Creative pay 2026
Copywriter salary in Kentucky (2026)
Writers and copywriters in Kentucky earn a median $48,780 a year ($23.45 an hour), according to BLS wage data for May 2025. That is 37% below the US median of $76,910; Kentucky is 42nd of 44 states and territories. That is roughly what the typical job in Kentucky pays ($46,920).
- $48,780median a year in Kentucky
- $23.45median an hour
- −37%vs the US median ($76,910)
- 350employee jobs (BLS estimate)
What is the salary range for a copywriter in Kentucky?
Half of writers and copywriters in Kentucky earn between $40,760 and $64,550. Pay is bunched more tightly than nationally: the 90th percentile is 1.9 times the 10th, against 3.2 times across the US.
| 10th percentile | $39,580 | $44,310 | $19.03 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | $40,760 | $58,230 | $19.60 |
| Median | $48,780 | $76,910 | $23.45 |
| 75th | $64,550 | $101,950 | $31.04 |
| 90th percentile | $76,010 | $139,870 | $36.54 |
The mean (average) is $55,440, above the median, pulled up by the highest earners.
How does Kentucky compare with other states?
Kentucky is near the bottom: 42nd of 44. The best-paying state, District of Columbia, has a median of $129,300.
Which cities in Kentucky pay writers and copywriters best?
Of the 3 metro areas in Kentucky where BLS publishes a median for the job, Cincinnati pays most, at $62,440, 28% above the state median.
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 170 | $62,440 | $30.02 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 130 | $52,520 | $25.25 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 50 | $51,170 | $24.60 |
How many writers and copywriters work in Kentucky?
BLS estimates 350 employee jobs, 0.17 in every 1,000 jobs in the state. The job is rarer here than nationally: a location quotient of 0.56, where 1 is the US average. The employment estimate is rough: its relative standard error is 19%.
Employees only. BLS does not count the self-employed, who are a large share of several creative jobs.
What do other creative jobs pay in Kentucky?
5 of the 6 other creative jobs below pay a higher median in Kentucky.
| UX/UI designer | $77,000 | 590 |
|---|---|---|
| Video editor | $62,330 | 60 |
| Videographer | $53,790 | 170 |
| Graphic designer | $52,960 | 2,060 |
| Motion designer | $50,970 | 40 |
| Photographer | $47,170 | 380 |
What do freelance writers and copywriters charge?
Upwork, copywriters list $19 to $45 an hour, worldwide. Kentucky's employee median of $23.45 an hour is inside that range. The rate calculator works out an hourly rate from the salary you want.
Questions
What is the average copywriter salary in Kentucky?
The median is $48,780 a year and the mean is $55,440, from BLS data for May 2025 covering about 350 employee jobs.
How much does a copywriter make an hour in Kentucky?
The median hourly wage is $23.45. The bottom 10% earn under $19.03 and the top 10% over $36.54.
What does a starting copywriter earn in Kentucky?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The lowest-paid quarter of writers and copywriters in Kentucky earn under $40,760 a year and the lowest-paid tenth under $39,580, which is the nearest guide to starting pay.
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Where do these numbers come from?
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (published 15 May 2026). Occupation 27-3043, Writers and Authors. Employees only; annual figures are hourly times 2,080.
n = 350 jobs in the Kentucky estimate. Last updated 2 October 2026.
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Copywriter pay in other states
- District of Columbia $129,300
- Maryland $104,330
- Connecticut $98,460
- Louisiana $89,520
- California $86,480
- Washington $85,700
- Massachusetts $85,260
- Virginia $85,000
- New Jersey $81,590
- Oregon $80,540
- Pennsylvania $77,410
- Colorado $76,830