Highest and lowest paying health care jobs in Louisville
Highest and lowest paying health care jobs in Louisville
Anybody who has taken a course in marketing, psychology or sociology is likely familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. First detailed by psychologist Andrew Maslow in his 1943 work “A Theory of Human Motivation,” the hierarchy breaks down the complex network of human thoughts into a categorical triage, placing self-development at the top and security and physical health at the bottom. In setting up this pyramid, Maslow framed self-recognition and creative development as ultimate goals, while also prioritizing personal safety and strong physical health.
As such, it has never been more important to recognize the health care professionals who work tirelessly to keep the population healthy. In 2019, the United States spent 17.7% of its GDP on health. While it’s encouraging to know that the country is investing in those responsible for maintaining the nation’s well-being, not all health care professionals receive equal compensation.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest paying health care jobs in Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2019 annual mean wage. Keep reading to see which health care jobs make the most and least in your city.
#47. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Annual mean salary: $25,770
- #208 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,690
- Employment: 97,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New Haven, CT ($48,240)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,890)
--- Port St. Lucie, FL ($43,200)
#46. Orderlies
- Annual mean salary: $26,680
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,710
- Employment: 46,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($51,240)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($49,270)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,730)
#45. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $27,610
- #286 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($76,660)
--- Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA ($57,740)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($50,100)
#44. Physical therapist aides
- Annual mean salary: $28,110
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,180
- Employment: 49,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Savannah, GA ($50,470)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($44,720)
--- Boulder, CO ($41,450)
#43. Nursing assistants
- Annual mean salary: $29,180
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,720
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,720
- Employment: 1,419,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($46,170)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($45,100)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($44,710)
#42. Psychiatric technicians
- Annual mean salary: $31,300
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,550
- Employment: 78,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($72,990)
--- Fresno, CA ($66,710)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($66,290)
#41. Pharmacy technicians
- Annual mean salary: $31,500
- #288 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,670
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,250
- Employment: 417,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,090)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($50,790)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($50,070)
#40. Phlebotomists
- Annual mean salary: $32,470
- #207 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 890
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,480
- Employment: 128,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($58,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,040)
--- Redding, CA ($52,310)
#39. Ophthalmic medical technicians
- Annual mean salary: $33,280
- #169 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,760
- Employment: 58,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Duluth, MN-WI ($56,620)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($53,770)
--- New Bedford, MA ($53,250)
#38. Medical equipment preparers
- Annual mean salary: $33,630
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,530
- Employment: 56,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($63,400)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($61,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,670)
#37. Pharmacy aides
- Annual mean salary: $34,630
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,490
- Employment: 37,280
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($46,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($46,430)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($42,620)
#36. Medical assistants
- Annual mean salary: $34,780
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,440
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,720
- Employment: 712,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($49,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($48,920)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($47,140)
#35. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $36,010
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,730
- Employment: 72,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($70,730)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($68,970)
--- New Haven, CT ($66,020)
#34. Dental assistants
- Annual mean salary: $40,090
- #165 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,460
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,170
- Employment: 351,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($56,010)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($54,510)
--- Rochester, MN ($53,010)
#33. Medical transcriptionists
- Annual mean salary: $42,170
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,210
- Employment: 55,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($67,840)
--- Amarillo, TX ($56,970)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($54,080)
#32. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $44,460
- #175 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,110
- Employment: 109,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($74,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,790)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,750)
#31. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $44,700
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,270
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 697,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,490)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,160)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($67,990)

#30. Athletic trainers
- Annual mean salary: $45,270
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,540
- Employment: 28,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($73,250)
--- Lansing-East Lansing, MI ($66,390)
--- Trenton, NJ ($65,320)
#29. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $46,530
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salem, OR ($106,620)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($103,050)
--- Medford, OR ($82,780)
#28. Recreational therapists
- Annual mean salary: $46,600
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,130
- Employment: 19,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($83,590)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($82,800)
--- Fresno, CA ($82,170)
#27. Massage therapists
- Annual mean salary: $46,660
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,180
- Employment: 107,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($76,930)
--- Yakima, WA ($72,870)
--- College Station-Bryan, TX ($70,090)
#26. Respiratory therapists
- Annual mean salary: $51,810
- #246 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,950
- Employment: 132,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($101,520)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($98,810)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($97,950)
#25. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $53,220
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,200
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($110,180)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($109,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,670)
#24. Physical therapist assistants
- Annual mean salary: $56,690
- #173 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,520
- Employment: 96,840
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($78,530)
--- Victoria, TX ($78,070)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($75,470)
#23. Dietitians and nutritionists
- Annual mean salary: $58,370
- #165 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,330
- Employment: 67,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($88,350)
--- Salinas, CA ($87,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,890)
#22. Occupational therapy assistants
- Annual mean salary: $59,710
- #114 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($92,580)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($83,690)
--- Reno, NV ($81,800)

#21. Chiropractors
- Annual mean salary: $62,510
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $85,010
- Employment: 35,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Toledo, OH ($160,330)
--- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($149,580)
--- Reno, NV ($140,260)
#20. Dental hygienists
- Annual mean salary: $63,140
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,050
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 221,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($140,150)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($120,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,940)
#19. Registered nurses
- Annual mean salary: $64,700
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 14,750
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,460
- Employment: 2,982,280
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($140,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($138,000)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($134,000)
#18. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Annual mean salary: $65,880
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- Employment: 72,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($126,850)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($115,280)
#17. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Annual mean salary: $65,920
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $80,240
- Employment: 18,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($127,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($124,660)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($119,340)
#16. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Annual mean salary: $72,200
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $74,270
- Employment: 37,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($124,950)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($104,870)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($99,920)
#15. Occupational therapists
- Annual mean salary: $75,250
- #282 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,210
- Employment: 133,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- The Villages, FL ($115,090)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($108,870)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($107,450)
#14. Veterinarians
- Annual mean salary: $82,270
- #241 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $104,820
- Employment: 74,540
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sherman-Denison, TX ($210,960)
--- Lubbock, TX ($176,730)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($161,230)
#13. Physical therapists
- Annual mean salary: $85,390
- #247 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 950
National
- Annual mean salary: $90,170
- Employment: 233,350
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Yuba City, CA ($116,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($116,120)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($113,950)
#12. Speech-language pathologists
- Annual mean salary: $88,980
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,000
- Employment: 154,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($117,710)
--- Corvallis, OR ($105,380)
--- Chico, CA ($104,640)
#11. Physician assistants
- Annual mean salary: $93,820
- #276 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
National
- Annual mean salary: $112,410
- Employment: 120,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($161,370)
--- Leominster-Gardner, MA ($156,250)
--- Waterbury, CT ($154,550)

#10. Optometrists
- Annual mean salary: $94,830
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $122,980
- Employment: 39,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Champaign-Urbana, IL ($238,460)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($210,490)
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($183,380)

#9. Nurse practitioners
- Annual mean salary: $105,250
- #225 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
National
- Annual mean salary: $111,840
- Employment: 200,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($175,060)
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($160,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($157,150)
#8. Podiatrists
- Annual mean salary: $118,990
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $142,680
- Employment: 9,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ($222,760)
--- Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI ($206,190)
--- Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA ($200,200)
#7. Pharmacists
- Annual mean salary: $120,010
- #286 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,720
National
- Annual mean salary: $125,510
- Employment: 311,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tyler, TX ($161,790)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($158,250)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($157,850)
#6. Dentists, general
- Annual mean salary: $138,260
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $178,260
- Employment: 110,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Burlington, NC ($278,360)
--- Burlington-South Burlington, VT ($275,430)
--- Longview, TX ($272,440)
#5. Nurse anesthetists
- Annual mean salary: $156,490
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $181,040
- Employment: 43,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Toledo, OH ($266,260)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($254,860)
--- Columbus, GA-AL ($247,540)
#4. Pediatricians, general
- Annual mean salary: $165,000
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $184,410
- Employment: 29,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Rockford, IL ($277,390)
--- Killeen-Temple, TX ($273,770)
--- Chico, CA ($270,550)
#3. Family medicine physicians
- Annual mean salary: $213,680
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $213,270
- Employment: 109,370
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Racine, WI ($286,030)
--- Jacksonville, NC ($282,580)
--- Gadsden, AL ($281,430)

#2. Psychiatrists
- Annual mean salary: $244,430
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $220,430
- Employment: 25,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($282,400)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($280,270)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($280,200)

#1. Surgeons, except ophthalmologists
- Annual mean salary: $277,340
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $252,040
- Employment: 36,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Wausau, WI ($285,230)
--- Oshkosh-Neenah, WI ($285,210)
--- Asheville, NC ($284,780)

