HR Assistant salary in Louisville, KY-IN
Louisville is a lower-cost market for HR assistants: the median of $48,870 a year1 is 3.0% below the Kentucky statewide median of $50,400, and 3.4% below the US median of $50,610. Among US areas it comes in at #172 of 384. It is the largest market for the job in Kentucky: about 400 people.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Louisville against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY-IN | $38,180 | $48,870 | $63,730 | |
| Kentucky | $37,200 | $50,400 | $64,220 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Louisville earns $45,030–$56,390. The top tenth earns $63,730 or more, 1.7 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.8 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $11,360 wide, against $13,810 across Kentucky and $15,770 nationally: employers in Louisville pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an HR assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,180 | $3,182 | $18.36 | $49,265 |
| 25th percentile | $45,030 | $3,752 | $21.65 | $58,103 |
| Median | $48,870 | $4,072 | $23.50 | $63,058 |
| 75th percentile | $56,390 | $4,699 | $27.11 | $72,761 |
| 90th percentile | $63,730 | $5,311 | $30.64 | $82,232 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,520 over the median, the 25th only $3,840 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,703 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $50,610 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Louisville, and the Kentucky statewide median of $50,400 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Louisville
At the $48,870 median, a local hire costs about $63,058 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,188 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for HR assistants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Louisville
Of the 17 roles we track in Louisville, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($54,600) and bookkeepers ($47,990). Project Coordinator is the highest at $82,660.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +12.9% | 5,190 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +11.7% | 600 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 400 | |
| Bookkeeper | -1.8% | 7,730 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.6% | 4,770 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Louisville (-3.4%), between medical administrative assistants (-3.3%) and bookkeepers (-5.3%). The typical role here is at -5.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 0.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Louisville, 0.6% across Kentucky and 0.6% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Kentucky
Across the 8 areas of Kentucky with data for this job, the median runs from $42,310 in the East Kentucky nonmetro area to $54,950 in Elizabethtown, a gap of $12,640 a year. No other area in Kentucky has as many HR assistants, and 5 of the other 7 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Louisville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown, KY | +12.4% | 240 | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | +3.7% | 150 | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | this area | 400 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | -5.2% | 40 | |
| South Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -5.5% | 70 | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -5.7% | 80 | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -12.4% | 60 |
Louisville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Louisville is #46 of 382 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Kentucky, Utica-Rome and Houston-Pasadena pay just above Louisville and State College and La Crosse-Onalaska just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in Louisville. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Louisville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +6.7% | 400 | jobs | |
| Albuquerque, NM | +3.3% | 420 | jobs | |
| Houston-Pasadena, TX | +0.0% | 1,140 | pay | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | +0.0% | 100 | pay | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | this area | 400 | ||
| State College, PA | -0.1% | 40 | pay | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | -0.2% | 40 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | -7.1% | 380 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Louisville, KY-IN?
About $63,058 a year at the median, or $5,255 a month: $48,870 in pay plus about $14,188 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for HR assistants in Louisville?
The median was $48,870 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,180, the 90th $63,730, and the middle half earned $45,030 to $56,390.
Is Louisville cheaper than the rest of Kentucky for HR assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $48,870 against $50,400 statewide. The next area up in Kentucky is Lexington-Fayette at $50,690, the next down Bowling Green at $46,320.
How many HR assistants work in Louisville?
BLS counts about 400 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Kentucky has as many.
Does an HR assistant cost more than a bookkeeper in Louisville?
Yes: $880 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,870 and $47,990.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4161: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.