Mechanical Engineer Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineers in Kentucky is $101,050/year ($48.58/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $140K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $111,992 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 17.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $101K actually covers in Kentucky, month by month
About mechanical engineers
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Mechanical engineers pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $101K locally vs. $104K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 17.7% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level mechanical engineers (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $101K. Top earners bring in $140K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Mechanical Engineers salary by metro in Kentucky
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $104K | +3% | 900 |
| Elizabethtown | $103K | +2% | 450 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $99K | -2% | 1,320 |
| Bowling Green | $99K | -2% | 130 |
| Owensboro | $98K | -3% | 50 |
| Paducah | $94K | -7% | 90 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a mechanical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $101K, rent takes 17.7% 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 mechanical engineers in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineers typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,313/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is mechanical engineer a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $101K locally vs. $104K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for mechanical engineers?
Kentucky pays $101K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $112K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mechanical engineers make in Kentucky?
The median is $101,050 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,370, and experienced mechanical engineers can clear $139,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $101K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,286/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 17.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a mechanical engineers 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 mechanical engineers salary is worth about $111,992 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do mechanical engineers 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.