Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Aerospace Engineers actually take home in Kentucky?
4.0% flat rate — 27.4% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Aerospace Engineers earning $126,130 in Kentucky (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $126,130 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$19,809 | 15.7% |
| Kentucky State Income Tax | -$5,045 | 4.0% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$7,820 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,828 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$34,503 | 27.4% |
| Take-Home Pay | $91,626 | 72.6% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Aerospace Engineers in Kentucky.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $100,440 | -$25,639 | $74,800 | 25.5% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $105,000 | -$27,173 | $77,826 | 25.9% |
| Median (P50) | $126,130 | -$34,503 | $91,626 | 27.4% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $166,300 | -$48,824 | $117,475 | 29.4% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $172,340 | -$50,745 | $121,594 | 29.4% |
After federal income tax ($19,809), state tax ($5,045), and FICA ($9,648), a Aerospace Engineers in Kentucky takes home $91,626 per year — or $7,635 per month. The effective tax rate of 27.4% is moderate compared to the national range.
A Aerospace Engineers in Kentucky loses 27.4% of gross pay to taxes — higher than the ~25% national midpoint. Of the $126,130 gross, $91,626 lands in the paycheck after federal ($19,810), state ($5,045), and FICA ($9,649) withholding.
Kentucky applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Aerospace Engineers salary that contributes $5,045 to the 4.0% effective state-tax burden.
Federal income tax ($19,810) accounts for 57% of the total tax bill — the single largest deduction. FICA adds $9,649 (28%), and state tax the remaining $5,045 (15%).
Moving this same Aerospace Engineers salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $96,671 net — a gain of $5,045 (5.5%) per year versus Kentucky.
Kentucky ranks #27 of 41 states for Aerospace Engineers after-tax pay — lower half of the national distribution. Either gross wages trail the national median, state tax is elevated, or both.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $91,626 net/year works out to $7,636/month or $3,524/bi-weekly for this Aerospace Engineers in Kentucky — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Aerospace Engineers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Kentucky ranks #27 out of 41 states for Aerospace Engineers after-tax take-home pay.
A Aerospace Engineers in Kentucky earning a median salary of $126,130 will take home approximately $91,626 per year after federal income tax ($19,809), state income tax ($5,045), and FICA ($9,648). That is $7,635 per month or $3,524 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Aerospace Engineers in Kentucky is 27.4%, broken down as: federal income tax 15.7%, Kentucky state tax 4.0%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Kentucky has a 4.0% flat rate. On a Aerospace Engineers's median salary of $126,130, the state income tax amounts to $5,045 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.0%.
After all taxes, a Aerospace Engineers in Kentucky takes home approximately $7,635 per month, or about $44.05 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $126,130 for Aerospace Engineers in Kentucky, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Kentucky state income tax (4.0% flat rate), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $91,626/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR