Cost of hiring in the West Kentucky nonmetro area
BLS counts about 10,320 people in these 17 roles in the West Kentucky nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($75,050 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($31,360), and Bookkeeper is the largest job, with about 1,690 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the West Kentucky nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | -2.7% | 30 | |
| Office Manager | -12.0% | 1,090 | |
| Bookkeeper | -13.0% | 1,690 | |
| HR Assistant | -15.4% | 60 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -16.3% | 1,590 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -16.3% | 100 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -16.7% | 40 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -17.5% | 520 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -18.3% | 1,350 | |
| Accountant | -18.6% | 600 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -20.8% | 1,360 | |
| Recruiter | -22.0% | 490 | |
| Executive Assistant | -25.4% | 130 | |
| Project Coordinator | -26.7% | 460 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -31.7% | 450 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -33.8% | 240 | |
| Paralegal | -38.8% | 120 |
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 $44,090 median for bookkeepers, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $56,890 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the West Kentucky nonmetro area against the US
The West Kentucky nonmetro area pays below the US median for all 17 roles. The gap is smallest for data entry specialists (-2.7%) and office managers (-12.0%) and largest for paralegals (-38.8%). The middle gap across all 17 is -18.3%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for data entry specialists, #164 of 394 areas by median pay; its lowest is for paralegals, #499 of 506.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the West Kentucky nonmetro area has more medical administrative assistants (13.2% of these jobs here, against 6.1% nationally) and bookkeepers (16.4% against 8.7%), and fewer data entry specialists (0.3% against 0.8%) and marketing specialists (2.3% against 5.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Homosassa Springs, FL is nearest, at -18.3%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -18.1% | 17 | 32,430 |
| Lake Charles, LA | -18.1% | 14 | 7,080 |
| Muncie, IN | -18.2% | 15 | 3,740 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | -18.3% | 15 | 3,330 |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -18.3% (this area) | 17 | 10,320 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | -18.5% | 16 | 15,130 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the West Kentucky nonmetro area span $27,780–$93,410, the widest band (3.4×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $29,310–$46,830. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 9 of 17 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, project coordinators, marketing specialists and 4 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($55,060 against a $47,820 median for sales development representatives).
the West Kentucky nonmetro area against Kentucky
Against Kentucky as a whole, the West Kentucky nonmetro area pays more only for data entry specialists (+9.1%), and less for 16, most of all paralegals (-35.7%). It has the lowest median in Kentucky for e-commerce order specialists and paralegals.
Other areas in Kentucky
By jobs in these roles, the West Kentucky nonmetro area is #5 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 |
| 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 the West Kentucky nonmetro area?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $75,050 a year, about $96,839 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $31,360.
Is hiring in the West Kentucky nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 17 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for paralegals (-38.8%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.