Childcare Workers pay in Kentucky
$30,520avg. a year
$14.67 an hour · 5,820 employed
Childcare Workers in Kentucky earn an average of $30,520 a year. That is $4,510 (13%) less than the U.S. average of $35,030. The best-paying metro area is Lexington-Fayette, KY at $33,910.
$28,920Median pay
$14.67Average hourly
+32%Avg. pay since 2020
#40Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Kentucky metro areas
Average pay for childcare workers by metro area. Swipe to see all 9.
1850 jobs
Lexington-Fayette, KY
$33,910
$16.30 an hour
21,720 jobs
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
$33,280
$16.00 an hour
32,390 jobs
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$32,160
$15.46 an hour
4170 jobs
Owensboro, KY
$29,430
$14.15 an hour
590 jobs
Elizabethtown, KY
$28,360
$13.63 an hour
6770 jobs
Clarksville, TN-KY
$28,010
$13.47 an hour
7210 jobs
Bowling Green, KY
$27,330
$13.14 an hour
890 jobs
Paducah, KY-IL
$27,300
$13.13 an hour
9540 jobs
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
$25,790
$12.40 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Childcare Workers pay in Kentucky, charted
Pay over time
Kentucky, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Kentucky childcare workers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Related jobs in Kentucky
- Recreation Workers$34,010
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$46,580
- Amusement and Recreation Attendants$28,960
- Animal Caretakers$34,070
- Residential Advisors$31,560
- Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other$37,130
Average pay, Kentucky, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do childcare workers make in Kentucky?
The average is $30,520 a year, and the median is $28,920. That is $4,510 (13%) less than the U.S. average of $35,030.
What is the hourly wage in Kentucky?
$14.67 an hour on average; the median is $13.90.
Where in Kentucky do they earn the most?
Lexington-Fayette, KY ($33,910), followed by Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN ($33,280). The lowest average among 9 metro areas with data is Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH ($25,790).
How does Kentucky rank?
Kentucky ranks #40 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 39-9011. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national childcare workers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.