Healthcare Social Workers Salary
In Kentucky, healthcare social workers earn $64,080 at the median, or about $30.81 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $71,019 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 26.4% 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 $64K get you in Kentucky?
About healthcare social workers
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Healthcare social workers pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $64K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,110/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level healthcare social workers (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Healthcare Social Workers salary by metro in Kentucky
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paducah | $79K | +23% | 70 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $69K | +8% | 620 |
| Bowling Green | $62K | -4% | 60 |
| Elizabethtown | $61K | -4% | 30 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $59K | -7% | 440 |
| Owensboro | $57K | -12% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track healthcare social workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a healthcare social worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 26.2% 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 healthcare social workers in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new healthcare social workers typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,581/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is healthcare social worker a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for healthcare social workers?
Kentucky pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do healthcare social workers make in Kentucky?
The median is $64,080 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,010, and experienced healthcare social workers can clear $86,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,242/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 26.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a healthcare social workers 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 healthcare social workers salary is worth about $71,019 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do healthcare social workers 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.