HR Manager Salary in Kentucky (2026)

Worth knowing: Kentucky's 2017 Right-to-Work via SB 1 is the most recent major-state US RTW transition and a feature most national HR-career surveys understate for KY. KY RTW (SB 1 of 2017, signed by Governor Bevin January 2017, the sixth-most-recent US RTW state after MI/IN/WI/WV/AR added 2012-2015) substantially reshaped KY's HR landscape — KY's pre-2017 non-RTW status combined with substantial UAW Ford + IAM UPS + USW industrial union presence created strong-union HR practice; post-2017 RTW environment continues with grandfathered + active union relationships but new operations + non-union employer flexibility increased substantially. KY union density currently ~7.5% (2024) — moderate vs non-RTW peers (IL 12% + OH 12%) but higher than long-RTW states (SC 2.5% + NC 2.5%). UAW Ford Local 862 + Local 783 representing Ford Louisville Assembly + Kentucky Truck Plant + IAM UPS Local 89 (Louisville UPS hub) anchor substantial labor-relations work. The distinctive KY HR feature: Toyota Manufacturing Kentucky Georgetown (Toyota's largest NA plant, ~9K employees) operates non-union — Toyota's Toyota Production System team-based culture + extensive employee involvement programs at TMMK supports non-union retention. KY's flat 4% rate is substantially lower than OR/MN's 9.85-9.9% tops + KY Local Occupational Tax (Louisville 1.45-2.20% + Lexington 2.25%) adds local layer.