Labor Relations Specialists Salary
Labor Relations Specialists in Kentucky make a median of $73,550 a year, or about $35.36 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $81,514 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 23% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $74K get you in Kentucky?
About labor relations specialists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for labor relations specialists in Kentucky runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $95K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 23.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Kentucky can be a reasonable trade-off for labor relations specialistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level labor relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $59K spread from bottom to top.
Labor Relations Specialists salary by metro in Kentucky
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $78K | +6% | 310 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $78K | +5% | 100 |
| Paducah | $74K | +0% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track labor relations specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
Related careers in Business & Finance
Frequently asked questions
Can a labor relations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 23.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for labor relations specialists in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new labor relations specialists typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,353/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is labor relations specialist a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $74K here vs. $95K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for labor relations specialists?
Kentucky pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $95K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — below the national median.
How much do labor relations specialists make in Kentucky?
The median is $73,550 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,220, and experienced labor relations specialists can clear $97,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,766/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 23.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a labor relations specialists salary go in Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median labor relations specialists salary is worth about $81,514 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do labor relations specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.