Diesel mechanic salary in Kentucky
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Diesel mechanics in Kentucky earn a median of $55,480 a year, or $26.67 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $80,500 a year. Kentucky ranks 46th of 51 states and DC for diesel mechanic pay, at 10% less than the U.S. median of $61,770.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $18.39/hr
- Jobs in Kentucky
- 3,890
- After cost of living
- $61,540
- Median hourly pay
- $26.67/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −10%
- Rank among states
- 46th of 51
Entry-level to master diesel mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $38,250–$46,560$18.39–$22.38/hr | |
| Experienced mechanic | $55,480$26.67/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $63,740–$80,500$30.64–$38.70/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
Pay over time
The median diesel mechanic wage in Kentucky rose 17.7%, from $47,120 in May 2021 to $55,480 in May 2025. Prices rose 19.4% over the same period, so after inflation it fell 1.4%.
| Year | Median a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,120 | $22.66/hr |
| May 2022 | $48,030 | $23.09/hr |
| May 2023 | $48,550 | $23.34/hr |
| May 2024 | $53,030 | $25.49/hr |
| May 2025 | $55,480 | $26.67/hr |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, each May release; inflation from the BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, May of each year). BLS cautions against reading much into year-to-year changes, so we compare the first and last years. How we compare years
How Kentucky compares
- Diesel mechanics hold about the same share of jobs in Kentucky as nationally: 1.9 of every 1,000 jobs.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $80,500, is 2.1 times the 10th-percentile wage, $38,250: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural Kentucky
- Central Kentucky$49,100
- West Kentucky$49,030
- South Central Kentucky$47,240
- East Kentucky$46,160
Other trades in Kentucky
Questions
- How much do diesel mechanics make in Kentucky?
- Diesel mechanics in Kentucky earn a median of $55,480 a year, or $26.67 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $80,500 a year.
- How much do diesel mechanics make an hour in Kentucky?
- The median hourly wage is $26.67. The middle half earn between $22.38 and $30.64 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level diesel mechanics make in Kentucky?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $18.39 an hour ($38,250 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $22.38.
- Has diesel mechanic pay gone up in Kentucky?
- The median diesel mechanic wage in Kentucky rose 17.7%, from $47,120 in May 2021 to $55,480 in May 2025. Prices rose 19.4% over the same period, so after inflation it fell 1.4%. (BLS wage data and Consumer Price Index.)
- Where in Kentucky do diesel mechanics earn the most?
- Among Kentucky metro areas, Paducah has the highest median at $78,900 a year, and Huntington–Ashland the lowest at $51,130.
- Do diesel mechanics in Kentucky earn more than the national average?
- The Kentucky median of $55,480 is 10% less than the U.S. median of $61,770. Prices in Kentucky run 10% below the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $61,540 would nationally.
About this data
Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 49-3031 (Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists), area code 21. BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed diesel mechanics and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (90.2, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures