Real Estate Agent Salary in Kentucky (2026)
Average Real Estate Agent pay in Kentucky
$63,180/year
≈ $30/hour before tax
After tax (single filer)
$50,851/year
$4,238/month · effective tax rate 19.51%
- Federal $5,402
- State $2,094
- FICA $4,833
- Take-home
Pay by role in Kentucky
- Top-Producing / Luxury Agent (Louisville/Jefferson County metro)BLS · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN · 75th–90th percentile$77,240–$105,370
- Top-Producing / Luxury Agent (Lexington metro)BLS · Lexington-Fayette, KY · 75th–90th percentile$76,040–$96,750
- Top-Producing / Luxury AgentBLS · 75th–90th percentile$76,040–$105,000
- Real Estate Agent (any market)BLS · middle 50%$39,570–$76,040
- Real Estate Agent (any market) (Cincinnati metro)BLS · Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN · middle 50%$39,570–$78,710
- Real Estate Agent (any market) (Bowling Green metro)BLS · Bowling Green, KY · middle 50%$38,760–$58,760
See the full tax breakdown
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
Annual Take-Home Pay | $50,851 |
Monthly Take-Home Pay | $4,238 |
Biweekly Take-Home Pay | $1,956 |
Hourly Take-Home Pay based on 2,080 hrs/year | $24/hr |
Federal Tax | $5,402 |
State Tax | $2,094 |
FICA Taxes | $4,833 |
Effective Tax Rate total taxes ÷ gross salary | 19.51% |
Not all Real Estate Agents earn the same — not even close
Kentucky's real estate agent market is anchored by Louisville metro (Anchorage + Glenview + Indian Hills + Mockingbird Valley + Cherokee Park + Highlands + St. Matthews + Old Louisville + the substantial Louisville luxury + Yum Brands + Brown-Forman + Humana + GE Appliances + Norton Healthcare + UofL HQ executive + the substantial Louisville East End 1920s-1930s historic luxury market), Lexington-Fayette (Tates Creek + Beaumont + Hamburg + Andover + Chevy Chase + Ashland Park + the substantial Lexington UK + horse farm + the substantial Bluegrass horse farm + thoroughbred racing market), Northern Kentucky (Fort Mitchell + Crescent Springs + Villa Hills + Park Hills + Edgewood + the substantial Cincinnati Northern KY commuter + Amazon Air CVG + DHL Americas Hub corporate relo), Bowling Green (the substantial Western Kentucky University WKU + GM Corvette plant + the substantial post-2021 tornado rebuild market), Owensboro + Paducah + Eastern KY mountain coal heritage, plus substantial KY commercial real estate + horse farm + tobacco + corn + soybean farm + bourbon distillery transactions.
Top-Producing / Luxury Agent (Louisville/Jefferson County metro)
$77,240–$105,370
Louisville Anchorage + Glenview + Indian Hills luxury · 3% commission + dual agency at top end
Source: BLS May 2025 · Real Estate Sales Agents · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN · 75th–90th percentile
Top-Producing / Luxury Agent (Lexington metro)
$76,040–$96,750
Lexington Tates Creek + Andover + horse farm + thoroughbred racing wealth · UK + Bluegrass
Source: BLS May 2025 · Real Estate Sales Agents · Lexington-Fayette, KY · 75th–90th percentile
Top-Producing / Luxury Agent
$76,040–$105,000
Louisville + Lexington + Northern KY commercial brokerage · CRE deals + leasing + investment
Source: BLS May 2025 · Real Estate Sales Agents · Kentucky · 75th–90th percentile
Real Estate Agent (any market)
$39,570–$76,040
Senior buyer agent · Louisville + Lexington + Northern KY + Bowling Green · relo + first-time-buyer
Source: BLS May 2025 · Real Estate Sales Agents · Kentucky · middle 50%
Real Estate Agent (any market) (Cincinnati metro)
$39,570–$78,710
Northern KY Cincinnati spillover · Fort Mitchell + Crescent Springs + Villa Hills + corporate relo
Source: BLS May 2025 · Real Estate Sales Agents · Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN · middle 50%
Real Estate Agent (any market) (Bowling Green metro)
$38,760–$58,760
Bowling Green WKU + GM Corvette + post-2021 tornado rebuild + the substantial WKU college market
Source: BLS May 2025 · Real Estate Sales Agents · Bowling Green, KY · middle 50%
New Agent
$34,320–$39,570
New Realtor · KY Real Estate Commission licensed + brokerage sponsor + KY Realtors member
Source: BLS May 2025 · Real Estate Sales Agents · Kentucky · 10th–25th percentile
Worth knowing: Kentucky's substantial Bluegrass horse farm + thoroughbred racing + equine real estate specialty is a distinctive KY Realtor feature most national real estate surveys understate. The country's substantial Kentucky Bluegrass horse farm cluster (Lexington-Fayette + Woodford + Bourbon + Scott + Jessamine + Clark + Bourbon County + the substantial Bluegrass thoroughbred breeding + the substantial Calumet Farm + Claiborne Farm + Three Chimneys + WinStar + the substantial Kentucky Derby + Churchill Downs + Keeneland + the substantial KY equine industry $7B+ economic impact + ~140K KY equine industry jobs) supports the country's substantial concentrated US equine real estate specialty market — horse farm + equine RE specialists clear $85-245K+ commission for high-net-worth thoroughbred + Standardbred property transactions. Louisville East End luxury market (Anchorage + Glenview + Indian Hills + ~$700K-$3M+ historic homes + the substantial post-1920s Anchorage Glenview Indian Hills luxury + the substantial Brown-Forman + Humana + Yum Brands + GE Appliances + Norton Healthcare HQ executive wealth + the substantial post-2020 East End boom) supports a distinctive KY luxury Realtor specialty — senior Louisville luxury listing agents clear $85-245K+ commission. Northern Kentucky Cincinnati spillover market (Fort Mitchell + Crescent Springs + Villa Hills + the substantial Cincinnati corporate relo from Procter & Gamble + Kroger + Cintas + Macy's + 5/3 Bank + the substantial KY income tax advantage vs OH 2.75% Cincinnati combined) supports distinctive cross-border relo specialty. Kentucky Realtors + Greater Louisville Association of Realtors GLAR + Lexington Bluegrass Association of Realtors LBAR + Northern KY Association + the substantial KY MLS access. KY Real Estate Commission licensing requires 96 hours pre-license + 48 hours post-license + 6 hours annual continuing education. KY's flat 3.5% (post-2024 reform from 5% top) + no state estate tax + KY RTW since 2017 anchor the KY Realtor proposition.
Sources & Methodology
- →IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 — 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction
- →IRS Notice 2025-67 — 2026 retirement-plan contribution limits
- →IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-19 — 2026 HSA contribution limits
- →Social Security Administration — 2026 Social Security wage base
- →Individual income tax rates and filing information (KY Department of Revenue)
- →BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — Real Estate Agent wage data for Kentucky
Salary figures are market estimates for Real Estate Agents in Kentucky and vary by employer, specialty, seniority, and metro. Take-home math assumes a single filer with no dependents, the standard deduction, and Kentucky 2026 state rates. Local taxes, insurance premiums, and pre-tax contributions will move your number — run the calculator for your own situation.
Run your own numbers
- 1099 tax calculator → · self-employment tax 15.3%
- Capital-gains calculator → · long-term rates, NIIT, state tax
- Bonus calculator → · year-end, sign-on, retention
- Kentucky paycheck calculator → · 401(k), HSA, dependents
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More on Kentucky
Salaries by profession, top-paying roles by industry, and an economic breakdown for Kentucky in 2026.
Tax brackets, standard deductions, and take-home estimates for Kentucky in 2026.
Adjust filing status, 401(k), and city/county tax for your exact 2026 take-home in Kentucky.