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HR Intern Salary in the United States

How much does an HR Intern make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an HR Intern in the United States is $60,275 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.

However, an HR Intern's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $66,494
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $54,281 to $63,530
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $48,824
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence HR Intern Salaries

An HR Intern's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects HR Intern Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an HR Intern's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $60,036
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $75,250
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $90,539
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $115,346
  • Expert (over 8 years): $77,640
Levels Salary
HR Intern... Level HR Intern$60,036
Recruiter... Level HR Intern$75,250
Recruiter... Level HR Intern$90,539
Recruiter... Level HR Intern$115,346
Recruitin... Level HR Intern$77,640
View as Graph

How Do HR Intern Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract HR Interns. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $66,737.
  • California: $66,484.
  • Massachusetts: $65,598.

Top Paying Cities for HR Interns

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $76,025
  • San Francisco: $75,193
  • Oakland: $73,608

What Skills Can Increase an HR Intern's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Interviewing (Mentioned in 6.26% Job Postings): The ability and process of conducting a conversation to gather information to facilitate all kinds of decision-making.
  • Full-Cycle Recruiting (Mentioned in 2.98% Job Postings): Full cycle recruiting, also referred to as end-to-end recruiting or full lifecycle recruiting, is a term used to describe the holistic recruitment process, often handled by a single recruiter.
  • HRIS (Mentioned in 1.11% Job Postings): HRIS is a management system designed specifically to provide managers with information to make HR decisions. Is a system that lets you keep track of all your employees and information about them.
Skills Demand Percentage
Interviewing 6.26%
Full-Cycle Recruiting 2.98%
HRIS 1.11%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an HR Intern's salary.

  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 30%.
  • Diversity and Inclusion: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
  • ATS: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Analysis $78,358
30%
Diversity and Inclusion $71,728
19%
ATS $67,508
12%
Get Latest Data

HR Intern Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For HR Intern roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 30% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Internet and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 15% above the average. In contrast, HR Intern positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view HR Intern as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an HR Intern

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Internet$69,317$33.015%
Pharmaceuticals$66,303$32.010%
Software & Networking$66,303$32.010%
Energy & Utilities$65,097$31.08%
Insurance$63,892$31.06%

How Education impacts an HR Intern's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many HR Interns enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an HR Intern with a Associate's Degree is between $58,233 and $61,988).

HR Intern Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for HR Intern
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.1%
High School 10.9%
Associates 7.2%
Bachelors 66.1%
Masters 14.1%
Doctorate 0.5%
View as Graph

HR Intern Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an HR Intern's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$54,281
Average $60,275/year
$63,530
$4,523
Average $5,023/month
$5,294
$1,044
Average $1,159/week
$1,222
$26
Average $29/hour
$31
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $63,530 $5,294 $1,222 $31
Average $60,275 $5,023 $1,159 $29
25th Percentile $54,281 $4,523 $1,044 $26

Most common benefits for HR Intern

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for HR Intern

Here are companies hiring for HR Intern and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about HR Intern

1. What industry pays the highest salary for HR Intern?

The Internet industry offers the highest average compensation for HR Intern roles, with salaries approximately 15% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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