BLS metro-level wage data places Labor Relations Specialists pay in Paducah, KY-IL at a median of $73,780 per year ($35.47/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $95,420, Paducah pays 23% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 40 labor relations specialistss are employed across the Paducah MSA in SOC 13-1075.

The Paducah pay distribution spans from $48,080 at the 10th percentile to $90,010 at the 90th — a 1.9× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $62,990 and the 75th at $77,210, so half of Paducah-based labor relations specialistss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Paducah, KY-IL covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide KY data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.