Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Social Science Research Assistants actually take home in Kentucky?
4.0% flat rate — 21.4% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Social Science Research Assistants earning $66,390 in Kentucky (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $66,390 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$6,446 | 9.7% |
| Kentucky State Income Tax | -$2,655 | 4.0% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$4,116 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$962 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$14,181 | 21.4% |
| Take-Home Pay | $52,208 | 78.6% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Social Science Research Assistants in Kentucky.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $45,050 | -$8,670 | $36,379 | 19.2% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $51,750 | -$10,254 | $41,495 | 19.8% |
| Median (P50) | $66,390 | -$14,181 | $52,208 | 21.4% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $82,500 | -$19,602 | $62,897 | 23.8% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $106,590 | -$27,708 | $78,881 | 26.0% |
After federal income tax ($6,446), state tax ($2,655), and FICA ($5,078), a Social Science Research Assistants in Kentucky takes home $52,208 per year — or $4,350 per month. The effective tax rate of 21.4% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 21.4%, a Social Science Research Assistants in Kentucky keeps $52,209 of $66,390 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 Social Science Research Assistants salary that contributes $2,656 to the 4.0% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Social Science Research Assistants salary is $6,447 (45%), but combined state ($2,656, 19%) + FICA ($5,079, 36%) make up the other 55% of the bill.
Moving this same Social Science Research Assistants salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $54,864 net — a gain of $2,656 (5.1%) per year versus Kentucky.
For Social Science Research Assistants after-tax pay, Kentucky ranks #5 of 45 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $52,209 net/year works out to $4,351/month or $2,008/bi-weekly for this Social Science Research Assistants in Kentucky — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Social Science Research Assistants keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Kentucky ranks #5 out of 45 states for Social Science Research Assistants after-tax take-home pay.
A Social Science Research Assistants in Kentucky earning a median salary of $66,390 will take home approximately $52,208 per year after federal income tax ($6,446), state income tax ($2,655), and FICA ($5,078). That is $4,350 per month or $2,008 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Social Science Research Assistants in Kentucky is 21.4%, broken down as: federal income tax 9.7%, 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 Social Science Research Assistants's median salary of $66,390, the state income tax amounts to $2,655 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.0%.
After all taxes, a Social Science Research Assistants in Kentucky takes home approximately $4,350 per month, or about $25.10 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 $66,390 for Social Science Research 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 — $52,208/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