Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks actually take home in Kentucky?
4.0% flat rate — 19.9% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks earning $52,890 in Kentucky (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $52,890 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$4,362 | 8.2% |
| Kentucky State Income Tax | -$2,115 | 4.0% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$3,279 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$766 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$10,524 | 19.9% |
| Take-Home Pay | $42,365 | 80.1% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in Kentucky.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $36,600 | -$6,671 | $29,928 | 18.2% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $43,800 | -$8,374 | $35,425 | 19.1% |
| Median (P50) | $52,890 | -$10,524 | $42,365 | 19.9% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $62,710 | -$12,942 | $49,767 | 20.6% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $76,590 | -$17,613 | $58,976 | 23.0% |
After federal income tax ($4,362), state tax ($2,115), and FICA ($4,046), a Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in Kentucky takes home $42,365 per year — or $3,530 per month. The effective tax rate of 19.9% is relatively low compared to the national range.
A Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in Kentucky faces an effective total tax rate of only 19.9%, keeping 80.1% of every gross dollar. That leaves $42,366 net out of $52,890 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 Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary that contributes $2,116 to the 4.0% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary is $4,363 (41%), but combined state ($2,116, 20%) + FICA ($4,046, 38%) make up the other 59% of the bill.
A Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $44,481 — only $2,116 (5.0%) more than in Kentucky.
Kentucky sits near the bottom (#41 of 51) for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $42,366 net/year works out to $3,530/month or $1,629/bi-weekly for this Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in Kentucky — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Kentucky ranks #41 out of 51 states for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks after-tax take-home pay.
A Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in Kentucky earning a median salary of $52,890 will take home approximately $42,365 per year after federal income tax ($4,362), state income tax ($2,115), and FICA ($4,046). That is $3,530 per month or $1,629 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in Kentucky is 19.9%, broken down as: federal income tax 8.2%, 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 Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks's median salary of $52,890, the state income tax amounts to $2,115 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.0%.
After all taxes, a Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in Kentucky takes home approximately $3,530 per month, or about $20.37 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 $52,890 for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks 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 — $42,365/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