Sources: Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, Kentucky Classified and Unclassified 37.5 and 40-Hour Salary Schedule (effective September 16, 2026) and Job Class Specifications; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Kentucky state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective September 16, 2026. These are the ranges Kentucky sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Staff Attorney I Class 20001885 · class description Grade 16 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,444.06 a month $53,329 a year |
Grade 16 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $4,740.32 a month $56,884 a year |
| Staff Attorney II Class 20001887 · class description Grade 17 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,888.34 a month $58,660 a year |
Grade 17 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $5,214.22 a month $62,571 a year |
| Staff Attorney III Class 20001886 · class description Grade 18 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $5,377.30 a month $64,528 a year |
Grade 18 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $5,735.78 a month $68,829 a year |
Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, Kentucky Classified and Unclassified 37.5 and 40-Hour Salary Schedule (effective September 16, 2026) and Job Class Specifications. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Kentucky, all employers Sourced
Lawyers (SOC 23-1011) in Kentucky, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | KY |
|---|---|
| Workers | 5,770 |
| 10th percentile | $63,010 |
| Median | $101,550 |
| 90th percentile | $187,180 |
| National median, government employers | $134,680 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Kentucky
Kentucky Bar ExaminationKentucky version · free on Open Exam Prep- Multistate Bar ExaminationEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Multistate Essay ExaminationEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Multistate Performance TestEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Multistate Professional Responsibility ExaminationPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NextGen Bar ExaminationPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Uniform Bar ExaminationPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Government Attorney (agency counsel) page.