Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,340 | $17.95 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $50,610 | $24.33 |
| Mean (average) | $52,250 | $25.12 |
| 90th percentile | $68,280 | $32.83 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $42,140 | $31,520 | $61,460 | 960 | 0.78 |
| Alaska | $56,510 | $46,190 | $75,030 | 260 | 1.37 |
| Arizona | $47,890 | $38,250 | $61,090 | 1,490 | 0.79 |
| Arkansas | $46,190 | $34,100 | $61,840 | 720 | 0.96 |
| California | $57,590 | $41,300 | $78,370 | 11,490 | 1.09 |
| Colorado | $54,880 | $39,630 | $73,890 | 1,660 | 1 |
| Connecticut | $54,130 | $41,810 | $74,610 | 910 | 0.93 |
| Delaware | $50,850 | $40,800 | $66,190 | 290 | 1.02 |
| District of Columbia | $59,050 | $38,990 | $80,330 | 610 | 1.49 |
| Florida | $48,330 | $36,810 | $62,880 | 3,210 | 0.56 |
| Georgia | $46,830 | $34,590 | $63,020 | 2,510 | 0.89 |
| Guam | $35,990 | $25,400 | $49,940 | 100 | 2.47 |
| Hawaii | $49,260 | $40,180 | $67,650 | 450 | 1.23 |
| Idaho | $51,770 | $41,680 | $64,080 | 280 | 0.56 |
| Illinois | $48,310 | $38,180 | $66,330 | 4,140 | 1.17 |
| Indiana | $47,850 | $36,020 | $61,610 | 1,870 | 1 |
| Iowa | $48,490 | $35,770 | $63,280 | 920 | 1.02 |
| Kansas | $49,630 | $36,070 | $62,610 | 660 | 0.79 |
| Kentucky | $50,400 | $37,200 | $64,220 | 1,240 | 1.07 |
| Louisiana | $47,490 | $33,160 | $63,920 | 750 | 0.67 |
| Maine | $49,710 | $38,100 | $64,740 | 490 | 1.31 |
| Maryland | $56,880 | $41,390 | $73,900 | 1,480 | 0.93 |
| Massachusetts | $55,840 | $42,970 | $71,130 | 1,400 | 0.66 |
| Michigan | $48,250 | $37,940 | $64,190 | 1,890 | 0.74 |
| Minnesota | $54,520 | $43,730 | $66,930 | 3,380 | 1.98 |
| Mississippi | $44,780 | $29,680 | $64,560 | 1,010 | 1.5 |
| Missouri | $47,960 | $37,740 | $65,090 | 1,090 | 0.64 |
| Montana | $50,070 | $38,450 | $62,690 | 140 | 0.46 |
| Nebraska | $47,130 | $37,380 | $60,010 | 440 | 0.75 |
| Nevada | $47,900 | $36,500 | $62,940 | 1,390 | 1.55 |
| New Hampshire | $51,400 | $28,590 | $65,800 | 470 | 1.18 |
| New Jersey | $54,410 | $39,280 | $68,010 | 4,000 | 1.61 |
| New Mexico | $49,650 | $38,100 | $59,650 | 620 | 1.22 |
| New York | $52,920 | $39,000 | $73,620 | 8,800 | 1.57 |
| North Carolina | $48,190 | $35,270 | $62,780 | 2,790 | 0.97 |
| North Dakota | $53,000 | $38,860 | $64,290 | 110 | 0.45 |
| Ohio | $48,310 | $35,790 | $65,100 | 2,770 | 0.86 |
| Oklahoma | $44,950 | $35,270 | $63,130 | 600 | 0.6 |
| Oregon | $53,550 | $43,920 | $66,230 | 1,050 | 0.92 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,800 | $37,780 | $63,810 | 2,700 | 0.77 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,080 | $21,840 | $49,870 | 1,050 | 1.93 |
| Rhode Island | $56,370 | $43,540 | $71,110 | 150 | 0.51 |
| South Carolina | $45,300 | $33,620 | $58,410 | 1,190 | 0.89 |
| South Dakota | $45,150 | $32,820 | $57,300 | 190 | 0.71 |
| Tennessee | $45,760 | $35,740 | $59,990 | 3,930 | 2.07 |
| Texas | $47,540 | $32,180 | $64,940 | 5,890 | 0.72 |
| Utah | $45,790 | $37,340 | $63,440 | 700 | 0.7 |
| Vermont | $51,810 | $42,170 | $62,090 | 140 | 0.8 |
| Virginia | $51,950 | $38,690 | $69,640 | 2,160 | 0.91 |
| Washington | $57,390 | $45,320 | $75,920 | 2,350 | 1.14 |
| West Virginia | $42,990 | $34,090 | $58,510 | 480 | 1.18 |
| Wisconsin | $48,690 | $36,710 | $63,040 | 1,890 | 1.11 |
| Wyoming | $49,660 | $36,230 | $64,940 | 90 | 0.52 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 7,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.9%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science, General CIP 52.0401
- Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry CIP 52.0407
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General CIP 52.1001
- Human Resources Management and Services, Other CIP 52.1099
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Process, verify, and maintain personnel related documentation, including staffing, recruitment, training, grievances, performance evaluations, classifications, and employee leaves of absence.
- Record data for each employee, including such information as addresses, weekly earnings, absences, amount of sales or production, supervisory reports on performance, and dates of and reasons for terminations.
- Explain company personnel policies, benefits, and procedures to employees or job applicants.
- Provide assistance in administering employee benefit programs and worker's compensation plans.
- Answer questions regarding examinations, eligibility, salaries, benefits, and other pertinent information.
- Prepare and set up for new employee orientations.
- Gather personnel records from other departments or employees.
- Examine employee files to answer inquiries and provide information for personnel actions.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- Applicant tracking software (in demand)
- Oracle HRIS (in demand)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
- SAP ERP (hot technology)
- ADP Enterprise HR
- ADP Workforce Now
- Blackboard Learn
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, Coordination, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Human Resources Administrative Assistant (HR Administrative Assistant), Human Resources Assistant (HR Assistant), Human Resources Associate (HR Associate), Personnel Clerk.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping make?
The national median annual wage for human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping was $50,610 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $37,340 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $68,280. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping need?
BLS lists associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping a growing career?
BLS projects employment of human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping to change -6.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 7,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($59,050), California ($57,590), Washington ($57,390). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.