SOC 11-9121

Natural Sciences Managers Salary in Lexington-Fayette, KY (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + KY + Municipal
COL Index: 96.93 (-3.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 64.8% Realized
$104,621 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $161,450 $77.62/hr
Effective Tax Drag 29.2% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$47,142 $1,813.16/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $77.62 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$9,687/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$2,325/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$25,157
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$10,010
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$2,341
Kentucky Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$5,194
Lexington-Fayette occupational and school tax
2.75%
-$4,440
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$104,621 ($4,023.88 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Lexington-Fayette, KY Natural Sciences Managers Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $161,450
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $52.3k 25th $108k Median: $161,450 50th (Median) $161k 75th $192k 90th $193k You: $161,450
10th (Entry) $52,280 $25.13/hr
25th (Junior) $107,970 $51.91/hr
50th (Median) $161,450 $77.62/hr
75th (Senior) $191,780 $92.20/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $193,270 $92.92/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Natural Sciences Managers in Lexington-Fayette, KY
1
Research ScientistBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$76,950$37.00/hr · 2-5 Years
2
Senior ScientistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$115,280$55.42/hr · 5-9 Years
3
Natural Sciences ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$161,431$77.61/hr · 9-14 Years
4
Director of ResearchOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$213,857$102.82/hr · 14-20 Years
5
VP of R&D / Chief ScientistExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$305,869$147.05/hr · 20+ Years
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Project Management Specialists-$64,900/yr
National median: $102,320
Skill overlap: 77%View Salary
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers-$57,850/yr
National median: $109,370
Skill overlap: 77%
Biological Technicians-$109,710/yr
National median: $57,510
Skill overlap: 63%
Data Scientists-$46,990/yr
National median: $120,230
Skill overlap: 62%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Lexington-Fayette, KY under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
14% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,205/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,200
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,416/month Requires minimum annual gross of $56,640
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.44/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.42/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Lexington-Fayette, KY.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$161,450-$47,142$104,621$4,023.88
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$191,722-$57,668$122,551$4,713.49
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$221,994-$66,962$141,712$5,450.45
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$252,266-$77,872$159,258$6,125.30
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$282,538-$89,518$176,068$6,771.83
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Natural Sciences Managers in Lexington-Fayette, KY: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Kentucky tax codes.

Market Baseline
$161,450/yr
$77.62/hr · SOC 11-9121
Statutory Tax Drag
29.2% Effective
-$47,142 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
14% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$7,513/mo
Post-$1,205/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 11-9121
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Natural Sciences Managers in Lexington-Fayette, KY: Market Snapshot

Natural Sciences Managers roles in Lexington-Fayette, KY report a median annual wage of $161,450, 3.5% below the national median of $167,220. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $52,280 to $193,270, and HUD’s $1,205 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 9.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.44 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Natural Sciences Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$291,000+80.2%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$263,810+63.4%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$225,230+39.5%
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$220,120+36.3%
Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT$217,480+34.7%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$215,860+33.7%
Worcester, MA$212,600+31.7%
Midland, MI$212,130+31.4%
New Haven, CT$210,670+30.5%
Boulder, CO$210,340+30.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Lexington-Fayette, KY

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$179,520$86.31/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$161,170$77.49/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$144,160$69.31/hr
Fundraising Managers$140,090$67.35/hr
Education Administrators, Postsecondary$137,250$65.99/hr
Financial Manager$135,760$65.27/hr
Purchasing Managers$128,910$61.98/hr
Marketing Managers$127,040$61.08/hr
Sales Managers$124,860$60.03/hr
Industrial Production Managers$124,230$59.73/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 210 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Natural Sciences Managers Salary in Lexington-Fayette, KY (2026) Overview

Natural Sciences Managers median pay in Lexington-Fayette, KY is $161,450 a year ($77.62/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Natural Sciences Managers in Lexington-Fayette, KY compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Natural Sciences Managers in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

The median annual wage is $161,450 ($77.62 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $52,280 and $193,270. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Natural Sciences Managers in Lexington-Fayette, KY after taxes?

On the median wage of $161,450, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $111,644 a year ($9,304 a month) after $49,806 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 30.85%, using 2026 tax rules.