Finance

Investment Banker Salary in Kentucky (2026)

The average Investment Banker in Kentucky earns around $380,000/year. After taxes, your estimated take-home is $250,228/year ($20,852/month).

Take-Home Pay Breakdown

CategoryAmount
Annual Take-Home Pay
$250,228
Monthly Take-Home Pay
$20,852
Biweekly Take-Home Pay
$9,624
Hourly Take-Home Pay

based on 2,080 hrs/year

$120/hr
Federal Tax
$96,134
State Tax
$15,069
FICA Taxes
$18,569
Effective Tax Rate

total taxes ÷ gross salary

34.15%
Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

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Investment Banker Salary Ranges in Kentucky

Entry Level (0–3 yrs)

$200,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Mid Level (3–7 yrs)

$380,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Senior Level (7+ yrs)

$1,500,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Not all Investment Bankers earn the same — not even close

Kentucky's investment banker market is anchored by Hilliard Lyons (Louisville-HQ'd legacy bank, post-2019 Baird acquisition continues as Hilliard Lyons-Baird Louisville office, the largest IB presence in KY by attorney/banker count), Stifel Financial Louisville + Lexington offices, Truist Securities Louisville + Lexington (post-2019 BB&T + SunTrust merger), Stephens Inc. Louisville/Cincinnati (Little Rock AR HQ but substantial Ohio Valley presence), plus boutique M&A advisory firms serving the substantial KY healthcare + manufacturing + distiller transaction flow, with substantial PE deal flow through Stites & Harbison + Frost Brown Todd advisory partners.

Managing Director (Hilliard Lyons-Baird)

$385,000–$985,000+ TC

Hilliard Lyons-Baird MD · Stifel MD · Truist Securities MD · sector head

MD / Partner (Boutique)

$325,000–$785,000+ TC

Stifel · Stephens · regional boutique · middle-market senior banker

Director / Senior VP

$245,000–$485,000

Senior associate to MD-track · sector specialization · middle-market specialty

Senior VP (Coverage / Product)

$215,000–$385,000

Industry coverage + M&A product · senior associate band · middle-market specialty

VP (M&A Advisory)

$175,000–$305,000

Hilliard Lyons-Baird VP · Stifel VP · M&A advisory · transaction-execution leader

Senior Associate (3-5 yrs)

$135,000–$225,000

Functional associate at KY IB · transitioning to VP band · CFA + MBA typical

Associate (1-3 yrs)

$105,000–$165,000

Post-MBA associate at KY IB · 2-year ladder to senior associate

Analyst (0-2 yrs)

$82,000–$128,000

UK Gatton + UofL CoB + Centre + Transylvania pipeline · 2-3 year analyst program

Senior PE Associate

$145,000–$265,000

Chrysalis Ventures + middle-market PE Louisville · healthcare + distiller specialty

Senior IB Counsel / Compliance

$130,000–$215,000

KY IB legal + compliance · regulatory + transaction support · JD + securities specialty

Worth knowing: Hilliard Lyons (legacy Louisville-HQ'd brokerage and investment bank) was acquired by Baird in 2019 and continues operating as the Hilliard Lyons-Baird Louisville office — supporting the largest KY-based investment banking presence and a feature most national IB surveys understate for the state. The post-2019 acquired Hilliard Lyons-Baird Louisville office continues substantial Middle Tennessee + Ohio Valley + Carolinas IB coverage at Baird's scale (Baird is the country's largest employee-owned middle-market IB) — Baird's KY footprint following the Hilliard Lyons acquisition is one of the strongest middle-market IB presences in the Ohio Valley region. Senior Hilliard Lyons-Baird MDs clear $385-985K+ TC. The substantial KY healthcare M&A market (Humana M&A activity + Norton + Baptist Health + Kindred Healthcare transactions over recent years + KY-based middle-market healthcare service company transactions) creates substantial healthcare IB practice. The KY distiller M&A market (Brown-Forman acquisitions + Sazerac acquisitions + Heaven Hill family deals + craft distillery roll-ups) creates distinctive distillery + spirits M&A practice. KY's flat 4% rate is substantially lower than OR/MN's 9.85-9.9% tops + KY has Local Occupational Tax (Louisville 1.45-2.20% + Lexington 2.25%) as a distinctive local layer. KY is RTW since 2017.

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