Cost of hiring in Owensboro, KY
Customer Support Specialist is the largest of these 14 jobs in Owensboro, with about 920 people1. Medians run from $31,300 a year for virtual receptionists to $79,320 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Owensboro
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +1.1% | 920 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -6.7% | 30 | |
| Accountant | -7.0% | 250 | |
| Bookkeeper | -8.4% | 560 | |
| Office Manager | -10.3% | 380 | |
| Paralegal | -15.2% | 60 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -17.2% | 470 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -17.7% | 310 | |
| Recruiter | -17.8% | 170 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -19.3% | 520 | |
| Project Coordinator | -22.5% | 200 | |
| Executive Assistant | -28.2% | 40 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -31.5% | 110 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -32.0% | 220 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $45,260 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $58,400 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Owensboro against the US
Owensboro pays above the US median for only one of the 14 roles, customer support specialists (+1.1%), and below it for 13, furthest for sales development representatives (-32.0%). The middle gap across all 14 is -17.4%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for customer support specialists, #128 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for sales development representatives, #469 of 520.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Owensboro has more medical administrative assistants (12.3% of these jobs here, against 6.2% nationally) and bookkeepers (13.2% against 8.8%), and fewer executive assistants (0.9% against 3.0%) and marketing specialists (2.6% against 5.8%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Jackson, MS is nearest, at -17.4%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morristown, TN | -17.2% | 17 | 3,900 |
| Springfield, MO | -17.3% | 16 | 20,430 |
| Jackson, MS | -17.4% | 17 | 25,750 |
| Owensboro, KY | -17.4% (this area) | 14 | 4,240 |
| Twin Falls, ID | -17.5% | 15 | 3,610 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | -17.6% | 14 | 4,330 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in Owensboro span $32,940–$229,990, the widest band (7.0×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $30,570–$50,030. Wider than nationally for marketing specialists and payroll specialists, narrower for sales development representatives and paralegals. Budget from the median for marketing specialists, sales development representatives, executive assistants and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($75,980 against a $53,950 median for marketing specialists).
Owensboro against Kentucky
Against Kentucky as a whole, Owensboro pays more for 3 of 14 roles, led by customer support specialists (+17.0%) and accountants (+3.4%), and less for 10, most of all marketing specialists (-12.2%). It has the highest median in Kentucky for accountants and customer support specialists, and the lowest for sales development representatives.
Other areas in Kentucky
By jobs in these roles, Owensboro is #10 of 10 areas in Kentucky. The table shows the other 9.
| 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 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Owensboro?
Of the 14 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $79,320 a year, about $102,348 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $31,300.
Is hiring in Owensboro cheaper than the US median?
For 13 of the 14 roles, yes, most of all sales development representatives (-32.0%). One pays more than the US median: customer support specialists (+1.1%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.