How Much Does a Paramedic Make in Kentucky in 2026?

A typical Paramedic in Kentucky earns about $23.99 per hour, or $49,890 per year, per the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $4,158 a month and $959 a week. Those figures represent typical pay for paramedics statewide, before factoring in city, experience, or setting.

Kentucky's typical pay runs 18% below the national figure of $60,600 a year. The state ranks 47th out of 51 states and territories tracked in the latest data. About 1,800 paramedics work in Kentucky, a small workforce compared with the 100,610 counted nationwide, but enough to support reliable pay figures across several cities.

Entry-level positions in Kentucky typically offer around $19.25 an hour, or about $40,050 a year, for paramedics just starting out. Pay for those with a bit more time in the field tends to run closer to $21.41 an hour, or $44,530 a year. Most paramedics move toward the state's typical pay of $23.99 an hour within a few years on the job.

Experienced Paramedics in Kentucky often earn upwards of $29.58 an hour, or $61,530 a year, and the top 10% of earners make over $32.13 an hour, or $66,820 a year. That leaves a spread of $26,770 between entry-level and top pay in the state. Setting, years on the job, and which city a paramedic works in all factor into where someone lands in that range.

Kentucky paramedics have seen typical pay grow from $37,470 in 2021 to $49,890 in 2025, a gain of $12,420 over that span, according to the latest government wage data. That climb hasn't been perfectly steady: pay peaked near $51,790 in 2023 before settling back down. Even with that dip, current pay sits well above where it started five years earlier.

Nationally, paramedic pay rose 30% over roughly the same period, according to government wage data. Kentucky's dollar gain reflects that broader upward trend, even though the state's typical pay remains below the national figure. For someone weighing this career in Kentucky now, the pattern shows pay has moved up in recent years, though it offers no guarantee of continued increases.

Pay runs highest in the Lexington area, where paramedics typically earn $63,210 a year, or $30.39 an hour, covering the full Fayette County metro area. That is 27% above the statewide figure. Louisville, covering the Jefferson County metro area, follows at $55,760 a year, or $26.81 an hour.

Ashland pays the least among Kentucky's tracked cities, at $43,750 a year ($21.03 an hour), a spread of $19,460 between the top- and lowest-paying areas in the state. Louisville employs the most paramedics of any Kentucky city, with about 490 working there, even though its pay sits below Lexington's. Higher pay in Lexington and Louisville tends to track higher living costs in those metro areas compared with smaller cities like Ashland.

Kentucky's neighboring states generally pay more. Illinois paramedics typically earn $60,660 a year, about 22% above Kentucky's figure, and Virginia, Indiana, and Missouri all pay similarly higher. West Virginia is the one exception, with typical pay of $48,460 a year, about 3% below Kentucky's. Paramedic licensure earned in one state can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, which can widen job options near state lines.

Kentucky paramedics typically earn $49,890 a year ($23.99 an hour), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025), up $12,420 from 2021. Pay varies by city, experience, and setting, with Lexington and Louisville paying the most. Readers considering this path in Kentucky can check the state's EMS licensing and registry requirements, and compare local figures on individual city pages for a closer look at pay near them.