Social Worker salary in Kentucky
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A Social Worker in Kentucky earns a median of $59,100 a year ($28.41/hour equivalent), 0.8% below the national median of $59,550. Kentucky ranks #26 of 51 states. About 8,470 people do this job in Kentucky.
Take-home pay in Kentucky
At the Kentucky median, a single filer keeps about $47,716 a year after federal, FICA and Kentucky taxes — $1,835 every two weeks. Try your own numbers with the Kentucky paycheck calculator.
- Gross pay
- $2,273.08
- Federal income tax
- −$188.92
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$140.93
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$32.96
- Kentucky income tax
- −$75.03
- Take-home pay
- $1,835.23
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $59,100
- Federal
- $4,912
- FICA
- $4,521
- State + local
- $1,951
- Net
- $47,716
- 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 | Connecticut | $78,970 |
| #2 | Maryland | $76,390 |
| #3 | New Jersey | $76,280 |
| #4 | Massachusetts | $75,570 |
| #5 | Washington | $74,480 |
| #26 | Kentucky | $59,100 |
| #49 | Mississippi | $46,530 |
| #50 | Oklahoma | $43,950 |
| #51 | Arkansas | $43,330 |
See the national Social Worker salary page for the full pay range and all states.
BLS occupation: Child, Family, and School Social Workers (SOC 21-1021), May 2025, state estimates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Social Worker make in Kentucky?
The median salary is $59,100 a year and the average is $59,270 (BLS May 2025).
Is Kentucky a good state for child?
Kentucky ranks #26 of 51 states for median pay in this job, 1% below the national median of $59,550.
What is $59,100 after taxes in Kentucky?
About $47,716 a year ($1,835 every two weeks) for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.