Estimated — not yet source-verified.Estimated - not yet source-verified. This cost range is a general knowledge estimate we have not yet confirmed against current regional pricing data. Treat it as a rough guide only and get local contractor quotes.
Contractor costs in Kentucky
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in Kentucky. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in Kentucky
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 18 building trades in Kentucky — 10th percentile, median, and 90th percentile hourly wages straight from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the verified labor-cost floor behind the project estimates below, not a national average.
Scroll the table horizontally to compare all wage columns. Keyboard: focus the table, then use the arrow keys.
| Trade | 10th %ile | Median /hr | 90th %ile | Employed in KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $23.40 | $35.11 | $47.80 | 8,560 |
| Carpenters | $17.23 | $24.45 | $32.94 | 8,200 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $17.07 | $23.95 | $30.20 | 1,540 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $17.39 | $22.57 | $28.66 | 470 |
| Tile & stone setters | $19.52 | $22.17 | $24.90 | 180 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $14.11 | $22.50 | $27.42 | 360 |
| Carpet installers | $12.99 | $16.46 | $31.00 | 100 |
| Painters | $16.95 | $21.94 | $33.46 | 1,450 |
| Glaziers | $17.56 | $23.84 | $30.16 | 400 |
| Insulation workers | $17.60 | $21.80 | $41.34 | 530 |
| Plasterers & stucco masons | $20.68 | $23.41 | $29.63 | 40 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $17.24 | $29.89 | $37.02 | 840 |
| Roofers | $18.03 | $22.90 | $30.34 | 1,080 |
| Electricians | $17.85 | $28.60 | $39.85 | 10,320 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $18.85 | $29.98 | $44.70 | 5,500 |
| HVAC technicians | $18.28 | $28.31 | $38.03 | 6,230 |
| Equipment operators | $20.00 | $27.43 | $38.97 | 7,020 |
| Construction laborers | $16.02 | $21.80 | $28.63 | 14,200 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for Kentucky's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$20.85 in 2019 → $24.45 in 2024
$24.99 in 2019 → $28.60 in 2024
$27.10 in 2019 → $29.98 in 2024
$17.31 in 2019 → $21.80 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by Kentucky's actual trade mix instead of repeating a national average. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates - a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin.
Highest median wage in state
Construction supervisors
$35.11/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Construction laborers
14,200 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Brickmasons & blockmasons
+$0.22/hr vs $29.67
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Brickmasons & blockmasons
+ 58% since 2019
Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS 2019–2024. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin (commonly 1.5–3× the base wage).
Find a contractor in Kentucky
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with Kentucky's contractor licensing board.