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Production & Manufacturing

Engine and Other Machine Assemblers Salary

in Kentucky

In Kentucky, engine and other machine assemblers earn $41,580 at the median, or about $19.99 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $46,082 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 39.1% 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.

$42K
Median annual
$19.99/hr
Hourly rate
$38K
Entry level (10th %)
$48K
Senior level (90th %)

So what does $42K get you in Kentucky?

Estimated monthly take-home$2,815/mo
Median 2BR rent-$1,110/mo
Rent as % of take-home39.4% (above 30% guideline)
Cost-of-living adjusted salary$46,082/yr
Monthly remaining after rent$1,705/mo

About engine and other machine assemblers

Education: High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employed: 34,000
Kentucky employed: 1,180
Category: Production & Manufacturing

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What this looks like in Kentucky

Pay for engine and other machine assemblers in Kentucky runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $54K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 39.4% 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 engine and other machine assemblerss.

Compensation breakdown

Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky

Bar chart showing Engine and Other Machine Assemblers salary percentiles in Kentucky: 10th percentile $38,410, 25th percentile $38,410, median $41,580, 75th percentile $46,310, 90th percentile $48,350. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$38K25th$38KMedian$42K75th$46K90th$48K
Bar chart showing Engine and Other Machine Assemblers salary percentiles in Kentucky: 10th percentile $38,410, 25th percentile $38,410, median $41,580, 75th percentile $46,310, 90th percentile $48,350. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level engine and other machine assemblers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $10K spread from bottom to top.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a engine and other machine assembler afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?

It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 39.4% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.

What’s the entry-level salary for engine and other machine assemblers in Kentucky?

The 10th-percentile wage — what new engine and other machine assemblers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,305/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.

Is engine and other machine assembler a high-paying job in Kentucky?

Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $42K here vs. $54K 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 engine and other machine assemblers?

Kentucky pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.

How much do engine and other machine assemblers make in Kentucky?

The median is $41,580 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,410, and experienced engine and other machine assemblers can clear $48,350. 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 $2,815/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 39.4% 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 engine and other machine assemblers 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 engine and other machine assemblers salary is worth about $46,082 in national-average purchasing power.

Where do engine and other machine assemblers 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.

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