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Payroll & human resources assistant salary
Average payroll & human resources assistant salary
$41,680
Average Payroll & Human Resources Assistant Salary
The average salary for a Payroll & Human Resources Assistant in the United States stands at approximately $41,680 per year. This figure translates to about $20 per hour, providing a solid starting point for those entering the human resources field.
Factors influencing this salary include geographical location, industry, and experience level. For instance, states like California and New York tend to offer higher salaries due to their cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
In addition to state averages, salaries can also differ based on experience. Entry-level positions may start lower, while those with several years of experience can command higher wages. For instance:
- Entry-level: Around $35,000
- Mid-career: Approximately $45,000
- Experienced: Up to $55,000+
To enhance your earning potential, consider obtaining certifications or specialized training in payroll software or HR practices. Additionally, exploring job opportunities in high-paying cities, such as San Francisco or Seattle, can significantly affect your salary trajectory.
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Where can a Payroll & Human Resources Assistant earn more?
Payroll & human resources assistant salaries by experience level
Average payroll & human resources assistant salary by state
The highest-paying states for payroll & human resources assistants are New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The lowest average payroll & human resources assistant salary states are Louisiana, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for payroll & human resources assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $55,421 | $26.64 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $52,501 | $25.24 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $52,454 | $25.22 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $48,768 | $23.45 |
| 5 | Illinois | $48,587 | $23.36 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $50,463 | $24.26 |
| 7 | California | $47,622 | $22.90 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $44,993 | $21.63 |
| 9 | Vermont | $43,879 | $21.10 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $42,912 | $20.63 |
| 11 | Delaware | $43,271 | $20.80 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $45,574 | $21.91 |
| 13 | Utah | $43,299 | $20.82 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $46,406 | $22.31 |
| 15 | Alaska | $42,862 | $20.61 |
| 16 | Michigan | $43,483 | $20.91 |
| 17 | Washington | $42,445 | $20.41 |
| 18 | Kansas | $41,505 | $19.95 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $40,213 | $19.33 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $41,927 | $20.16 |
| 21 | Maryland | $48,081 | $23.12 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $46,663 | $22.43 |
| 23 | Nevada | $40,655 | $19.55 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $40,348 | $19.40 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $41,504 | $19.95 |
| 26 | Virginia | $43,182 | $20.76 |
| 27 | Colorado | $41,195 | $19.81 |
| 28 | Ohio | $40,347 | $19.40 |
| 29 | Indiana | $40,197 | $19.33 |
| 30 | Oregon | $38,081 | $18.31 |
| 31 | Texas | $39,244 | $18.87 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $37,457 | $18.01 |
| 33 | Iowa | $38,991 | $18.75 |
| 34 | Maine | $39,009 | $18.75 |
| 35 | Arizona | $36,161 | $17.39 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $39,072 | $18.78 |
| 37 | Georgia | $35,906 | $17.26 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $37,533 | $18.04 |
| 39 | Florida | $36,905 | $17.74 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $34,207 | $16.45 |
| 41 | Montana | $35,626 | $17.13 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $34,947 | $16.80 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $35,751 | $17.19 |
| 44 | Idaho | $35,970 | $17.29 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $34,693 | $16.68 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $35,117 | $16.88 |
| 47 | Missouri | $35,113 | $16.88 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $34,902 | $16.78 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $31,766 | $15.27 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $31,281 | $15.04 |
| 51 | Alabama | $30,185 | $14.51 |
Highest paying cities for payroll & human resources assistants
The highest-paying cities for payroll & human resources assistants are New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, and Salt Lake City, UT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $55,488 | $26.68 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $50,073 | $24.07 |
| 3 | Salt Lake City, UT | $43,158 | $20.75 |
| 4 | Charlottesville, VA | $42,759 | $20.56 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $42,482 | $20.42 |
| 6 | Youngstown, OH | $42,067 | $20.22 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $41,943 | $20.16 |
| 8 | San Antonio, TX | $39,650 | $19.06 |
| 9 | Monroeville, PA | $39,078 | $18.79 |
| 10 | Ottumwa, IA | $38,592 | $18.55 |
| 11 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $37,511 | $18.03 |
| 12 | Tampa, FL | $37,209 | $17.89 |
| 13 | Caldwell, ID | $36,267 | $17.44 |
| 14 | Alpharetta, GA | $35,885 | $17.25 |
| 15 | Omaha, NE | $35,080 | $16.87 |
| 16 | Memphis, TN | $33,909 | $16.30 |
| 17 | Birmingham, AL | $30,050 | $14.45 |
Payroll & human resources assistant salary details
A payroll & human resources assistant's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $59,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a payroll & human resources assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $41,680 | $3,473 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying payroll & human resources assistant jobs
The highest paying types of payroll & human resources assistants are human resources consultant, human resources analyst, and human resources supervisor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Clerk | $41,602 | $3,467 | $20.00 | 71,944 |
| Payroll Analyst | $54,217 | $4,518 | $26.07 | 15,555 |
| Payroll Processor | $44,307 | $3,692 | $21.30 | 11,795 |
| Human Resources Clerk | $35,149 | $2,929 | $16.90 | 107,374 |
| Human Resources Coordinator | $44,074 | $3,673 | $21.19 | 53,322 |
| Human Resources Internship | $32,702 | $2,725 | $15.72 | 88,826 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for payroll & human resources assistants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sarah DeArmond Ph.D.
Management and Human Resources Department Chair, Professor of Human Resource Management, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Top companies hiring payroll & human resources assistants now:
Which companies pay payroll & human resources assistants the most?
Payroll & human resources assistant salaries at Compunetix and Santander Bank are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average payroll & human resources assistant salary at companies like Cenergy International Services and Hawaii Pacific Health are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Compunetix | $77,596 | $37.31 |
| 2 | Santander Bank | $63,732 | $30.64 |
| 3 | Cenergy International Services | $55,759 | $26.81 |
| 4 | Hawaii Pacific Health | $51,878 | $24.94 |
| 5 | Flex-N-Gate | $50,063 | $24.07 |
| 6 | City of Seattle | $49,746 | $23.92 |
| 7 | University of California | $48,743 | $23.43 |
| 8 | Santander Private Banking International | $45,065 | $21.67 |
| 9 | Banco Santander | $44,144 | $21.22 |
| 10 | Healthcare Staffing Solutions Inc | $43,957 | $21.13 |
| 11 | Epm Inc | $43,957 | $21.13 |
| 12 | Ampi | $43,154 | $20.75 |
| 13 | Nebraska Methodist Health System | $42,082 | $20.23 |
| 14 | Little Lukes | $42,066 | $20.22 |
| 15 | Milpitas Christian Preschool | $41,942 | $20.16 |
| 16 | Kroger | $41,858 | $20.12 |
| 17 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $41,813 | $20.10 |
| 18 | SIERRA HEALTH SERVICES INC | $41,295 | $19.85 |
| 19 | Northpoint | $40,798 | $19.61 |
| 20 | Robert Half | $40,493 | $19.47 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Payroll & Human Resources Assistant salary by industry
The average payroll & human resources assistant salary varies across industries:
- The average payroll & human resources assistant salary in the manufacturing industry is $45,905, the highest of any industry.
- The average payroll & human resources assistant salary in the finance industry is $43,612.
- Payroll & human resources assistants in the health care industry earn an average salary of $40,413, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for payroll & human resources assistants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $45,905 | $22.07 |
| 2 | Transportation | $43,612 | $20.97 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $41,954 | $20.17 |
| 4 | Professional | $40,620 | $19.53 |
| 5 | Retail | $40,525 | $19.48 |
| 6 | Health Care | $40,413 | $19.43 |
High paying payroll & human resources assistant jobs
Payroll & human resources assistant salary trends
The average payroll & human resources assistant salary has risen by $8,740 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average payroll & human resources assistant earned $32,940 annually, but today, they earn $41,680 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for payroll & human resources assistants over the last decade.
Compare payroll & human resources assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average payroll & human resources assistant salary over time
Compare payroll & human resources assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Payroll & human resources assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $41,700 | $20.04 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $40,900 | $19.68 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $39,900 | $19.20 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $38,900 | $18.70 | +3.4% |
| 2021 | $37,600 | $18.07 | +3.3% |
Recently added payroll & human resources assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neil Jones Food Company | Site Human Resources Assistant III-Payroll | Vancouver, WA | 06/27/2025 | $44,871 |
| PACS | Hr/Payroll | Bishop, CA | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Bishop Care Center | Hr/Payroll | Bishop, CA | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Ace Hardware | RSC HR Finance and Payroll | Kansas City, MO | 06/24/2025 | $45,079 |
| Creative Artists Agency | Human Resources-Payroll Professional | Los Angeles, CA | 06/20/2025 | $77,000 |
| Bustle Digital Group | Payroll and HR Assistant | New York, NY | 06/20/2025 | $50,088 |
| TSR Consulting Services, Inc. | Human Resources Payroll | Norfolk, VA | 06/15/2025 | $58,436 |
| Compass Group, North America | HR Check In Teammate-Lumen Field | Seattle, WA | 06/12/2025 | $45,413 |
| Barrett Business Services | Payroll/Hr Assistant | Escondido, CA | 06/10/2025 | $32,000 |
| Global Channel Management, Inc. | HR Payroll Garnishment | Dallas, TX | 06/10/2025 | $58,436 |
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