Food Service Managers Salary
Food Service Managers in Kentucky make a median of $70,410 a year, or about $33.85 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $78,034 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 24% 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 $70K get you in Kentucky?
About food service managers
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Food service managers pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $70K locally vs. $69K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 24.2% 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 food service managers (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Food Service Managers salary by metro in Kentucky
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $74K | +4% | 250 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $73K | +3% | 710 |
| Elizabethtown | $71K | +2% | 50 |
| Owensboro | $70K | -0% | 40 |
| Paducah | $67K | -5% | 50 |
| Bowling Green | $66K | -6% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track food service managers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food service manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 24.2% 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 food service managers in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food service managers typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,464/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food service manager a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $70K locally vs. $69K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for food service managers?
Kentucky pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $69K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food service managers make in Kentucky?
The median is $70,410 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,070, and experienced food service managers can clear $102,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,592/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 24.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a food service managers 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 food service managers salary is worth about $78,034 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food service managers 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.