Life Scientists, All Other Salary
Life Scientists, All Others in Kentucky make a median of $75,670 a year, or about $36.38 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $83,863 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 22.3% of estimated take-home pay.
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 $76K get you in Kentucky?
About life scientists, all others
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for life scientists, all other in Kentucky runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $94K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 22.7% 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. Lower pay, lower costs, Kentucky can be a reasonable trade-off for life scientists, all others who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level life scientists, all others (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track life scientists, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a life scientists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 22.7% 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 life scientists, all others in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new life scientists, all others typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,091/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is life scientists, all other a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $76K here vs. $94K 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 life scientists, all others?
Kentucky pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — below the national median.
How much do life scientists, all others make in Kentucky?
The median is $75,670 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,190, and experienced life scientists, all others can clear $87,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,883/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 22.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a life scientists, all other 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 life scientists, all other salary is worth about $83,863 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do life scientists, all others 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.