Best states for a payroll & human resources assistant

Q: What is the best state for payroll & human resources assistants?

The best state to be a payroll & human resources assistant is New York based on payroll & human resources assistant salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for payroll & human resources assistants?

The highest paying state for payroll & human resources assistants is Alabama based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for payroll & human resources assistants?

The worst state for payroll & human resources assistants is Alabama, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Paul Johnson Ph.D.

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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for payroll & human resources assistants? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for payroll & human resources assistant jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Although there are abundant payroll & human resources assistant jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. New York is the best state in the country for payroll & human resources assistant jobs.

We figured that the best places for payroll & human resources assistant jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for payroll & human resources assistants, and the Northeast is the worst. New York, NY is the best city in the country for payroll & human resources assistant jobs, where as New York is the best state in the country.

10 best states for payroll & human resources assistants in 2026

1. New York
Total payroll & human resources assistant jobs: 913
Average annual salary: $55,421
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Payroll & human resources assistant jobs in New York
2. Connecticut
Total payroll & human resources assistant jobs: 229
Average annual salary: $52,501
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Payroll & human resources assistant jobs in Connecticut
3. District of Columbia
Total payroll & human resources assistant jobs: 197
Average annual salary: $52,454
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Location Quotient:
1.88
Payroll & human resources assistant jobs in District of Columbia
4. New Hampshire
Total payroll & human resources assistant jobs: 118
Average annual salary: $48,768
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000
Location Quotient:
1.08
Payroll & human resources assistant jobs in New Hampshire
5. Illinois
Total payroll & human resources assistant jobs: 808
Average annual salary: $48,587
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Location Quotient:
1.09
Payroll & human resources assistant jobs in Illinois
6. Massachusetts
Total payroll & human resources assistant jobs: 614
Average annual salary: $50,463
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Payroll & human resources assistant jobs in Massachusetts
7. California
Total payroll & human resources assistant jobs: 2,363
Average annual salary: $47,622
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Location Quotient:
1.3
Payroll & human resources assistant jobs in California
8. Wyoming
Total payroll & human resources assistant jobs: 36
Average annual salary: $44,993
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Payroll & human resources assistant jobs in Wyoming
9. Vermont
Total payroll & human resources assistant jobs: 58
Average annual salary: $43,879
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
1.21
Payroll & human resources assistant jobs in Vermont
10. Wisconsin
Total payroll & human resources assistant jobs: 373
Average annual salary: $42,912
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000
Location Quotient:
1.08
Payroll & human resources assistant jobs in Wisconsin

Payroll & human resources assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a payroll & human resources assistant

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a payroll & human resources assistant

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New York	$55,421	$34,000	19,849,399	913
2	Connecticut	$52,501	$33,000	3,588,184	229
3	District of Columbia	$52,454	$33,000	693,972	197
4	New Hampshire	$48,768	$31,000	1,342,795	118
5	Illinois	$48,587	$33,000	12,802,023	808
6	Massachusetts	$50,463	$32,000	6,859,819	614
7	California	$47,622	$33,000	39,536,653	2,363
8	Wyoming	$44,993	$33,000	579,315	36
9	Vermont	$43,879	$28,000	623,657	58
10	Wisconsin	$42,912	$29,000	5,795,483	373
11	Delaware	$43,271	$27,000	961,939	97
12	Rhode Island	$45,574	$28,000	1,059,639	71
13	Utah	$43,299	$31,000	3,101,833	188
14	West Virginia	$46,406	$30,000	1,815,857	71
15	Alaska	$42,862	$34,000	739,795	59
16	Michigan	$43,483	$28,000	9,962,311	440
17	Washington	$42,445	$31,000	7,405,743	524
18	Kansas	$41,505	$30,000	2,913,123	179
19	North Dakota	$40,213	$29,000	755,393	64
20	Minnesota	$41,927	$30,000	5,576,606	427
21	Maryland	$48,081	$30,000	6,052,177	348
22	New Jersey	$46,663	$29,000	9,005,644	422
23	Nevada	$40,655	$28,000	2,998,039	132
24	North Carolina	$40,348	$27,000	10,273,419	571
25	Pennsylvania	$41,504	$26,000	12,805,537	689
26	Virginia	$43,182	$27,000	8,470,020	587
27	Colorado	$41,195	$30,000	5,607,154	384
28	Ohio	$40,347	$26,000	11,658,609	576
29	Indiana	$40,197	$27,000	6,666,818	320
30	Oregon	$38,081	$27,000	4,142,776	298
31	Texas	$39,244	$27,000	28,304,596	1,147
32	Hawaii	$37,457	$28,000	1,427,538	68
33	Iowa	$38,991	$27,000	3,145,711	190
34	Maine	$39,009	$25,000	1,335,907	77
35	Arizona	$36,161	$25,000	7,016,270	479
36	Mississippi	$39,072	$27,000	2,984,100	99
37	Georgia	$35,906	$25,000	10,429,379	621
38	Oklahoma	$37,533	$27,000	3,930,864	130
39	Florida	$36,905	$25,000	20,984,400	879
40	Tennessee	$34,207	$24,000	6,715,984	355
41	Montana	$35,626	$26,000	1,050,493	70
42	Nebraska	$34,947	$25,000	1,920,076	128
43	Kentucky	$35,751	$24,000	4,454,189	193
44	Idaho	$35,970	$26,000	1,716,943	85
45	South Carolina	$34,693	$24,000	5,024,369	232
46	New Mexico	$35,117	$25,000	2,088,070	73
47	Missouri	$35,113	$25,000	6,113,532	297
48	Louisiana	$34,902	$24,000	4,684,333	137
49	Arkansas	$31,766	$22,000	3,004,279	145
50	South Dakota	$31,281	$23,000	869,666	45
51	Alabama	$30,185	$21,000	4,874,747	183

Highest paying states for payroll & human resources assistants

Rank	State	Avg. Payroll & Human Resources Assistant Salary
1	New York	$55,421
2	Connecticut	$52,501
3	District of Columbia	$52,454
4	New Hampshire	$48,768
5	Illinois	$48,587
6	Massachusetts	$50,463
7	California	$47,622
8	Wyoming	$44,993
9	Vermont	$43,879
10	Wisconsin	$42,912
11	Delaware	$43,271
12	Rhode Island	$45,574
13	Utah	$43,299
14	West Virginia	$46,406
15	Alaska	$42,862
16	Michigan	$43,483
17	Washington	$42,445
18	Kansas	$41,505
19	North Dakota	$40,213
20	Minnesota	$41,927
21	Maryland	$48,081
22	New Jersey	$46,663
23	Nevada	$40,655
24	North Carolina	$40,348
25	Pennsylvania	$41,504
26	Virginia	$43,182
27	Colorado	$41,195
28	Ohio	$40,347
29	Indiana	$40,197
30	Oregon	$38,081
31	Texas	$39,244
32	Hawaii	$37,457
33	Iowa	$38,991
34	Maine	$39,009
35	Arizona	$36,161
36	Mississippi	$39,072
37	Georgia	$35,906
38	Oklahoma	$37,533
39	Florida	$36,905
40	Tennessee	$34,207
41	Montana	$35,626
42	Nebraska	$34,947
43	Kentucky	$35,751
44	Idaho	$35,970
45	South Carolina	$34,693
46	New Mexico	$35,117
47	Missouri	$35,113
48	Louisiana	$34,902
49	Arkansas	$31,766
50	South Dakota	$31,281
51	Alabama	$30,185

Expert opinions on the best states for payroll & human resources assistants

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for payroll & human resources assistants to find work opportunities?
Paul Johnson Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Bowling Green State University
I would say that any state or district has a growing population. However, effective educational leaders are in high demand everywhere.

Payroll & human resources assistant best states FAQs

What is the best state for payroll & human resources assistants?

What is the highest paying state for payroll & human resources assistants?

What is the worst state for payroll & human resources assistants?

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Best states for Payroll & Human Resources Assistants

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total payroll & human resources assistant jobs:	913
Average annual salary:	$55,421
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$34,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$88,000
Location Quotient:	1.14

Best states for a payroll & human resources assistant

10 best states for payroll & human resources assistants in 2026

1. New York

2. Connecticut

3. District of Columbia

4. New Hampshire

5. Illinois

6. Massachusetts

7. California

8. Wyoming

9. Vermont

10. Wisconsin