Parts Salespersons Salary
The median pay for a parts salespersons in Kentucky is $36,400/year ($17.5/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $40,341 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 44.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $36K get you in Kentucky?
About parts salespersons
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Parts salespersons pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $39K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 44.7% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level parts salespersons (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Parts Salespersons salary by metro in Kentucky
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $39K | +8% | 1,480 |
| Owensboro | $38K | +4% | 110 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $36K | +0% | 480 |
| Bowling Green | $36K | -0% | 200 |
| Elizabethtown | $36K | -1% | 130 |
| Paducah | $36K | -1% | 100 |
Compare to other states
Track parts salespersons salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a parts salesperson afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 44.7% 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 $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for parts salespersons in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new parts salespersons typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,446/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 77% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is parts salesperson a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $39K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for parts salespersons?
Kentucky pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do parts salespersons make in Kentucky?
The median is $36,400 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,100, and experienced parts salespersons can clear $59,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,486/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 44.7% 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 parts salespersons 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 parts salespersons salary is worth about $40,341 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do parts salespersons 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.