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Salary guide, May 2025

Food Process Operator pay in Kentucky

Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.

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The median annual wage for Food Processing Workers, All Other in Kentucky was $37,450 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $37,140 and $41,970.

The Kentucky median is $2,230 below the national median of $39,680, both from BLS May 2025.

Broader occupation · SOC 51-3099 Food Processing Workers, All Other

The Food Process Operator title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation.

What should you know about kentucky?

$37,450
Food Processing Workers, All Other in Kentucky: median $37,450; published 25th to 75th percentile $37,140 to $41,970.
Annual wage percentiles, Kentucky
10th25thMedian75th90th
$37,130$37,140$37,450$41,970$44,610
$18.01
Food Processing Workers, All Other in Kentucky: median $18.01; published 25th to 75th percentile $17.86 to $20.18.
Hourly wage percentiles, Kentucky
10th25thMedian75th90th
$17.85$17.86$18.01$20.18$21.45

BLS estimated 690 workers employed in this occupation in Kentucky. Location quotient: 0.82.

What should you know about united States?

$39,680
Food Processing Workers, All Other in U.S.: median $39,680; published 25th to 75th percentile $36,410 to $44,130.
Annual wage percentiles, U.S.
10th25thMedian75th90th
$32,210$36,410$39,680$44,130$47,950
$19.08
Food Processing Workers, All Other in U.S.: median $19.08; published 25th to 75th percentile $17.51 to $21.22.
Hourly wage percentiles, U.S.
10th25thMedian75th90th
$15.49$17.51$19.08$21.22$23.05

What should you know about two BLS releases?

Food Process Operator in Kentucky, annual wages, May 2024 and May 2025
Release period25thMedian75th
May 2024$37,100$40,710$41,410
May 2025$37,140$37,450$41,970

These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-3099 Food Processing Workers, All Other, Kentucky. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-3099 Food Processing Workers, All Other, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.

What should you know about nearby areas?

Nearby areas, Food Process Operator
AreaMedian25th to 75th
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$44,610$41,820 to $44,610
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$40,590$38,200 to $42,880

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