Human Resources Specialists Salary in Kentucky
Human Resources Specialists in Kentucky have a median of $69,010 a year, below the national $75,940 (−9%); the state ranks 32nd of 51 states by median. Human Resources Specialists earn 47% more than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, Illinois and Ohio pay more (up to $82,090 in Virginia) and Tennessee, Missouri, West Virginia and Indiana pay less (down to $65,600 in Indiana). Kentucky employs 10,900 human resources specialists, 5.45 per 1,000 jobs, the 25th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.93 is close to the national share.
Kentucky vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $21.00 | $25.33 | $33.18 | $40.86 | $51.89 | $35.08 | 10,900 | 5.45 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $43,690 | $52,680 | $69,010 | $84,990 | $107,940 | $72,970 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.69 | $28.18 | $36.51 | $47.78 | $61.89 | $39.42 | 912,430 | – | – |
| Annual | $47,180 | $58,610 | $75,940 | $99,380 | $128,720 | $81,990 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 32nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 25th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.93
- Jobs per 1,000
- 5.45
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Kentucky's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Kentucky
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Kentucky publish a row for human resources specialists, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown, KY | $37.91 | $78,850 | $54,710 | $119,430 | 1,060 | 20.64 | 3.52 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $35.10 | $73,010 | $45,910 | $121,750 | 7,110 | 6.46 | 1.10 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $34.56 | $71,880 | $45,760 | $108,420 | 3,680 | 5.38 | 0.92 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $33.65 | $69,990 | $46,380 | $104,250 | 1,320 | 4.62 | 0.79 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $31.58 | $65,680 | $45,100 | $112,400 | 540 | 5.20 | 0.89 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $31.01 | $64,500 | $41,580 | $113,840 | 210 | 4.25 | 0.72 |
| Owensboro, KY | $30.02 | $62,440 | $35,320 | $103,990 | 170 | 3.53 | 0.60 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $29.74 | $61,860 | $43,530 | $102,130 | 360 | 4.43 | 0.76 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $28.76 | $59,810 | $39,360 | $104,890 | 540 | 3.83 | 0.65 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $30.72 | $63,900 | $41,590 | $96,880 | 880 | 5.10 | 0.87 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $28.47 | $59,220 | $39,010 | $94,120 | 490 | 3.81 | 0.65 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $27.75 | $57,720 | $39,000 | $92,920 | 700 | 4.07 | 0.69 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $26.05 | $54,180 | $40,610 | $82,090 | 310 | 3.40 | 0.58 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $33.18 | $69,010 | 10,900 | 0.93 |
| Illinois | $36.93 | $76,820 | 35,430 | 0.99 |
| Indiana | $31.54 | $65,600 | 17,110 | 0.91 |
| Missouri | $32.21 | $66,990 | 17,650 | 1.02 |
| Ohio | $33.74 | $70,180 | 33,500 | 1.03 |
| Tennessee | $32.39 | $67,370 | 21,460 | 1.12 |
| Virginia | $39.47 | $82,090 | 28,540 | 1.18 |
| West Virginia | $32.14 | $66,860 | 3,130 | 0.76 |
See the national page for Human Resources Specialists (every state ranked) and the Kentucky wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Kentucky estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.