The median math teacher salary in Kentucky was $61,560 for high school teachers and $61,120 for middle school teachers as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Both sit below the national medians of $72,040 and $64,370. BLS reports pay for teachers of all subjects, including math.
If you’re deciding where in Kentucky to teach math, or whether to certify for middle or high school, start with the statewide medians, then check the metro where you’d actually work. Every figure on this page is May 2025 BLS data for middle school (25-2022) and high school (25-2031) teachers.
Math Teacher Salary in Kentucky by Grade Level
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, high school teachers in Kentucky earned a median annual salary of $61,560 as of May 2025, and middle school teachers earned $61,120. That’s a gap of just $440. Nationally the gap is $7,670, so in Kentucky the grade band you certify for barely changes your pay at the median.
Kentucky employs 12,780 high school teachers and 8,040 middle school teachers across all subjects.
| Occupation | Employment | Median Annual Wage | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High School Teachers | 12,780 | $61,560 | $75,290 | $83,310 |
| Middle School Teachers | 8,040 | $61,120 | $65,150 | $79,650 |
How High Kentucky Math Teacher Pay Goes
The top 10% of high school teachers in Kentucky earned $83,310 or more as of May 2025. That’s $24,290 below the national 90th percentile of $107,600. Kentucky’s pay range is also narrower: the 90th percentile sits $21,750 above the state median, against $35,560 nationally.
Middle school pay follows the same pattern. The Kentucky 90th percentile was $79,650, which is $22,890 below the national figure of $102,540. BLS percentiles aren’t experience levels, and BLS publishes no pay by years of service. Kentucky districts pay from salary schedules built on rank and years of experience. You start at Rank III with a bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree moves you to Rank II. Check the schedule of each district you apply to.
How Kentucky Compares to the National Median and Neighboring States
Kentucky high school teachers earned $10,480 less than the national median of $72,040 as of May 2025. Kentucky middle school teachers earned $3,250 less than the national median of $64,370. Our national page has math teacher salary data for middle and high school teachers in every state.
Kentucky borders seven states, and this table covers all of them. For high school pay, Kentucky ranks sixth of the eight, ahead of only Missouri and West Virginia, and it sits within $320 of Indiana and Tennessee. For middle school pay, Kentucky ranks fourth, behind Ohio, Illinois and Virginia. Illinois and Ohio pay far more at both levels: the Illinois high school median of $79,990 is $18,430 above Kentucky’s. If you’re near Paducah and weighing a job across the river, see math teacher salaries in Illinois.
| State | High School Median | Middle School Median |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $79,990 | $76,110 |
| Ohio | $78,800 | $77,090 |
| Virginia | $72,170 | $63,520 |
| Indiana | $61,880 | $60,700 |
| Tennessee | $61,860 | $60,690 |
| Kentucky | $61,560 | $61,120 |
| Missouri | $59,240 | $59,310 |
| West Virginia | $56,610 | $57,210 |
Math Teacher Salaries in Kentucky Cities
High school medians in Kentucky’s four in-state metro areas run from $61,520 in Bowling Green to $64,850 in Lexington-Fayette as of May 2025. Lexington-Fayette also leads for middle school pay at $65,150. The spread is small, so within Kentucky your district’s salary schedule will matter more than which city you pick.
Louisville is the exception. The Louisville/Jefferson County metro had a high school median of $74,040, which is $12,480 above the state median and $2,000 above the national one. Its middle school median was $61,610, so the grade-band gap there is $12,430. In five metros, including Lexington-Fayette, Owensboro and Bowling Green, middle school teachers out-earn high school teachers at the median.
This table lists all nine metro areas in the BLS data that include part of Kentucky, with medians for both grade bands. The last five cross state lines, Louisville included, so their figures include teachers in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee or West Virginia.
| Metro Area | High School Median | Middle School Median | Employed (High / Middle) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green, KY | $61,520 | $61,600 | 560 / 310 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $61,560 | $61,220 | 320 / 240 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $64,850 | $65,150 | 1,540 / 1,130 |
| Owensboro, KY | $62,150 | $63,070 | 320 / 250 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $74,040 | $61,610 | 3,960 / 2,350 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $61,540 | $62,470 | 250 / 220 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $66,190 | $67,180 | 8,450 / 4,480 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $60,720 | $59,520 | 930 / 660 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $61,300 | $57,390 | 920 / 950 |
Job Outlook for Math Teachers in Kentucky
Projections Central estimates a 3% change in employment for high school teachers in Kentucky between 2024 and 2034, from 12,080 to 12,440 jobs, with an average of 800 openings per year. Middle school teaching employment is projected to change 2.8% over the same period, from 8,050 to 8,280 jobs, with an average of 570 openings per year. That’s a small gain. Most openings come from teachers who retire or leave the profession, not from new positions. The Kentucky figures come from KYSTATS employment projections.
Nationally, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects little or no change in employment between 2025 and 2035. High school teacher jobs are projected to go from 1,087,500 to 1,085,000, with about 63,500 openings a year. Middle school teacher jobs are projected to go from 630,100 to 627,400, with about 38,800 openings a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do math teachers make in Kentucky?
High school teachers in Kentucky earned a median annual salary of $61,560 as of May 2025, and middle school teachers earned $61,120, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS doesn’t track math teachers separately, so these figures cover teachers of all subjects.
Do middle school math teachers in Kentucky earn less than high school math teachers?
Barely, at the statewide median. The gap in Kentucky was $440 as of May 2025, compared with $7,670 nationally. In five metro areas, including Lexington-Fayette and Owensboro, the middle school median was higher than the high school median.
Which Kentucky city pays math teachers the most?
The Louisville/Jefferson County metro had the highest high school median, at $74,040 as of May 2025. That metro includes Southern Indiana. Among metros entirely inside Kentucky, Lexington-Fayette led for both high school ($64,850) and middle school ($65,150) pay.
How many math teaching jobs open in Kentucky each year?
Projections Central estimates about 800 high school and 570 middle school teaching openings per year in Kentucky between 2024 and 2034, across all subjects. Employment is projected to grow slightly, by 3% for high school and 2.8% for middle school.
Does BLS data show Kentucky teacher pay by years of experience?
No. BLS percentiles describe the spread of pay across all teachers, not pay at a given level of experience. Kentucky districts set pay by rank and years of experience on their own salary schedules, so check the schedule for each district you apply to.
- State medians: Kentucky high school teachers earned a $61,560 median and middle school teachers $61,120 as of May 2025, both below the national medians.
- Tiny grade-band gap: Middle school pay in Kentucky trails high school pay by $440, against $7,670 nationally.
- Regional standing: Among Kentucky and its seven bordering states, Kentucky ranks sixth for high school pay and fourth for middle school pay.
- Louisville premium: The Louisville/Jefferson County metro’s $74,040 high school median is $12,480 above the state median.
- Openings: Projections Central expects about 800 high school and 570 middle school openings a year in Kentucky through 2034, with modest employment gains.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Middle School Teachers and High School Teachers, which include teachers of all subjects. Job growth projections (2024-2034) are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, Projections Central. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed October 2026. National job outlook figures (2025-2035) are from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Kentucky pays middle and high school teachers almost the same, and a master’s degree is what moves you up the salary schedule. The schools listed here include math education programs, some online, that can start you toward initial certification or a graduate degree while you keep working.