 |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 37% 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 education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $45K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares?
Kentucky pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares make in Kentucky?
The median is $44,530 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares can clear $71,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,003/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 37% 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 education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare 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 education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare salary is worth about $49,352 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares 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.