Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Nursing Assistants actually take home in Kentucky?
4.0% flat rate — 18.5% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Nursing Assistants earning $38,370 in Kentucky (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $38,370 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$2,620 | 6.8% |
| Kentucky State Income Tax | -$1,534 | 4.0% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$2,378 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$556 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$7,090 | 18.5% |
| Take-Home Pay | $31,279 | 81.5% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Nursing Assistants in Kentucky.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $30,390 | -$5,203 | $25,186 | 17.1% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $36,150 | -$6,565 | $29,584 | 18.2% |
| Median (P50) | $38,370 | -$7,090 | $31,279 | 18.5% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $44,120 | -$8,450 | $35,669 | 19.2% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $46,450 | -$9,001 | $37,448 | 19.4% |
After federal income tax ($2,620), state tax ($1,534), and FICA ($2,935), a Nursing Assistants in Kentucky takes home $31,279 per year — or $2,606 per month. The effective tax rate of 18.5% is relatively low compared to the national range.
A Nursing Assistants in Kentucky faces an effective total tax rate of only 18.5%, keeping 81.5% of every gross dollar. That leaves $31,279 net out of $38,370 gross — a favorable outcome compared to states with combined rates above 30%.
Kentucky applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Nursing Assistants salary that contributes $1,535 to the 4.0% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Nursing Assistants salary is $2,620 (37%), but combined state ($1,535, 22%) + FICA ($2,935, 41%) make up the other 63% of the bill.
A Nursing Assistants earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $32,814 — only $1,535 (4.9%) more than in Kentucky.
Kentucky sits near the bottom (#39 of 51) for Nursing Assistants after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $31,279 net/year works out to $2,607/month or $1,203/bi-weekly for this Nursing Assistants in Kentucky — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Nursing Assistants keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Kentucky ranks #39 out of 51 states for Nursing Assistants after-tax take-home pay.
A Nursing Assistants in Kentucky earning a median salary of $38,370 will take home approximately $31,279 per year after federal income tax ($2,620), state income tax ($1,534), and FICA ($2,935). That is $2,606 per month or $1,203 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Nursing Assistants in Kentucky is 18.5%, broken down as: federal income tax 6.8%, Kentucky state tax 4.0%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.7%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Kentucky has a 4.0% flat rate. On a Nursing Assistants's median salary of $38,370, the state income tax amounts to $1,534 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.0%.
After all taxes, a Nursing Assistants in Kentucky takes home approximately $2,606 per month, or about $15.04 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 $38,370 for Nursing Assistants 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 — $31,279/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
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