Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
62 Highest Paying Jobs in Lexington, KY (2026)
The highest-paying job in Lexington, KY, Kentucky is Family Medicine Physician with a median salary of $237,650 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data. Across all 62 tracked occupations the average median is $93,809, with 22 occupations paying a six-figure ($100K+) median. Lexington, KY has a cost-of-living index of 91.3 (national average = 100), so a $93,809 nominal salary equals $102,748 in average-cost-metro buying power.
The 62 occupations below are ranked by median wage in Lexington, KY, KY, from BLS OEWS data. Lexington, KY's cost-of-living index runs 91.3 (national baseline = 100), which shapes the headline-wage interpretation. Top-paying occupations in any U.S. metro typically cluster around physicians, dentists, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals. The specific top of the list varies with local industry concentration: tech-heavy metros boost software-engineering ranks, finance-heavy metros boost banking ranks.
Each role on the ranking links to the per-role-and-city page with full percentile distribution (p10 to p90), employment count, and cost-adjusted wage. For workers comparing offers within Lexington, KY, the percentile data is the most decision-relevant.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Lexington, KY
Ranked by median (50th percentile) salary. The COL-Adjusted column rebases each nominal salary to Lexington, KY's cost-of-living index of 91.3 so you can compare buying power against an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $237,650 · 10th–90th $106,880–$533,710 · 210 jobs in metro
Family Medicine Physicians in Lexington, KY earn $237,650 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $533,710. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $260,296 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $165,300 · 10th–90th $65,160–$338,450 · 250 jobs in metro
Pediatricians in Lexington, KY earn $165,300 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $338,450. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $181,051 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $144,160 · 10th–90th $88,460–$223,610 · 470 jobs in metro
Computer and Information Systems Managers in Lexington, KY earn $144,160 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $223,610. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $157,897 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $139,060 · 10th–90th $78,920–$276,860 · 40 jobs in metro
Optometrists in Lexington, KY earn $139,060 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $276,860. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $152,311 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $136,530 · 10th–90th $100,260–$161,260 · 1,060 jobs in metro
Pharmacists in Lexington, KY earn $136,530 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $161,260. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $149,540 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $135,760 · 10th–90th $89,400–$231,260 · 940 jobs in metro
Financial Managers in Lexington, KY earn $135,760 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $231,260. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $148,697 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $127,040 · 10th–90th $73,510–$203,860 · 330 jobs in metro
Marketing Managers in Lexington, KY earn $127,040 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $203,860. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $139,146 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $124,860 · 10th–90th $63,340–$248,590 · 950 jobs in metro
Sales Managers in Lexington, KY earn $124,860 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $248,590. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $136,758 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $123,510 · 10th–90th $79,770–$167,270 · 1,430 jobs in metro
Software Developers in Lexington, KY earn $123,510 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $167,270. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $135,279 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Median $123,070 · 10th–90th $102,040–$175,600 · 540 jobs in metro
Nurse Practitioners in Lexington, KY earn $123,070 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $175,600. The lower cost of living here means the median translates to $134,797 of buying power versus an average-cost metro — better than the nominal number suggests.
Full Ranking (62 Occupations)
| Rank | Role | Category | Median | 10th–90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $237,650 | $106,880–$533,710 | $260,296 | 210 |
| 2 | Pediatrician | Healthcare | $165,300 | $65,160–$338,450 | $181,051 | 250 |
| 3 | Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $144,160 | $88,460–$223,610 | $157,897 | 470 |
| 4 | Optometrist | Healthcare | $139,060 | $78,920–$276,860 | $152,311 | 40 |
| 5 | Pharmacist | Healthcare | $136,530 | $100,260–$161,260 | $149,540 | 1,060 |
| 6 | Financial Manager | Finance | $135,760 | $89,400–$231,260 | $148,697 | 940 |
| 7 | Marketing Manager | Management | $127,040 | $73,510–$203,860 | $139,146 | 330 |
| 8 | Sales Manager | Management | $124,860 | $63,340–$248,590 | $136,758 | 950 |
| 9 | Software Developer | Technology | $123,510 | $79,770–$167,270 | $135,279 | 1,430 |
| 10 | Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $123,070 | $102,040–$175,600 | $134,797 | 540 |
| 11 | Human Resources Manager | Management | $122,850 | $79,960–$207,160 | $134,556 | 270 |
| 12 | Dentist | Healthcare | $114,990 | $56,060–$164,380 | $125,947 | 160 |
| 13 | Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $112,230 | $52,010–$187,220 | $122,924 | 300 |
| 14 | Lawyer | Legal | $111,040 | $64,130–$213,600 | $121,621 | 1,040 |
| 15 | Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $109,890 | $64,960–$202,250 | $120,361 | 1,260 |
| 16 | Obstetrician/Gynecologist | Healthcare | $109,070 | $65,140–$389,320 | $119,463 | 130 |
| 17 | Veterinarian | Healthcare | $109,050 | $50,660–$214,870 | $119,441 | 330 |
| 18 | Computer Network Architect | Technology | $103,840 | $68,830–$172,230 | $113,735 | 240 |
| 19 | Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $103,820 | $68,490–$139,810 | $113,713 | 900 |
| 20 | Civil Engineer | Engineering | $103,090 | $67,340–$138,270 | $112,913 | 600 |
| 21 | Information Security Analyst | Technology | $102,190 | $65,230–$141,590 | $111,928 | 270 |
| 22 | Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $101,000 | $71,750–$134,790 | $110,624 | 1,160 |
| 23 | Management Analyst | Management | $99,190 | $57,720–$141,010 | $108,642 | 560 |
| 24 | Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $98,160 | $62,010–$151,600 | $107,514 | 200 |
| 25 | Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $95,820 | $67,360–$117,060 | $104,951 | 320 |
| 26 | Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $95,500 | $60,210–$135,510 | $104,600 | 780 |
| 27 | Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $94,710 | $65,700–$123,220 | $103,735 | 590 |
| 28 | Architect | Engineering | $93,640 | $58,590–$131,760 | $102,563 | 270 |
| 29 | Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $93,400 | $78,270–$149,430 | $102,300 | 110 |
| 30 | Network Architect | Technology | $92,390 | $62,760–$180,380 | $101,194 | 430 |
| 31 | Web Designer | Technology | $91,260 | $55,620–$123,790 | $99,956 | 70 |
| 32 | Computer Programmer | Technology | $90,850 | $67,900–$137,340 | $99,507 | 130 |
| 33 | Financial Examiner | Finance | $89,730 | $60,340–$140,400 | $98,280 | 120 |
| 34 | Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $89,430 | $39,430–$213,940 | $97,952 | 190 |
| 35 | Database Architect | Technology | $88,490 | $47,670–$127,500 | $96,922 | 110 |
| 36 | Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $87,470 | $65,570–$111,950 | $95,805 | 360 |
| 37 | Data Scientist | Technology | $84,460 | $61,890–$139,370 | $92,508 | 230 |
| 38 | Financial Analyst | Finance | $81,410 | $54,030–$132,120 | $89,168 | 430 |
| 39 | General and Operations Manager | Management | $80,440 | $38,900–$188,210 | $88,105 | 8,100 |
| 40 | Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $80,110 | $57,450–$96,790 | $87,744 | 410 |
| 41 | Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $79,610 | $48,250–$145,830 | $87,196 | 210 |
| 42 | Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $79,040 | $66,270–$107,880 | $86,572 | 8,070 |
| 43 | Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $78,800 | $47,140–$123,030 | $86,309 | 0 |
| 44 | Accountant | Finance | $77,780 | $53,900–$125,880 | $85,192 | 1,830 |
| 45 | Web Developer | Technology | $74,590 | $61,600–$108,450 | $81,698 | 130 |
| 46 | Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $74,260 | $45,160–$241,770 | $81,336 | 200 |
| 47 | Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $72,500 | $58,970–$106,240 | $79,409 | 140 |
| 48 | Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $70,980 | $40,900–$108,620 | $77,744 | 200 |
| 49 | Market Research Analyst | Management | $65,280 | $40,680–$156,200 | $71,501 | 1,140 |
| 50 | Secondary School Teacher | Education | $64,850 | $48,560–$83,310 | $71,030 | 1,540 |
| 51 | Loan Officer | Finance | $63,760 | $43,570–$134,220 | $69,836 | 420 |
| 52 | Paralegal | Legal | $63,640 | $43,260–$79,750 | $69,704 | 640 |
| 53 | Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $62,380 | $41,060–$107,820 | $68,324 | 520 |
| 54 | Plumber | Trades | $61,870 | $45,280–$96,190 | $67,766 | 810 |
| 55 | Elementary School Teacher | Education | $61,460 | $47,140–$82,820 | $67,317 | 2,420 |
| 56 | Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $59,710 | $38,900–$87,530 | $65,400 | 980 |
| 57 | Graphic Designer | Creative | $58,880 | $39,140–$88,410 | $64,491 | 380 |
| 58 | Electrician | Trades | $57,320 | $36,420–$78,330 | $62,782 | 1,500 |
| 59 | Welder | Trades | $53,680 | $40,170–$66,300 | $58,795 | 480 |
| 60 | Carpenter | Trades | $52,030 | $37,660–$75,340 | $56,988 | 1,200 |
| 61 | Writer/Author | Creative | $51,170 | $37,950–$73,770 | $56,046 | 50 |
| 62 | Automotive Technician | Trades | $46,080 | $31,550–$74,620 | $50,471 | 1,530 |
Why These Roles Pay the Most in Lexington, KY
Lexington, KY's pay distribution reflects its mix of regional employers and industries, plus the local cost of living that affects nominal salary levels in the BLS data.
An average median salary above $90K places this metro in the top tier of U.S. cities for nominal pay. Most of that premium accrues to the upper percentiles of skilled and managerial occupations; entry-level and service-sector pay is closer to national norms.
Lexington, KY's cost-of-living index of 91.3 runs 9% below the U.S. national average. Lower nominal pay here often translates to comparable or better purchasing power than higher headline numbers in coastal hubs — see the COL-Adjusted column for the apples-to-apples figure.
How to Use This Ranking
For salary negotiation, the median is a starting anchor — not the ceiling. A Family Medicine Physician with five-plus years of experience in Lexington, KY should be benchmarking against the 75th percentile ($385,680) or 90th percentile ($533,710), not the $237,650 median. Use the salary percentile calculator to place any specific salary into the BLS distribution for any role-and-city pair.
For cross-city comparisons, ignore the nominal Median column and look at COL-Adjusted. A $238K Family Medicine Physician salary in Lexington, KY (COL 91.3) translates to $260K of buying power in an average-cost metro — that is the apples-to-apples figure when weighing a relocation. Read the methodology behind these adjustments in our methodology page.
For job hunting, focus on the top-10 ranking above and on the role-by-role detail pages — each links through to a Family Medicine Physician in Lexington, KY page with full percentile breakdowns, year-over-year change, and prevailing-wage references for H-1B / PERM applicants.
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest paying job in Lexington, KY is Family Medicine Physician with a median salary of $237,650 and a 90th-percentile reading of $533,710. The role employs roughly 210 workers in this metro according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2025 OEWS data.
22 of the 62 BLS-tracked occupations in Lexington, KY have a median salary of $100,000 or higher. That is well above what most U.S. metros offer. See the full list ranked by median salary above.
Across 62 BLS-tracked occupations, the average median salary in Lexington, KY is $93,809. The cost-of-living index is 91.3, so adjusted to a national-average baseline, the average is $102,748 in equivalent purchasing power.
Lexington, KY has a cost-of-living index of 91.3, below the national average. Nominal pay translates better than face value, making it a strong choice for many careers — particularly the Family Medicine Physician, Pediatrician, Computer and Information Systems Manager occupations at the top of the ranking.
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers across all industries. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile wages by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. The same data is used by the Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Related Pages
Rankings based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 reference period. COL adjustments use a composite cost-of-living index calibrated to U.S. average = 100.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.