BLS May 2025
Mechanic Salary in Kentucky
Only 3 states pay mechanics less than Kentucky. For automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 median is $44,890 a year, $5,730 below the national median of $50,620, and 11,140 wage and salary jobs sit behind it. Clarksville, TN-KY pays best at $49,570, 33 percent ahead of Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group
At a Glance
- 47th of 50 states on median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), $44,890 against $50,620 nationally.
- $67,920 for aircraft mechanics, 51 percent over automotive technicians.
- $49,570 in Clarksville, TN-KY, the best-paying area, against $37,240 in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
Clarksville, TN-KY Pays 33 Percent More Than Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
9 metropolitan areas are priced. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Lexington-Fayette, KY hold 9,690 jobs, and the largest of them pays $4,200 over the statewide $44,890.
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH at $37,240 and Clarksville, TN-KY at $49,570 mark the low and high of the state, 33 percent apart (areas with 500 or more jobs).
Rural pay sits below the state median of $44,890: 4 nonmetropolitan areas, 3,350 jobs, $37,030 to $39,550.
5 of the 9 areas, led by Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, extend into OH and IN and carry one figure for the whole area.
| Area | Median | Against Kentucky | 10th to 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $49,090 | +$4,200 | $35,090 to $80,820 | 4,520 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $47,440 | +$2,550 | $34,180 to $77,170 | 3,640 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $46,080 | +$1,190 | $31,550 to $74,620 | 1,530 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $37,240 | -$7,650 | $27,840 to $64,650 | 920 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $49,570 | +$4,680 | $32,730 to $77,490 | 730 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $42,860 | -$2,030 | $30,600 to $63,900 | 470 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $41,630 | -$3,260 | $30,790 to $73,010 | 350 |
| Owensboro, KY | $43,900 | -$990 | $30,710 to $71,800 | 290 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $43,260 | -$1,630 | $30,680 to $69,010 | 290 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $37,930 | -$6,960 | $28,460 to $65,740 | 1,030 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $39,020 | -$5,870 | $29,380 to $63,800 | 990 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $39,550 | -$5,340 | $29,320 to $72,080 | 820 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $37,030 | -$7,860 | $23,780 to $66,270 | 510 |
Mechanic Employment 23 Percent Above the National Rate in Kentucky
5.6 of every 1,000 jobs are technician jobs, 23 percent ahead of the national rate, a location quotient of 1.23. On concentration it ranks 10th of 50 states.
Among the trades, automotive technicians are the most concentrated, ahead of heavy equipment mechanics at 1.12.
20 Ranked Mechanic Programs in Kentucky
Kentucky has 20 ranked programs at 11 schools: 9 automotive, 6 diesel, 2 collision repair and 3 aviation maintenance. The top scorer is Elizabethtown Community and Technical College in Elizabethtown, KY at 64.3 out of 100 in diesel.
Among 20 priced programs the range is $4,728 annually, in-state at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (Elizabethtown, KY) to $4,808 per year, in-state at Bluegrass Community and Technical College (Lexington, KY).
1 ranked program is in Lexington-Fayette, KY, where the median is $46,080.
- Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Elizabethtown, KY, diesel, score 64.3, #14 of 76
- Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College Bowling Green, KY, collision repair, score 64.3, #13 of 59
- Jefferson Community and Technical College Louisville, KY, automotive, score 63.3, #53 of 415
- Gateway Community and Technical College Florence, KY, automotive, score 61.4, #75 of 415
- Jefferson Community and Technical College Louisville, KY, aviation maintenance, score 60.8, #37 of 148
- Owensboro Community and Technical College Owensboro, KY, diesel, score 60.4, #27 of 76
- Ashland Community and Technical College Ashland, KY, diesel, score 60.3, #28 of 76
- Bluegrass Community and Technical College Lexington, KY, automotive, score 55.8, #135 of 415
- Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College Bowling Green, KY, automotive, score 54.0, #166 of 415
- Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Elizabethtown, KY, automotive, score 52.8, #187 of 415
- Maysville Community and Technical College Maysville, KY, aviation maintenance, score 51.1, #83 of 148
- Owensboro Community and Technical College Owensboro, KY, automotive, score 50.9, #218 of 415
Best Mechanic Schools in Kentucky, with 20 programs ranked in the state
Aircraft Mechanics Out-Earn Auto Mechanics by $23,030 in Kentucky
The top trade, aircraft mechanics, pays $67,920 on 1,680 jobs, $23,030 more than the $44,890 automotive median. That leaves automotive technicians last among 5 trades.
| Trade | Kentucky median | U.S. median | Rank of 50 | Jobs | Best metro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic | $67,920 | $79,870 | 42nd | 1,680 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, $85,410 |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | $59,220 | $65,510 | 46th | 2,540 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, $63,200 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $55,480 | $61,770 | 45th | 3,890 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, $62,400 |
| Collision Repair Technician | $46,080 | $54,890 | 50th | 1,680 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN, $53,030 |
| Auto Mechanic | $44,890 | $50,620 | 47th | 11,140 | Clarksville, TN-KY, $49,570 |
Behind the national picture: aircraft mechanics ($67,920, -$11,950), heavy equipment mechanics ($59,220, -$6,290), diesel mechanics ($55,480, -$6,290) and collision repair technicians ($46,080, -$8,810).
Collision repair technicians are 50th of 50 states at $46,080, the trade that trails other states most.
Aircraft mechanics do best in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, where the median is $85,410.
Mechanic Salary in Kentucky Trails the National Median by $5,730
The 10th percentile sits at $30,210, $4,450 under the U.S. figure and the 90th stops at $73,910, $7,880 under the U.S. figure. The $43,700 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles nearly matches the national spread. For the top tenth of earners, Kentucky stands 49th nationally.
| Measure | Kentucky | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,210 | $34,660 | -$4,450 |
| 25th percentile | $35,980 | $38,900 | -$2,920 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $44,890 | $50,620 | -$5,730 |
| 75th percentile | $59,990 | $70,430 | -$10,440 |
| 90th percentile | $73,910 | $81,790 | -$7,880 |
| Mean | $47,990 | $56,420 | -$8,430 |
| Wage and salary jobs | 11,140 | 704,640 |
The 25th and 75th percentiles are $35,980 and $59,990, both below the national pair (-$2,920, -$10,440).
At $47,990, the mean sits just $3,100 over the median.
Note that $30,210 at the 10th percentile is a point in the distribution, not a starting wage.
Kentucky Between Alabama and Arkansas on Mechanic Pay
Arkansas is the closest, at $44,160, $730 less; Alabama is farther up at $45,640, $750 away.
6 other states fall within $2,500 of $44,890; 2 are inside $1,000. The order is tightly packed here.
Questions About Mechanic Salary in Kentucky
What is the average mechanic salary in Kentucky?
$44,890 at the median, or $21.58 an hour, which is $5,730 below the nation. The 10th percentile is $30,210 and the 90th $73,910.
Which part of Kentucky pays mechanics the most?
Clarksville, TN-KY, at $49,570 annually across 730 jobs, against $44,890 for the whole state and $37,240 in Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
Which mechanic school in Kentucky ranks highest?
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (Elizabethtown, KY) leads: with 64.3 points, from 20 ranked programs.
The figures here are the Bureau of Labor Statistics median for wage and salary workers, so the mechanic salary in Kentucky for any one job depends on the employer, the metro area and the trade.
Sources for Mechanic Salary in Kentucky
- BLS OEWS, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics May 2025, read October 23, 2026.
- BLS OEWS technical notes Wage and salary workers only.