As of August 2019, Kentucky has posted an unemployment rate of just 4.4 percent and a strong civilian workforce of 2.068 million, both of which represent a healthy economic environment that’s ripe for opportunities in the human resources field.
HR management professionals here enjoy salaries that often top six figures, while HR specialist and assistant positions are marked by competitive salaries and strong growth projections.
So, whether you’re a recent high school grad, a career changer looking to break into the HR field, or an established human resources professionals with aspirations of ascending the career ladder, there’s a job for you in Kentucky.
Human Resources Management Salaries in Kentucky
Human resources management professionals are the highest earners among HR pros in Kentucky, and for good reason. These managerial, supervisory, and executive-level positions demand those with the highest levels of expertise and skills, which is most often achieved through graduate-level education and extensive experience.
The highest earners in the state among HR management professionals are training and development managers, who earn a median salary of $100,540. The top 10% among these professionals earn an average salary of $152,1300. Compensation and benefits managers and HR managers also earn impressive median salaries, at $93,340 and $88,090, respectively.
The following tables provide a closer look into what these professionals earn in Kentucky’s largest metro areas of Louisville and Lexington:
Louisville
Louisville’s HR management professionals enjoy salaries that often top the state average. For example, HR managers here earn a median salary of $103,480, which is much higher than the state average of $88,090.
Lexington
Lexington’s HR management professionals, while earning less than their counterparts in the Louisville metro area, still enjoy competitive salaries. For example, training and development managers here earn a median salary of $89,990 and a top (90th percentile) salary of $145,430.
Human Resources Specialist and Assistant Salaries in Kentucky
Strong job growth projections are the hallmark of human resources specialists and assistants in Kentucky. For example, the number of training and development managers here is projected to increase by 12.3 percent between 2016 and 2026 – that’s higher than the national projected growth rate of 11.5 percent for these HR professionals.
In general, human resources specialists and assistants in Kentucky enjoy median salaries that hover in the $50,000s. For example, labor relations specialists earn a median salary of $57,870, while compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists earn a median salary of $52,520.
A closer look at what HR specialists and assistants earn at all levels in Kentucky’s largest metro areas of Louisville and Lexington is available through the following tables:
Louisville
The largest number of human resources specialists in Kentucky – 2,560 – is located in the Louisville metro area. These professionals earn a median salary of $55,520, which is slightly higher than the state median of $54,570 for these professionals.
Lexington
The highest earners among HR specialists and assistants in the Lexington metro area are labor relations specialists, who earn a median salary of $75,540, which is much higher than the state average of $57,870 for these professionals.
Examples of HR positions were taken from a survey of job listings in the state at the time of this writing and are shown for illustrative purposes only. These examples do not represent job offers or positions that are currently available.
Salary and employment data compiled by the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics in May of 2018 for human resources managers, specialists, and assistants – https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ky.htm#11-9111. The BLS salary data shown here represents median – 90th percentile salary ranges for the state and its MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Areas) and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries.
Job growth projections sourced from the Kentucky Center for Statistics and published in the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Long Term Occupational Projections (2016-2026) database – https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
All salary and job growth data accessed in September 2019.