Cook salary in Kentucky
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A cook in Kentucky earns a median of $23,500 a year ($11.30/hour equivalent), 23.9% below the national median of $30,890. Kentucky ranks #49 of 51 states. About 21,750 people do this job in Kentucky.
Take-home pay in Kentucky
At the Kentucky median, a single filer keeps about $20,257 a year after federal, FICA and Kentucky taxes — $779 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Kentucky paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $903.85
- Federal income tax
- −$28.46
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$56.04
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$13.11
- Kentucky income tax
- −$27.11
- Take-home pay
- $779.13
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $23,500
- Federal
- $740
- FICA
- $1,798
- State + local
- $705
- Net
- $20,257
- Marginal federal rate
- 10.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 3.5%
2026 federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and 2026 state rules. Estimates assume wages are your only income and use annual liability, so your actual withholding can differ slightly.
How Kentucky compares
| Rank | State | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hawaii | $48,120 |
| #2 | District of Columbia | $44,670 |
| #3 | California | $42,050 |
| #4 | Washington | $39,120 |
| #5 | New Hampshire | $38,590 |
| #49 | Kentucky | $23,500 |
| #50 | West Virginia | $23,120 |
| #51 | Mississippi | $22,670 |
See the national cook salary page for the full pay range and all states.
BLS occupation: Cooks, Fast Food (SOC 35-2011), May 2025, state estimates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cook make in Kentucky?
The median salary is $23,500 a year and the average is $25,300 (BLS May 2025).
Is Kentucky a good state for cooks?
Kentucky ranks #49 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 24% below the national median of $30,890.
What is $23,500 after taxes in Kentucky?
About $20,257 a year ($779 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.