StateRates

Paducah salaries

The median worker in the Paducah, KY-IL metro area earned $44,140 a year in 2024, about $21.22 an hour. That ranks #293 of the 391 metro areas published here, 10.8% below the national median.

Kentucky Illinois

Median pay $44,140 $21.22 per hour
Vs national -10.8% U.S. $49,500
Workers 50,590 wage and salary
Metro rank #293 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Paducah pays 3.5% less than Kentucky as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels 92.59× 1,080 $88,600
Sailors and Marine Oilers 82.96× 850 $42,970
Cooks, Fast Food 2.76× 600 $23,120
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 2.25× 610 $36,520
Nursing Assistants 1.66× 760 $36,620
Construction Laborers 1.63× 570 $45,780
Cashiers 1.54× 1,590 $27,840
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 1.53× 560 $37,750
Registered Nurses 1.51× 1,630 $77,400
Retail Salespersons 1.34× 1,670 $28,270
Waiters and Waitresses 1.31× 990 $20,510
General and Operations Managers 1.28× 1,500 $71,980

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Paducah
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Medical and Health Services Managers $100,380 $48.26 220
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels $88,600 $42.60 1,080
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $79,920 $38.42 280
Project Management Specialists $78,240 $37.61 250
Registered Nurses $77,400 $37.21 1,630
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $76,650 $36.85 290
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $74,780 $35.95 290
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $74,760 $35.94 240
General and Operations Managers $71,980 $34.61 1,500
Accountants and Auditors $66,000 $31.73 280
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $64,770 $31.14 240
Electricians $63,480 $30.52 460
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $62,320 n/a 230
Industrial Machinery Mechanics $61,520 $29.58 260
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $61,260 $29.45 410
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $60,720 n/a 280
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $60,590 $29.13 350
Human Resources Specialists $58,240 $28.00 200
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $58,190 n/a 400
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $56,140 $26.99 510
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $55,240 $26.56 440
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $52,950 $25.46 270
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $50,340 $24.20 610
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders $49,700 $23.90 270
Carpenters $48,900 $23.51 280
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers $47,750 $22.96 320
Construction Laborers $45,780 $22.01 570
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $44,880 $21.58 520
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $44,160 $21.23 560
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $43,610 $20.97 290
Sailors and Marine Oilers $42,970 $20.66 850
Light Truck Drivers $39,300 $18.89 430
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $39,220 $18.86 460
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $39,180 $18.84 270
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $38,790 $18.65 420
Medical Assistants $38,040 $18.29 480
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $37,750 $18.15 560
Pharmacy Technicians $37,270 $17.92 260
Nursing Assistants $36,620 $17.61 760
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $36,520 $17.56 610
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $36,400 $17.50 490
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $36,180 $17.40 1,010
Office Clerks, General $35,580 $17.10 790
Customer Service Representatives $35,060 $16.86 990
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $34,220 $16.45 210
Stockers and Order Fillers $32,530 $15.64 810
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $31,450 $15.12 340
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $31,200 $15.00 560
Receptionists and Information Clerks $31,180 $14.99 330
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $30,830 $14.82 570
Cooks, Restaurant $29,270 $14.07 520
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $29,120 $14.00 410
Driver/Sales Workers $29,120 $14.00 200
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $28,500 n/a 360
Retail Salespersons $28,270 $13.59 1,670
Cashiers $27,840 $13.38 1,590
Fast Food and Counter Workers $27,620 $13.28 1,100
Bartenders $26,090 $12.54 200
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $25,860 $12.43 240
Food Preparation Workers $24,200 $11.63 460

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Paducah by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Retail Salespersons 1,670 $28,270 $13.59
Registered Nurses 1,630 $77,400 $37.21
Cashiers 1,590 $27,840 $13.38
General and Operations Managers 1,500 $71,980 $34.61
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1,100 $27,620 $13.28
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels 1,080 $88,600 $42.60
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 1,010 $36,180 $17.40
Waiters and Waitresses 990 $20,510 $9.86
Customer Service Representatives 990 $35,060 $16.86
Sailors and Marine Oilers 850 $42,970 $20.66
Stockers and Order Fillers 810 $32,530 $15.64
Office Clerks, General 790 $35,580 $17.10
Nursing Assistants 760 $36,620 $17.61
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 610 $36,520 $17.56
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 610 $50,340 $24.20
Cooks, Fast Food 600 $23,120 $11.12
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 570 $30,830 $14.82
Construction Laborers 570 $45,780 $22.01
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 560 $31,200 $15.00
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 560 $37,750 $18.15

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Kentucky metro areas

Paducah pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Paducah?

The median across all occupations is $44,140, or $21.22 an hour, covering 50,590 wage and salary workers. The mean is $55,410, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Paducah pay more than the rest of Kentucky?

No. The metro median of $44,140 is 3.5% below the Kentucky median of $45,740. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Paducah?

Medical and Health Services Managers ($100,380), Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels ($88,600), First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers ($79,920). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Paducah unusually full of?

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels, at 92.59× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.