Baker Salary in Louisville, KY
Bakers in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area earn a median $36,430 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,294 take-home, or $2,525 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median baker salary in Louisville, KY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,192
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,259
- Medicare (1.45%)$528
- Kentucky income tax$1,157
- Take-home pay$30,294
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.50% state
The Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro spans Kentucky, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Baker pay by experience in Louisville, KY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,390 | $13.17 | $23,325 | $1,944 |
| 25th percentile | $29,910 | $14.38 | $25,283 | $2,107 |
| Median (50th) | $36,430 | $17.51 | $30,294 | $2,525 |
| 75th percentile | $45,320 | $21.79 | $37,126 | $3,094 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $50,560 | $24.31 | $41,153 | $3,429 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Kentucky resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,430 buys in Louisville, KY
Prices in Louisville, KY are 6.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median baker's $30,294 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,548 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Baker jobs are less concentrated in Louisville, KY than nationally (location quotient 0.59), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for bakers, adjusted for cost of living
Louisville, KY ranks #20 of 98 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chattanooga, TN | $40,880 | $35,027 | $38,296 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $48,180 | $40,893 | $36,796 |
| 3 | Spokane, WA | $42,770 | $36,546 | $36,420 |
| 4 | Bakersfield, CA | $42,470 | $35,064 | $34,756 |
| 5 | Des Moines, IA | $37,680 | $31,676 | $34,543 |
| 6 | Stockton, CA | $43,760 | $36,033 | $34,288 |
| 7 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $47,150 | $37,986 | $34,234 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $39,890 | $34,232 | $34,158 |
| 20 | Louisville, KY | $36,430 | $30,294 | $32,548 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 98 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a baker make in Louisville, KY?
The median baker salary in the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area is $36,430 a year, or about $17.51 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $29,910 and $45,320.
What is a baker’s take-home pay in Louisville, KY?
On the median $36,430 salary, a single filer living in Kentucky takes home about $30,294 a year ($2,525 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,157 in Kentucky taxes in 2026.
Is Louisville, KY a good place to work as a baker?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $37,160. Local prices are 6.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,548 would in a typical U.S. city. Louisville, KY ranks #20 of 98 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a baker afford rent in Louisville, KY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Louisville, KY is $1,026 a month ($1,248 for two bedrooms) — 41% of a median baker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Louisville, KY
- Tool and Die Maker — $75,250
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $75,010
- Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender — $63,490
- Machinist — $60,500
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $60,230
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $59,220
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $59,000
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $55,420
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator — $52,230
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $50,870
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $50,740
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator — $50,640