Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis revealed that, as of September 2025, the national hiring rate has reached a decade low, with the exception of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Associated Press reports that several factors have contributed to this, including the impact of the eleven interest rate hikes that occurred in 2022 and 2023 and the dozens of tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump since the beginning of the year.
Economists generally agree that the long-run breakeven employment growth rate (or the rate at which new jobs need to be added to keep up with population growth) is somewhere between 70,000 and 90,000 jobs per month. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in August 2025, just 22,000 new jobs were added. June and July saw a combined 87,000 new jobs added to the workforce.
Those numbers are bleak, to be sure, but not all employment news is bad. Certain sectors, like health care and social services, continue to see rapid growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said average hourly earnings for all employees are also up by 3.7% over the past 12 months. The total number of hours worked per week has been edging down for all employees, providing opportunities for much-needed work-life balance.
The employment story also looks quite different from state to state. Some places, like Utah, New Mexico, Hawai'i, and Idaho, are seeing high-percentage job growth year over year; others, like Washington D.C., Iowa, and Kansas, have actually seen a shrinkage in the overall number of job openings.
Using BLS jobs data, Stacker determined the fastest-growing jobs in Kentucky. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2023 and 2024. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in Kentucky.
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Mirnes // Shutterstock
1 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +14.0% (180 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,470
--- Employment in 2023: 1,290
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $40,710
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
2 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +14.1% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 4,700
--- Employment in 2023: 4,120
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $81,270
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
3 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +14.5% (640 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 5,050
--- Employment in 2023: 4,410
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $105,230
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
4 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +14.9% (1,940 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 14,980
--- Employment in 2023: 13,040
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $62,980
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
5 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +15.1% (3,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 22,910
--- Employment in 2023: 19,910
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $37,330
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +15.4% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,140
--- Employment in 2023: 2,720
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $61,070
Pixel B // Shutterstock
7 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +15.4% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,100
--- Employment in 2023: 1,820
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $64,620
fizkes // Shutterstock
8 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +16.0% (8,070 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 58,570
--- Employment in 2023: 50,500
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $77,150
Kzenon // Shutterstock
9 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +16.0% (750 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 5,430
--- Employment in 2023: 4,680
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $58,650
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
10 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +16.0% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,190
--- Employment in 2023: 2,750
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $36,050
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Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
11 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +16.6% (250 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,760
--- Employment in 2023: 1,510
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $49,000
santypan // Shutterstock
12 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +16.7% (890 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 6,210
--- Employment in 2023: 5,320
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $28,590
Vitpho // Shutterstock
13 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +16.8% (4,800 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 33,430
--- Employment in 2023: 28,630
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $55,590
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
14 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +17.4% (790 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 5,320
--- Employment in 2023: 4,530
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $37,140
SritanaN // Shutterstock
15 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +17.7% (1,570 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 10,420
--- Employment in 2023: 8,850
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $64,060
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BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
16 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +17.9% (630 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 4,150
--- Employment in 2023: 3,520
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $53,630
DuxX // Shutterstock
17 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +18.1% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,500
--- Employment in 2023: 1,270
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $31,360
shocky // Shutterstock
18 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +18.3% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,230
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $38,230
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
19 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +18.4% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,220
--- Employment in 2023: 1,030
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $50,950
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
20 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +18.9% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,080
--- Employment in 2023: 2,590
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $49,000
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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
21 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +20.4% (3,480 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 20,550
--- Employment in 2023: 17,070
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $38,010
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
22 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +20.7% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,150
--- Employment in 2023: 2,610
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $47,700
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
23 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +21.0% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,420
--- Employment in 2023: 2,000
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $73,260
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
24 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +21.2% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,260
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $66,250
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +21.5% (1,420 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 8,030
--- Employment in 2023: 6,610
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $51,790
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wee dezign // Shutterstock
26 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +21.9% (1,270 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 7,070
--- Employment in 2023: 5,800
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $106,200
Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
27 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +24.0% (3,230 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 16,670
--- Employment in 2023: 13,440
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $39,840
Kitreel // Shutterstock
28 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +25.9% (960 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 4,660
--- Employment in 2023: 3,700
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $46,900
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
29 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +27.0% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,540
--- Employment in 2023: 2,000
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $62,400
DuxX // Shutterstock
30 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +27.7% (2,000 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 9,220
--- Employment in 2023: 7,220
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $43,190
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Noin90650 // Shutterstock
31 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +28.0% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,280
--- Employment in 2023: 1,000
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $48,410
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
32 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +28.2% (1,820 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 8,280
--- Employment in 2023: 6,460
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $51,630
Blanscape // Shutterstock
33 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +28.6% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,530
--- Employment in 2023: 1,190
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $55,920
SatawatK // Shutterstock
34 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +31.1% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,150
--- Employment in 2023: 1,640
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $55,780
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
35 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +31.9% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,690
--- Employment in 2023: 2,040
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $36,390
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PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
36 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +34.4% (420 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,640
--- Employment in 2023: 1,220
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $104,840
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
37 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +34.6% (840 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,270
--- Employment in 2023: 2,430
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $29,040
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
38 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +34.7% (960 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,730
--- Employment in 2023: 2,770
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $47,040
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
39 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +35.3% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,880
--- Employment in 2023: 1,390
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $73,990
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
40 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +43.5% (730 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,410
--- Employment in 2023: 1,680
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $50,360
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
41 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +43.7% (1,810 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 5,950
--- Employment in 2023: 4,140
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $49,570
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
42 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +51.2% (1,110 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 3,280
--- Employment in 2023: 2,170
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $239,200+
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
43 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +59.5% (5,780 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 15,500
--- Employment in 2023: 9,720
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $24,520
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
44 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +60.5% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,300
--- Employment in 2023: 810
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $30,750
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
45 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +62.5% (700 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,820
--- Employment in 2023: 1,120
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $106,990
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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
46 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +78.9% (710 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,610
--- Employment in 2023: 900
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $60,180
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
47 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +80.3% (3,020 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 6,780
--- Employment in 2023: 3,760
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $29,980
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
48 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +82.0% (1,050 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 2,330
--- Employment in 2023: 1,280
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $99,620
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
49 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +128.3% (590 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,050
--- Employment in 2023: 460
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $212,430
Jat306 // Shutterstock
50 / 50- Increase in employment 2023-2024: +151.7% (880 employees)
--- Employment in 2024: 1,460
--- Employment in 2023: 580
--- Median annual salary in 2024: $65,520
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Madison Troyer, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.
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