Data Scientists in Kentucky. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median Data Scientist wage in Kentucky was $93,490 in 2024, about 19% below the national median of $115,636. That gap is real, but it shrinks once you account for what the money actually buys. Kentucky's cost-of-living index sits at 90.6, meaning everyday expenses run roughly 10% below the national baseline. Adjusted for that, the in-state median lands closer to $103,200 in national-baseline dollars, which cuts the gap to around 11%.
The spread from bottom to top is wide. Data Scientists at the 10th percentile earned $58,130, while those at the 90th earned $160,460. Top earners made nearly three times what entry-level peers did. That range reflects how much experience, industry, and specialization drive pay in this field, even within a single state.
About 1,700 Data Scientists were employed in Kentucky in 2024. That is a relatively small base, which can make individual hiring decisions move the state median in ways that are less likely in larger labor markets like Texas or California.
BLS projects this occupation to grow 33.5% nationally between 2024 and 2034, a pace it classifies as much faster than average. Kentucky-specific projections are not published at this level of detail, so the national figure is the best available reference.
Salary distribution
Where Kentucky data scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $75,620 and $121,850, with a median of $91,760.
Data Scientists in Kentucky: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 119 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $91,562. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 21 | $70,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 53 | $85,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 21 | $125,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 21 | $126,048 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Data Scientists in Kentucky. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archer Daniels Midland Company | Data Engineer II | 19 | $100,000 |
| Humana Inc. | Business Intelligence Lead | 6 | $118,043 |
| Infineon Technologies Americas Corp. | Data Scientist | 5 | $97,850 |
| HealthTech Solutions LLC | Senior Data Analyst | 3 | $113,000 |
| McKesson Corporation | Sr. SAP Business Analyst | 3 | $129,168 |
| NTT DATA Americas, Inc. | Enterprise Resource Planning Advisor | 3 | $126,048 |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY | Biomedical Data Scientist | 3 | $76,000 |
| CALIFORNIA CREATIVE SOLUTIONS, INC. | BI Analyst | 2 | $76,960 |
| COOLSOFT LLC | IT Business Analyst | 2 | $94,661 |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company d/b/a Fidelity Investments | Senior Manager, Data Analytics and Insights | 2 | $105,484 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Data Scientist at CVS Shared Services Resources LLC$125,000FlorenceWage Level IVDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-716892
- Senior Manager, Data Analytics and Insights at Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company d/b/a Fidelity Investments$110,005CovingtonDecided Mar 19, 2026I-200-26071-698634
- Data Analyst at A&W Restaurants, Inc.$78,229LexingtonWage Level IIDecided Mar 17, 2026I-200-26069-691781
- Health Data Scientist at Louisville Jefferson County Metro Government$74,152LouisvilleWage Level IDecided Mar 9, 2026I-200-26061-673062
- IT Business Analyst at COOLSOFT LLC$91,562FrankfortWage Level IIDecided Feb 27, 2026I-200-26051-654679
- ERP Senior Specialist at NTT DATA Americas, Inc.$126,048LouisvilleWage Level IVDecided Feb 24, 2026I-200-26048-646729
- Clinical Data Analyst at Raapid Inc.$70,000LouisvilleWage Level IDecided Feb 12, 2026I-200-26036-621593
- Data Scientist at SKORUZ TECHNOLOGIES INC.$84,000LexingtonWage Level IIDecided Feb 9, 2026I-200-26033-614163
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Data Scientists pay by experience level in Kentucky
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Data Scientists specialties in Kentucky
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 56 certified offers. The most common variant is Data Scientist at a median of $111,300.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist | Infineon Technologies Americas Corp. | 17 | $111,300 |
| Data Analyst | HealthTech Solutions LLC | 13 | $82,514 |
| Data Engineer | Archer Daniels Midland Company | 12 | $92,730 |
| Senior Manager, Data Analytics and Insights | Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company d/b/a Fidelity Investments | 6 | $103,068 |
| Business Analyst | ACSE Solutions, LLC | 4 | $92,860 |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | 4 | $83,939 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Data Scientists in Kentucky, by industry
Median offered wage across 113 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $83,221.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | NTT DATA Americas, Inc. | 39 | $83,221 |
| Manufacturing | Archer Daniels Midland Company | 31 | $100,000 |
| Professional services | Humana Inc. | 19 | $114,400 |
| Education | UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY | 7 | $75,941 |
| Retail and wholesale | AMERISOURCEBERGEN SERVICES CORPORATION | 5 | $115,500 |
| Finance and insurance | Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company d/b/a Fidelity Investments | 5 | $100,963 |
| Healthcare | Trilogy Management Services, LLC | 2 | $92,092 |
| Transportation and logistics | Wen-Parker Logistics, Inc. | 1 | $64,085 |
| Energy and utilities | LandisGyr Technology, Inc. | 1 | $80,000 |
| Government and public sector | Louisville Jefferson County Metro Government | 1 | $74,152 |
| Media and entertainment | Churchill Downs Incorporated | 1 | $90,000 |
| Nonprofit and civic | American Board of Family Medicine, Inc | 1 | $100,460 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Kentucky over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+33.5%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for data scientists in major Kentucky metropolitan areas.
- Louisville$99,980
Compare Data Scientists pay across nearby states
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Data Scientists in Kentucky?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Data Scientists in Kentucky is $91,760.
- How does Kentucky compare to the national median for Data Scientists?
- The Kentucky median is -23.6% versus the BLS national figure of $120,042.
- What is the salary range for Data Scientists in Kentucky?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $61,990 and the 90th-percentile at $156,480, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Data Scientists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 33.5% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Data Scientists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.