What the numbers say
Kentucky's median wage for Electrical Engineers was $95,640 in 2024, roughly 16% below the national median of $114,360. That gap is real, but it tells only part of the story.
The spread within the state is wide. Engineers at the 10th percentile earned $60,210, while those at the 90th earned $137,400. Top earners in Kentucky make about 2.3 times what the lowest earners do. That kind of range usually reflects differences in job titles, how senior someone is, and the type of employer, whether that's a utility company, a manufacturer, or a defense contractor.
Kentucky's cost of living sits about 9% below the national average, based on BEA regional price data. After adjusting for what the money actually buys, the effective median comes closer to $105,600 in national-baseline dollars. That narrows the headline gap with the US median by about half.
On job growth, BLS projects employment for Electrical Engineers to expand 7.1% between 2024 and 2034, a rate it classifies as faster than average. Kentucky's manufacturing base and ongoing infrastructure investment in utilities create some of the demand behind that figure.
Around 1,600 Electrical Engineers work in the state, a modest total that reflects Kentucky's size and industrial mix. The mean wage of $96,190 sits just above the median, which tells us earnings are fairly evenly distributed across the workforce, without a small group of very high earners pulling the average far above the middle.
Salary distribution
Where Kentucky electrical engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $71,780 and $112,530, with a median of $95,640.
Electrical Engineers in Kentucky: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 24 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $104,438. 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 | 3 | $60,798 |
| Level II — qualified | 11 | $89,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 3 | $117,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 3 | $138,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Electrical Engineers in Kentucky. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS INC. | PRINCIPAL ELECTRICAL ENGINEER | 3 | $138,000 |
| Nucor Corporation | Environmental Technician | 3 | $82,472 |
| Elliot Engineering, Inc. | Power Engineer II | 2 | $100,000 |
| Tidas LLC | Electrical Engineer | 1 | $82,500 |
| Infineon Technologies Americas Corp. | Principal Engineer CAD | 1 | $180,000 |
| Moss & Associates, LLC | Project Engineer, Field Electrical | 1 | $70,000 |
| Electric Power Engineers, LLC | Senior Power Systems Engineer | 1 | $150,000 |
| Dematic Corp. | Controls Engineer | 1 | $107,598 |
| Denham-Blythe Company, Inc. | Electrical Designer | 1 | $60,000 |
| MASTEC SERVICES COMPANY, INC | RF Engineer | 1 | $104,231 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Electrical Engineer at Tidas LLC$82,500LouisvilleDecided Dec 11, 2025I-200-25338-456685
- Principal Engineer CAD at Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.$180,000LexingtonDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25309-376356
- Project Engineer, Field Electrical at Moss & Associates, LLC$70,000RobardDecided Nov 7, 2025I-200-25274-352064
- SENIOR ELECTRONICS ENGINEER at HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS INC.$117,000LOUISVILLEWage Level IIIDecided Sep 26, 2025I-200-25262-321312
- Environmental Technician at Nucor Corporation$82,472BrandenburgWage Level IIDecided Sep 26, 2025I-200-25262-321576
- Power Engineer at Nucor Corporation$125,777BrandenburgWage Level IIDecided Sep 12, 2025I-200-25248-290862
- Environmental Technician at Nucor Corporation$70,762BrandenburgWage Level IIDecided Jun 26, 2025I-200-25171-113944
- Senior Power Systems Engineer at Electric Power Engineers, LLC$150,000LexingtonWage Level IIIDecided Jun 25, 2025I-200-25168-102655
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.
Electrical Engineers 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.
Electrical Engineers specialties in Kentucky
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 7 certified offers. The most common variant is PRINCIPAL ELECTRICAL ENGINEER at a median of $110,250.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRINCIPAL ELECTRICAL ENGINEER | HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS INC. | 4 | $110,250 |
| Power Engineer | Elliot Engineering, Inc. | 3 | $125,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Electrical Engineers in Kentucky, by industry
Median offered wage across 20 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Manufacturing leads with a median of $116,156.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS INC. | 11 | $116,156 |
| Professional services | Elliot Engineering, Inc. | 8 | $75,629 |
| Technology and software | Tidas LLC | 1 | $82,500 |
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 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.7 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.7 / 5
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Writing
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Written Expression
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Design, implement, maintain, or improve electrical instruments, equipment, facilities, components, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, or domestic purposes.
- 02
Oversee project production efforts to assure projects are completed on time and within budget.
- 03
Direct or coordinate manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, support, documentation, or testing activities to ensure compliance with specifications, codes, or customer requirements.
- 04
Perform detailed calculations to compute and establish manufacturing, construction, or installation standards or specifications.
- 05
Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform engineering tasks.
- 06
Confer with engineers, customers, or others to discuss existing or potential engineering projects or products.
- 07
Investigate or test vendors' or competitors' products.
- 08
Collect data relating to commercial or residential development, population, or power system interconnection to determine operating efficiency of electrical systems.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+7.1%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for electrical engineers in major Kentucky metropolitan areas.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Electrical Engineers in Kentucky?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Electrical Engineers in Kentucky is $95,640.
- How does Kentucky compare to the national median for Electrical Engineers?
- The Kentucky median is -16.4% versus the BLS national figure of $114,360.
- What is the salary range for Electrical Engineers in Kentucky?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $60,210 and the 90th-percentile at $137,400, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Electrical Engineers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 7.1% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Electrical Engineers?
- 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.