Accountant salary in the West Kentucky nonmetro area
Hiring an accountant costs less in the West Kentucky nonmetro area than in Kentucky or the country as a whole. The median is $68,080 a year1: 9.6% below the Kentucky statewide median of $75,270 and 18.6% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#461 of 521). BLS counts about 600 people in this job here, 5% of the Kentucky total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the West Kentucky nonmetro area against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | $46,320 | $68,080 | $108,350 | |
| Kentucky | $50,750 | $75,270 | $121,230 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in the West Kentucky nonmetro area earns $56,010–$92,370. The top tenth earns $108,350 or more, 2.3 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. The mean ($74,670) is 10% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $36,360 wide, between the figure for Kentucky ($35,740) and the US figure ($42,790).
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,320 | $3,860 | $22.27 | $59,768 |
| 25th percentile | $56,010 | $4,668 | $26.93 | $72,271 |
| Median | $68,080 | $5,673 | $32.73 | $87,845 |
| 75th percentile | $92,370 | $7,698 | $44.41 | $119,187 |
| 90th percentile | $108,350 | $9,029 | $52.09 | $139,806 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $24,290 over the median, the 25th only $12,070 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $31,342 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the West Kentucky nonmetro area, and the Kentucky statewide median of $75,270 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the West Kentucky nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $19,765 to the $68,080 median and brings it to $87,845 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in the West Kentucky nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the West Kentucky nonmetro area, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($75,050); office managers come next at $61,130.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +10.2% | 460 | |
| Accountant | this role | 600 | |
| Office Manager | -10.2% | 1,090 | |
| Recruiter | -13.0% | 490 | |
| Executive Assistant | -16.1% | 130 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in the West Kentucky nonmetro area (-18.6%), between administrative assistants (-18.3%) and medical administrative assistants (-20.8%). The typical role here is at -18.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 5.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the West Kentucky nonmetro area, 6.0% across Kentucky and 9.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Kentucky
Across the 10 areas of Kentucky with data for this job, the median runs from $64,450 in the East Kentucky nonmetro area to $77,800 in Owensboro, a gap of $13,350 a year. All 4 areas in Kentucky with more accountants than the West Kentucky nonmetro area also pay more, among them Louisville, KY-IN ($76,320) and Lexington-Fayette, KY ($77,780).
| Area | Median | vs the West Kentucky nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown, KY | +8.7% | 250 | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | +8.2% | 280 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | +5.1% | 390 | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | +3.8% | 1,070 | |
| South Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | +3.7% | 810 | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | this area | 600 | |
| East Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -5.3% | 450 |
the West Kentucky nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the West Kentucky nonmetro area is #312 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Kentucky, Grand Island and Enid pay just above the West Kentucky nonmetro area and Hinesville and Lake Havasu City-Kingman just below. All four are within $630 a year of the median in the West Kentucky nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the West Kentucky nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medford, OR | +19.3% | 600 | jobs | |
| Missoula, MT | +7.1% | 600 | jobs | |
| Lake Charles, LA | +2.9% | 600 | jobs | |
| Enid, OK | +0.9% | 160 | pay | |
| Grand Island, NE | +0.0% | 300 | pay | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | this area | 600 | ||
| Hinesville, GA | -0.4% | 80 | pay | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -0.4% | 280 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in West Kentucky (Nonmetro)?
About $87,845 a year at the median, or $7,320 a month: $68,080 in pay plus about $19,765 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in the West Kentucky nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $68,080 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,320, the 90th $108,350, and the middle half earned $56,010 to $92,370.
Is the West Kentucky nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Kentucky for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $68,080 against $75,270 statewide. The next area up in Kentucky is the South Central Kentucky nonmetro area at $70,620, the next down the East Kentucky nonmetro area at $64,450.
How many accountants work in the West Kentucky nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 600 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Kentucky total of 11,930. 4 areas in Kentucky have more; the closest in size is the South Central Kentucky nonmetro area, with about 810.
Does an accountant cost more than an office manager in the West Kentucky nonmetro area?
Yes: $6,950 a year more at the median. The medians are $68,080 and $61,130.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.