Post job

Human resource officer vs human resources assistant

The differences between human resource officers and human resources assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a human resource officer, becoming a human resources assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a human resource officer has an average salary of $89,540, which is higher than the $36,498 average annual salary of a human resources assistant.

The top three skills for a human resource officer include human resources functions, performance management and personnel actions. The most important skills for a human resources assistant are customer service, payroll processing, and background checks.

Human resource officer vs human resources assistant overview

Human Resource OfficerHuman Resources Assistant
Yearly salary$89,540$36,498
Hourly rate$43.05$17.55
Growth rate7%-
Number of jobs101,22140,408
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age4743
Years of experience62

What does a human resource officer do?

A human resources officer is typically in charge of managing and handling the employment operations in the company, including the payroll and training systems. Their responsibilities revolve around participating in advertising job openings, interviewing applicants, training and managing new employees, and devising programs that will help them learn about the policies and regulations of the company. Furthermore, a human resources officer is also responsible for managing employee data, such as personal information and work attendance, processing payroll, and handling any issues or concerns.

What does a human resources assistant do?

Human resources (HR) assistants are responsible for various activities of the human resources department of the organization. This is usually an entry-level position for those who intend to build a career in human resources. Human resources assistants usually do administrative and clerical activities for the department. They are also exposed to various facets of HR, such as recruitment, training, compensation and benefits, employee relations, and organizational development. They get trained to do different activities, and as time goes by, they get to have more significant responsibilities within the department.

Human resource officer vs human resources assistant salary

Human resource officers and human resources assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Human Resource OfficerHuman Resources Assistant
Average salary$89,540$36,498
Salary rangeBetween $59,000 And $135,000Between $27,000 And $48,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateConnecticutNew York
Best paying companySignature HealthcarePaul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Best paying industryGovernmentTechnology

Differences between human resource officer and human resources assistant education

There are a few differences between a human resource officer and a human resources assistant in terms of educational background:

Human Resource OfficerHuman Resources Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Human resource officer vs human resources assistant demographics

Here are the differences between human resource officers' and human resources assistants' demographics:

Human Resource OfficerHuman Resources Assistant
Average age4743
Gender ratioMale, 44.3% Female, 55.7%Male, 15.9% Female, 84.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage18%15%

Differences between human resource officer and human resources assistant duties and responsibilities

Human resource officer example responsibilities.

  • Develop FMLA policy, create curricula and training for supervisory staff, and lead stand up instruction for the leadership team.
  • Recruit, negotiate new benefit contracts, manage compensation budget with department managers, process and oversee payroll.
  • Assist employees with benefit selections, FMLA, payroll deductions, EEO, and personnel information.
  • Prepare government reports relate to EEO compliance, ensure all plans are in compliance with federal and state regulations.
  • Provide consultation on disciplinary and grievance issues, ADA, OEO, FMLA issues and facilitate labor-management committee meetings.
  • Coordinate delivery of statewide HRIS training for banking center managers.
  • Show more

Human resources assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage all candidate activity and conduct full life- cycle recruiting through an applicant tracking system (ATS).
  • Manage new employee orientation training, including e-verify.
  • Operate TALEO software system for managing prospective and current employee application status and procedures
  • Manage short-term disability and FMLA claims; notified/educate employees of eligibility and qualification requirements.
  • Maximize efficiency of HRIS system by participating in initial design, managing ongoing system enhancements and streamlining reports.
  • Conduct compensation analyses, manage EEO compliance tracking activities and deliver presentations to corporate management regarding process improvement.
  • Show more

Human resource officer vs human resources assistant skills

Common human resource officer skills
  • Human Resources Functions, 16%
  • Performance Management, 7%
  • Personnel Actions, 6%
  • EEO, 5%
  • HRIS, 4%
  • Employee Development, 4%
Common human resources assistant skills
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Payroll Processing, 8%
  • Background Checks, 8%
  • HRIS, 7%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • Assist Human Resources, 4%

Browse executive management jobs