Skilled Wages

Electrician salary in Kentucky

Median $28.71 an hour for 11,030 electricians, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$28.71/hrMedian hourly wageKentucky, May data
$59,720/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.84 – $40.9910th to 90th percentilehourly range
11,030Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Electrician pay in Kentucky: the full range

Wage percentiles, KentuckyMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrKentucky: 10th $17.84 · 25th $22.37 · median $28.71 · 75th $37.46 · 90th $40.99Kentucky$28.71$17.84$40.99United States: 10th $20.50 · 25th $23.76 · median $30.38 · 75th $40.36 · 90th $52.17United States$30.38
Hourly wage percentiles for electricians: Kentucky vs United States, May 2025.

Kentucky ranks 43rd of 51 states for median electrician pay, and 35th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $31.83). 11,030 electricians work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.3× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$17.84 – $22.37$37,110 – $46,540roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.37 – $37.46$46,540 – $77,920the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$37.46 – $40.99$77,920 – $85,260the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Electrician pay by metro in Kentucky

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrPaducah: $35.54Paducah$35.54Huntington: $30.59Huntington$30.59Cincinnati: $30.53Cincinnati$30.53Louisville: $30.02Louisville$30.02Clarksville: $28.21Clarksville$28.21Lexington: $27.56Lexington$27.56Bowling Green: $26.80Bowling Green$26.80Owensboro: $26.46Owensboro$26.46Elizabethtown: $26.18Elizabethtown$26.18
Median hourly wage for electricians by metro area in Kentucky, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Paducah$18.71$35.54$41.28$43.0240024% above
Huntington$18.22$30.59$34.60$46.448707% above
Cincinnati$18.52$30.53$32.00$47.245,6406% above
Louisville$18.13$30.02$32.24$40.994,3405% above
Clarksville$19.28$28.21$31.03$43.945002% below
Lexington$17.51$27.56$29.67$37.661,5004% below
Bowling Green$17.40$26.80$29.71$44.834807% below
Owensboro$17.40$26.46$29.86$41.062608% below
Elizabethtown$18.08$26.18$28.90$34.783009% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Electrician wages in Kentucky over time

Kentucky, 1999-2025KentuckyUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$30.38United States$28.71Kentucky
Median hourly wage for electricians, Kentucky vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearKentucky $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$17.05$32.95$19.1310,130
2000$17.14$32.04$19.299,170
2001$18.27$33.21$19.609,300
2002$18.76$33.57$19.908,150
2003$19.00$33.24$20.047,570
2004$19.56$33.34$20.337,620
2005$18.55$30.58$20.577,460
2006$19.21$30.68$20.978,280
2007$18.94$29.41$21.538,960
2008$19.79$29.59$22.329,540
2009$19.29$28.95$22.689,300
2010$20.77$30.67$23.208,050
2011$21.20$30.34$23.717,580
2012$21.95$30.78$23.967,330
2013$21.82$30.15$24.287,100
2014$22.37$30.42$24.577,510
2015$23.14$31.43$24.947,850
2016$24.09$32.31$25.358,130
2017$25.12$32.99$26.018,870
2018$25.07$32.14$26.539,550
2019$24.99$31.47$27.019,880
2020$24.53$30.51$27.369,610
2021$23.29$27.67$28.879,260
2022$25.28$27.81$28.969,210
2023$27.47$29.02$29.619,620
2024$28.60$29.35$29.9810,320
2025$28.71$28.71$30.3811,030

In today's dollars, the median electrician wage in Kentucky changed by -8.7% over the last ten years of data and by -8.8% since 2019.

Are there more electrician jobs in Kentucky?

+11.6%Jobs since 20199,880 then, 11,030 in 2025
+40.5%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
5.5Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.1× the US share, 18th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of electricians counted in Kentucky has changed by +8.9%, against +23.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +11.6%.

Electricians in Kentucky vs United States, 1999 = 100KentuckyUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages6080100120140200020052010201520202025124United States109Kentucky
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Kentucky vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearKentucky jobsKentucky indexUS index
199910,130100100
20009,17090105
20019,30092102
20028,1508097
20037,5707595
20047,6207595
20057,4607499
20068,28082101
20078,96088102
20089,54094103
20099,3009295
20108,0508084
20117,5807584
20127,3307285
20137,1007089
20147,5107493
20157,8507897
20168,1308099
20178,87088103
20189,55094107
20199,88098112
20209,61095107
20219,26091106
20229,21091113
20239,62095116
202410,320102121
202511,030109124

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for electricians in Kentucky

+3.9%Projected growth in Kentucky2024–2034, state agency
1,020Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
11,190Jobs in 202411,620 projected for 2034
+9.2%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Kentucky's labor market agency projects the number of electricians in the state to change by +3.9% between 2024 and 2034, from 11,190 to 11,620, with about 1,020 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +9.2% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 11,030 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Kentucky labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for electricians in Kentucky

On federally funded construction in Kentucky, contractors must pay electricians at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 94 of the 120 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $63.40 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $42.47). 26 of the 120 counties still use a survey rate dated 2015 or earlier (for example Anderson County at $42.47). The market median for the state is $28.71.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, KYAdair: $70.50 (union)Allen: $63.40 (union)Anderson: $42.47 (survey)Ballard: $55.89 (union)Barren: $70.50 (union)Bath: $42.47 (survey)Bell: $70.50 (union)Boone: $61.02 (union)Bourbon: $63.40 (union)Boyd: $70.50 (union)Boyle: $42.47 (survey)Bracken: $61.02 (union)Breathitt: $70.50 (union)Breckinridge: $55.89 (union)Bullitt: $63.40 (union)Butler: $63.40 (union)Caldwell: $55.89 (union)Calloway: $55.89 (union)Campbell: $61.02 (union)Carlisle: $55.89 (union)Carroll: $42.47 (survey)Carter: $70.50 (union)Casey: $70.50 (union)Christian: $39.71 (survey)Clark: $63.40 (union)Clay: $70.50 (union)Clinton: $70.50 (union)Crittenden: $55.89 (union)Cumberland: $70.50 (union)Daviess: $57.13 (union)Edmonson: $63.40 (union)Elliott: $70.50 (union)Estill: $42.47 (survey)Fayette: $63.40 (union)Fleming: $42.47 (survey)Floyd: $70.50 (union)Franklin: $42.47 (survey)Fulton: $55.89 (union)Gallatin: $61.02 (union)Garrard: $42.47 (survey)Grant: $61.02 (union)Graves: $55.89 (union)Grayson: $55.89 (union)Green: $70.50 (union)Greenup: $70.50 (union)Hancock: $57.13 (union)Hardin: $63.40 (union)Harlan: $70.50 (union)Harrison: $42.47 (survey)Hart: $70.50 (union)Henderson: $57.13 (union)Henry: $63.40 (union)Hickman: $55.89 (union)Hopkins: $55.89 (union)Jackson: $70.50 (union)Jefferson: $63.40 (union)Jessamine: $63.40 (union)Johnson: $70.50 (union)Kenton: $61.02 (union)Knott: $70.50 (union)Knox: $70.50 (union)Larue: $63.40 (union)Laurel: $70.50 (union)Lawrence: $70.50 (union)Lee: $70.50 (union)Leslie: $70.50 (union)Letcher: $70.50 (union)Lewis: $42.47 (survey)Lincoln: $42.47 (survey)Livingston: $55.89 (union)Logan: $70.50 (union)Lyon: $55.89 (union)McCracken: $55.89 (union)McCreary: $70.50 (union)McLean: $57.13 (union)Madison: $42.47 (survey)Magoffin: $70.50 (union)Marion: $70.50 (union)Marshall: $55.89 (union)Martin: $70.50 (union)Mason: $42.47 (survey)Meade: $63.40 (union)Menifee: $42.47 (survey)Mercer: $42.47 (survey)Metcalfe: $70.50 (union)Monroe: $70.50 (union)Montgomery: $42.47 (survey)Morgan: $70.50 (union)Muhlenberg: $55.89 (union)Nelson: $63.40 (union)Nicholas: $42.47 (survey)Ohio: $55.89 (union)Oldham: $63.40 (union)Owen: $42.47 (survey)Owsley: $70.50 (union)Pendleton: $61.02 (union)Perry: $70.50 (union)Pike: $53.67 (survey)Powell: $42.47 (survey)Pulaski: $70.50 (union)Robertson: $42.47 (survey)Rockcastle: $42.47 (survey)Rowan: $42.47 (survey)Russell: $70.50 (union)Scott: $63.40 (union)Shelby: $63.40 (union)Simpson: $70.50 (union)Spencer: $63.40 (union)Taylor: $70.50 (union)Todd: $55.89 (union)Trigg: $39.71 (survey)Trimble: $63.40 (union)Union: $55.89 (union)Warren: $63.40 (union)Washington: $42.47 (survey)Wayne: $70.50 (union)Webster: $57.13 (union)Whitley: $70.50 (union)Wolfe: $70.50 (union)Woodford: $63.40 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$42.47$57.13$63.40survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for electricians by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$20$40$60$80/hrBoyd (Huntington): market median $30.59, prevailing (union) $70.50, gap +$39.91Boyd (Huntington)+$39.91Hardin (Elizabethtown): market median $26.18, prevailing (union) $63.40, gap +$37.22Hardin (Elizabethtown)+$37.22Allen (Bowling Green): market median $26.80, prevailing (union) $63.40, gap +$36.60Allen (Bowling Green)+$36.60Bourbon (Lexington): market median $27.56, prevailing (union) $63.40, gap +$35.84Bourbon (Lexington)+$35.84Bullitt (Louisville): market median $30.02, prevailing (union) $63.40, gap +$33.38Bullitt (Louisville)+$33.38Daviess (Owensboro): market median $26.46, prevailing (union) $57.13, gap +$30.67Daviess (Owensboro)+$30.67Boone (Cincinnati): market median $30.53, prevailing (union) $61.02, gap +$30.49Boone (Cincinnati)+$30.49Ballard (Paducah): market median $35.54, prevailing (union) $55.89, gap +$20.35Ballard (Paducah)+$20.35Christian (Clarksville): market median $28.21, prevailing (survey) $39.71, gap +$11.50Christian (Clarksville)+$11.50
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for electricians, metro counties in Kentucky.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdairUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260037
BarrenUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260042
BellUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260019
BoydUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260101
BreathittUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260043
CarterUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260022
CaseyUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260042
ClayUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260043
ClintonUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260042
CumberlandUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260042
ElliottUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260043
FloydUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260043
GreenUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260042
GreenupUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260101
HarlanUnion ELEC0317-005 2025-06-02$41.15$29.35$70.50KY20260043

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Kentucky prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Kentucky?

95.6kConstruction jobsKentucky, 2026-09
+0.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202640k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202596kSep 2026
Construction employment in Kentucky (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at electrical contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just electricians), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages. Across the 92 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 43,567 in 2015 to 56,410 in 2025, +29.5%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Laurel County19230$145,952$2,807
Boone County42392$91,088$1,752
Grant County9113$88,705$1,706
Johnson County626$88,290$1,698
Webster County4334$84,448$1,624
Warren County52630$81,580$1,569
Jefferson County2133,669$81,296$1,563
Floyd County88$77,369$1,488
Kenton County58497$70,409$1,354
Pendleton County710$69,520$1,337
Fayette County1001,427$67,225$1,293
Larue County344$65,174$1,253

Keep comparing

Electrician pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Kentucky

More on Kentucky

Questions this page answers

How much do electricians make in Kentucky?

The median electrician in Kentucky earned $28.71 an hour ($59,720 a year) in May 2025, 5% below the national median of $30.38. The middle half earn $22.37–$37.46; the top 10% earn more than $40.99.

Where does Kentucky rank for electrician pay?

Kentucky ranks 43rd of 51 states for electrician pay, with a median of $28.71 an hour, and 35th after adjusting for Kentucky's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.2, US = 100).

What is the union electrician rate in Kentucky?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for electricians in 94 counties, with a typical package of $63.40 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many electricians work in Kentucky?

BLS counted 11,030 electricians in Kentucky in May 2025, 5.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.13; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is electrician work growing in Kentucky?

The BLS employer survey count of electricians in Kentucky went from 7,850 in 2015 to 11,030 in 2025, +40.5%, and +11.6% since 2019. Kentucky's labor market agency projects +3.9% growth for electricians between 2024 and 2034, from 11,190 to 11,620 jobs.

How many electrician openings a year are there in Kentucky?

Kentucky projects about 1,020 openings a year for electricians over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 72,700 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Kentucky and metro areas, SOC 47-2111. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Kentucky labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.