Cost of hiring in Kentucky
BLS counts about 199,250 people in these 17 roles in Kentucky[1]. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($81,700 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($32,940), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 38,630 people.
17roles with BLS pay data
199,250people in these roles
$81,700top median: project coordinator
$32,940lowest median: virtual receptionist
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Kentucky
| Role | Median per year | Employer cost | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | $116,714 | -20.2% | 10,250 | |
| Accountant | $107,529 | -10.1% | 11,930 | |
| Recruiter | $98,586 | -9.1% | 10,900 | |
| Office Manager | $90,257 | -9.1% | 19,670 | |
| Executive Assistant | $89,157 | -18.5% | 2,700 | |
| Marketing Specialist | $87,829 | -21.9% | 6,290 | |
| Paralegal | $85,471 | -4.9% | 3,540 | |
| Payroll Specialist | $75,557 | -9.2% | 1,670 | |
| Sales Development Representative | $75,357 | -24.6% | 11,860 | |
| HR Assistant | $72,000 | -0.4% | 1,240 | |
| Bookkeeper | $66,500 | -8.1% | 23,480 | |
| Administrative Assistant | $63,143 | -7.0% | 18,420 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | $58,029 | -12.0% | 930 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | $55,357 | -15.6% | 26,430 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | $55,286 | -13.6% | 38,630 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | $52,671 | -10.8% | 2,020 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | $47,057 | -13.3% | 9,290 |
Employer cost adds benefits and payroll taxes at 30.0% of total compensation, the US private-industry share[2]. Treat it as an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Metro areas in Kentucky
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY-IN | 67,530 | 17 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 30,310 | 17 |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | 15,920 | 17 |
| South Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | 15,900 | 17 |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | 10,320 | 17 |
| East Kentucky (Nonmetro) | 8,740 | 16 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 6,960 | 15 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | 5,430 | 15 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | 4,800 | 15 |
| Owensboro, KY | 4,240 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Kentucky?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $81,700 a year, about $116,714 with benefits.
Which role costs the least in Kentucky?
Virtual Receptionist, with a median of $32,940 a year, about $47,057 with benefits.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025: https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-05.