Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Forensic Science Technicians actually take home in Kentucky?
4.0% flat rate — 20.4% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Forensic Science Technicians earning $61,470 in Kentucky (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $61,470 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$5,392 | 8.8% |
| Kentucky State Income Tax | -$2,458 | 4.0% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$3,811 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$891 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$12,553 | 20.4% |
| Take-Home Pay | $48,916 | 79.6% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Forensic Science Technicians in Kentucky.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $48,470 | -$9,479 | $38,990 | 19.6% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $51,200 | -$10,124 | $41,075 | 19.8% |
| Median (P50) | $61,470 | -$12,553 | $48,916 | 20.4% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $67,760 | -$14,642 | $53,117 | 21.6% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $74,710 | -$16,980 | $57,729 | 22.7% |
After federal income tax ($5,392), state tax ($2,458), and FICA ($4,702), a Forensic Science Technicians in Kentucky takes home $48,916 per year — or $4,076 per month. The effective tax rate of 20.4% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 20.4%, a Forensic Science Technicians in Kentucky keeps $48,916 of $61,470 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
Kentucky applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Forensic Science Technicians salary that contributes $2,459 to the 4.0% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Forensic Science Technicians salary is $5,392 (43%), but combined state ($2,459, 20%) + FICA ($4,702, 37%) make up the other 57% of the bill.
A Forensic Science Technicians earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $51,375 — only $2,459 (5.0%) more than in Kentucky.
Kentucky sits near the bottom (#34 of 41) for Forensic Science Technicians after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $48,916 net/year works out to $4,076/month or $1,881/bi-weekly for this Forensic Science Technicians in Kentucky — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Forensic Science Technicians keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Kentucky ranks #34 out of 41 states for Forensic Science Technicians after-tax take-home pay.
A Forensic Science Technicians in Kentucky earning a median salary of $61,470 will take home approximately $48,916 per year after federal income tax ($5,392), state income tax ($2,458), and FICA ($4,702). That is $4,076 per month or $1,881 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Forensic Science Technicians in Kentucky is 20.4%, broken down as: federal income tax 8.8%, 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 Forensic Science Technicians's median salary of $61,470, the state income tax amounts to $2,458 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.0%.
After all taxes, a Forensic Science Technicians in Kentucky takes home approximately $4,076 per month, or about $23.52 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 $61,470 for Forensic Science Technicians 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 — $48,916/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