What does a Commercial Divers salary really buy you in Kentucky?
Kentucky is 10.6% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-02
Kentucky's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 89.4, meaning prices are 10.6% lower the national average. A Commercial Divers earning $69,720 in Kentucky has the equivalent purchasing power of $77,986 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) | $40,530 | $45,335 | +$4,805 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $50,760 | $56,778 | +$6,018 |
| Median (P50) | $69,720 | $77,986 | +$8,266 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $69,720 | $77,986 | +$8,266 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $77,280 | $86,442 | +$9,162 |
A Commercial Divers in Kentucky earns $69,720 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 12% further — like earning $77,986 in an average-cost state. This makes Kentucky one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Commercial Divers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Kentucky ranks #9 out of 17 states for Commercial Divers after cost-of-living adjustment.
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How much do you actually take home? See Commercial Divers take-home pay in Kentucky after taxes →
A Commercial Divers in Kentucky earns a median salary of $69,720 per year. After adjusting for Kentucky's cost of living (RPP=89.4), the real purchasing power is $77,986 — 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 Commercial Divers in Kentucky: $69,720 x (100 / 89.4) = $77,986. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Commercial Divers 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.