Cook salary in Kentucky
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A cook in Kentucky earns a median of $34,640 a year ($16.65/hour equivalent), 7.4% below the national median of $37,390. Kentucky ranks #45 of 51 states. About 13,510 people do this job in Kentucky.
Take-home pay in Kentucky
At the Kentucky median, a single filer keeps about $28,918 a year after federal, FICA and Kentucky taxes — $1,112 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Kentucky paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $1,332.31
- Federal income tax
- −$76.03
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$82.60
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$19.32
- Kentucky income tax
- −$42.11
- Take-home pay
- $1,112.25
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $34,640
- Federal
- $1,977
- FICA
- $2,650
- State + local
- $1,095
- Net
- $28,918
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- 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 | Washington | $46,800 |
| #2 | District of Columbia | $46,130 |
| #3 | Massachusetts | $45,600 |
| #4 | Hawaii | $45,420 |
| #5 | Vermont | $45,390 |
| #45 | Kentucky | $34,640 |
| #49 | West Virginia | $29,590 |
| #50 | Mississippi | $29,560 |
| #51 | Louisiana | $29,050 |
See the national cook salary page for the full pay range and all states.
BLS occupation: Cooks, Restaurant (SOC 35-2014), May 2025, state estimates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cook make in Kentucky?
The median salary is $34,640 a year and the average is $33,700 (BLS May 2025).
Is Kentucky a good state for cooks?
Kentucky ranks #45 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 7% below the national median of $37,390.
What is $34,640 after taxes in Kentucky?
About $28,918 a year ($1,112 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.