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What does a Athletes and Sports Competitors salary really buy you in Kentucky?
Kentucky is 10.6% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Kentucky's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 89.4, meaning prices are 10.6% lower the national average. A Athletes and Sports Competitors earning $63,020 in Kentucky has the equivalent purchasing power of $70,492 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Kentucky's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $39,290 | $43,948 | +$4,658 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $46,960 | $52,527 | +$5,567 |
| Median (P50) | $63,020 | $70,492 | +$7,472 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $80,630 | $90,190 | +$9,560 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $137,370 | $153,657 | +$16,287 |
A Athletes and Sports Competitors in Kentucky earns $63,020 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 12% further — like earning $70,492 in an average-cost state. This makes Kentucky one of the best value states for this occupation.
Kentucky's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 89.4 means a basket of goods and services costs about 10.6% less than the national average. For a Athletes and Sports Competitors, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $63,020 for Kentucky's cost of living yields $70,492 — a 11.9% gain in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Kentucky sits at #9 of 18 states for Athletes and Sports Competitors COL-adjusted salary — comfortably above the national midpoint.
Where does Athletes and Sports Competitors salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Kentucky ranks #9 out of 18 states for Athletes and Sports Competitors after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Athletes and Sports Competitors take-home pay in Kentucky after taxes →
A Athletes and Sports Competitors in Kentucky earns a median salary of $63,020 per year. After adjusting for Kentucky's cost of living (RPP=89.4), the real purchasing power is $70,492 — a +11.9% difference.
Kentucky's cost of living is 10.6% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Kentucky is 89.4 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Athletes and Sports Competitors in Kentucky: $63,020 x (100 / 89.4) = $70,492. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Athletes and Sports Competitors in Kentucky enjoys 11.9% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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