Project Management Specialists Salary
The median pay for a project management specialists in Kentucky is $81,700/year ($39.28/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $90,546 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 21.5% 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 $82K get you in Kentucky?
About project management specialists
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for project management specialists in Kentucky runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $102K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 21.3% 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 project management specialistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level project management specialists (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $80K spread from bottom to top.
Project Management Specialists salary by metro in Kentucky
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $85K | +3% | 2,020 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $83K | +1% | 3,630 |
| Bowling Green | $81K | -0% | 350 |
| Owensboro | $79K | -3% | 200 |
| Paducah | $78K | -4% | 280 |
| Elizabethtown | $77K | -5% | 160 |
Compare to other states
Track project management specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a project management specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 21.3% 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 project management specialists in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new project management specialists typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,125/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is project management specialist a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $82K here vs. $102K 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 project management specialists?
Kentucky pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — below the national median.
How much do project management specialists make in Kentucky?
The median is $81,700 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,090, and experienced project management specialists can clear $131,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,216/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 21.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a project management 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 project management specialists salary is worth about $90,546 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do project management 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.