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Software Engineering Talent: Supply vs Demand in Kentucky.

3.24% of US computer science grads come from Kentucky each year. Discover where most of them come from, and their job prospects. Identify emerging talent hubs, in-demand skills, and salary progression patterns.

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10.2k
Job Listings1.48m national total
4.4k
Graduates137.5k national total
36
Educational Institutions2,022 national total
2.3
Jobs per graduate10.8 national average
48%
Entry level jobs29% national average
$97k
Average Salary$129k national average
We analyzed data from:Graduate data - National Center for Education Statistics (2022)Employment data - Online job listings (2023)Composite Cost of Living - Index Q1 (2024)Population data - US Census Bureau (2022)

Where are Kentucky computer science grads coming from?

Top cities producing the most CS grads

Louisville, Lexington and Florence produced the highest number of CS grads. This represents 43.19% of the total CS grads from Kentucky.

Uncover other talent hubs with this interactive map.

Curious how this data compares to another state?
Use our comparison tool below.

Top institutions producing the most CS grads

Kentucky produces 4,427 of CS grads each year.

We've identified the top institutions supplying the highest number of future software engineers. Jefferson Community and Technical College came out on top, with 648 CS grads. This represents 14.64% of total grads in Kentucky.

Whether you're an employer recruiting rising tech talent or a student planning your academic career, these are definitely the schools to watch.

In-demand skills & job market outlook for Kentucky.

Top Kentucky cities with the highest number of job opportunities

Explore the Kentucky cities with the highest number of software engineering jobs.

39.19% of all job postings in Kentucky come from Louisville.

Most in-demand technical skills

Learning in-demand programming languages and technologies is essential for staying ahead of the curve in a competitive job market.

Here are the most sought-after skills in Kentucky. Java was most in-demand, mentioned in 19.9% of the software engineering job postings we analyzed.

Average salary and job availability by education level

We analyzed 10,193 job postings in Kentucky.

Here's an overview of how many jobs are available at each education level, and the mean salary.

Salaries by seniority in Kentucky

Earning potential is an essential factor to consider when laying the groundwork for a career in software engineering.

This chart shows the median salaries for software engineers at different stages of their career.

While an entry-level software engineer in Kentucky can expect to earn $61,100, that figure jumps to $141,570 for senior tech talent, representing a 131.7% increase.

Additional info about Kentucky's talent landscape.

  • Logistics Tech Hub: Kentucky’s central location and the massive UPS Worldport in Louisville position it as a key logistics tech hub. Software engineers in the Bluegrass State have opportunities to develop advanced logistics software, package tracking systems, and supply chain optimization tools that support the world's largest cargo hub.
  • Bourbon Industry Innovation: Kentucky’s renowned bourbon industry presents unique opportunities for software engineers to develop distillery management systems, blockchain-based authentication platforms for tracking authenticity, and smart inventory tracking solutions to streamline production and distribution.
  • Healthcare Software: In Kentucky’s healthcare sector, institutions like the University of Louisville Health spur the innovation of advanced medical software. Software engineers with an interest in healthcare can work on interesting projects that enhance patient care and streamline medical processes.
  • Agtech in the Bluegrass: Kentucky's diverse agricultural landscape presents opportunities for software engineers to develop farm management applications, equine health monitoring systems, and crop yield prediction models.
  • Advanced Manufacturing: As Kentucky’s manufacturing sector evolves, especially in the automotive and aerospace industries, software engineers are needed to develop industrial IoT systems, quality control software, and automation tools.

Compare Kentucky with another state.

Where are the most promising opportunities? Find out how different hubs compare in terms of job availability, cost of living, and earning potential.

*Calculated based on US average of 100. Numbers higher than 100 relate to a higher cost of living.

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