BLS metro-level wage data places Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay in Lexington-Fayette, KY at a median of $29,370 per year ($14.12/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $38,140, Lexington-Fayette pays 23% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 1,280 preschool teachers, except special educations are employed across the Lexington-Fayette MSA in SOC 25-2011.

The Lexington-Fayette pay distribution spans from $23,960 at the 10th percentile to $48,520 at the 90th — a 2.0× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $28,000 and the 75th at $36,290, so half of Lexington-Fayette-based preschool teachers, except special educations earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Lexington-Fayette, KY covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide KY data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.