An HR Associate'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 Associate Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an HR Associate'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:
How Do HR Associate 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 Associates. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $77,911
San Francisco: $77,058
Oakland: $75,434
San Jose, CA$77,911
San Francisco, CA$77,058
Oakland, CA$75,434
New York, NY$71,122
Paramus, NJ$70,257
Queens Village, NY$70,254
Passaic, NJ$70,195
Bergenfield, NJ$70,190
Stamford, CT$70,054
Huntington, NY$70,029
Newark, NJ$69,572
Bridgeport, CT$69,442
Vallejo, CA$69,319
New Brunswick, NJ$69,294
Petaluma, CA$69,257
Middlesex, NJ$69,140
Somerset, NJ$69,096
Santa Cruz, CA$69,016
Boston, MA$68,639
Monterey, CA$68,423
Seattle, WA$68,281
Santa Rosa, CA$68,269
Los Angeles, CA$68,250
Juneau, AK$68,090
Washington, DC$68,022
Orange, CA$67,802
Santa Ana, CA$67,639
Long Beach, CA$67,577
Anaheim, CA$67,565
Anchorage, AK$67,534
Santa Maria, CA$67,348
Everett, WA$67,336
Danbury, CT$67,119
Bremerton, WA$67,033
Tacoma, WA$66,811
New Suffolk, NY$66,810
Sacramento, CA$66,792
Santa Barbara, CA$66,724
Trenton, NJ$66,657
San Diego, CA$66,657
Brockton, MA$66,589
Fairbanks, AK$66,437
Lompoc, CA$66,280
Lowell, MA$66,230
Ventura, CA$66,218
Nashua, NH$66,206
Stockton, CA$66,199
Modesto, CA$65,749
Poughkeepsie, NY$65,613
Olympia, WA$65,495
Kennewick, WA$65,495
New Haven, CT$65,471
Lawrence, MA$65,248
Hartford, CT$65,186
Riverside, CA$65,174
New Bedford, MA$65,112
Richland, WA$65,112
Bakersfield, CA$65,026
San Bernardino, CA$65,001
New Britain, CT$64,995
Atlantic City, NJ$64,995
New London, CT$64,970
Norwich, CT$64,952
Portsmouth, NH$64,939
Boulder, CO$64,808
Portland, OR$64,723
Worcester, MA$64,717
Minneapolis, MN$64,525
Philadelphia, PA$64,439
Honolulu, HI$64,235
Saint Paul, MN$64,205
Vineland, NJ$64,192
Providence, RI$64,013
Chicago, IL$63,834
Bellingham, WA$63,760
Springfield, MA$63,710
Baltimore, MD$63,692
Chico, CA$63,537
Pittsfield, MA$63,370
Manchester, NH$63,253
Spokane, WA$62,981
Denver, CO$62,975
Albany, NY$62,685
Troy, NY$62,660
Nassau, NY$62,594
Schenectady, NY$62,530
Wilmington, DE$62,481
Burlington, VT$62,394
Salem, OR$62,370
Portland, ME$62,178
Yakima, WA$62,116
Rochester, MN$61,925
Reno, NV$61,894
Fresno, CA$61,894
Milwaukee, WI$61,838
Detroit, MI$61,777
Ann Arbor, MI$61,766
Allentown, PA$61,758
Colorado Springs, CO$61,653
Syracuse, NY$61,622
Carson City, NV$61,622
Houston, TX$61,536
Eugene, OR$61,505
Gary, IN$61,431
Springfield, OR$61,381
Bismarck, ND$61,369
Galveston, TX$61,326
Medford, OR$61,233
Fort Collins, CO$61,208
Concord, NH$61,178
Austin, TX$61,159
Mesa, AZ$61,029
Reading, PA$61,023
Phoenix, AZ$61,017
Dallas, TX$60,998
Saint Cloud, MN$60,939
Madison, WI$60,856
Utica, NY$60,690
Rochester, NY$60,591
Des Moines, IA$60,585
Raleigh, NC$60,578
Atlanta, GA$60,486
Battle Creek, MI$60,467
Salt Lake City, UT$60,449
Lancaster, PA$60,356
Harrisburg, PA$60,269
Kansas City, MO$60,208
Champaign, IL$60,195
Kansas City, KS$60,195
Fort Worth, TX$60,189
Columbus, OH$60,179
Boca Raton, FL$60,164
Pittsburgh, PA$60,140
Richmond, VA$60,115
Indianapolis, IN$60,103
Cleveland, OH$60,097
Las Vegas, NV$60,022
Cincinnati, OH$60,022
Petersburg, VA$59,930
Huntsville, AL$59,837
Lansing, MI$59,796
Lebanon, PA$59,788
Pueblo, CO$59,781
Appleton, WI$59,763
Buffalo, NY$59,738
Dayton, OH$59,720
Racine, WI$59,707
Charlotte, NC$59,701
Saint Louis, MO$59,683
York, PA$59,646
Elkhart, IN$59,646
Gastonia, NC$59,634
Billings, MT$59,619
Beaumont, TX$59,602
Lorain, OH$59,590
Benton Harbor, MI$59,578
Toledo, OH$59,565
Binghamton, NY$59,534
Rock Hill, SC$59,528
Rockford, IL$59,497
Springfield, IL$59,473
Elyria, OH$59,466
Fargo, ND$59,466
Flagstaff, AZ$59,423
Fort Lauderdale, FL$59,386
Duluth, MN$59,349
Miami, FL$59,349
Cheyenne, WY$59,306
Grand Forks, ND$59,306
Bangor, ME$59,170
Cedar Rapids, IA$59,102
Durham, NC$59,076
Louisville, KY$59,071
Grand Rapids, MI$59,059
Hialeah, FL$59,053
Casper, WY$58,966
Scranton, PA$58,892
New Orleans, LA$58,873
Virginia Beach, VA$58,867
Akron, OH$58,836
Peoria, IL$58,756
Sarasota, FL$58,744
Nashville, TN$58,701
Omaha, NE$58,701
Green Bay, WI$58,701
Baton Rouge, LA$58,670
Charleston, SC$58,657
Jamestown, NY$58,626
Davenport, IA$58,626
Tucson, AZ$58,595
Saint Petersburg, FL$58,558
Tampa, FL$58,546
Evansville, IN$58,509
Port Arthur, TX$58,509
Bradenton, FL$58,484
Santa Fe, NM$58,373
Orlando, FL$58,262
Clearwater, FL$58,243
Canton, OH$58,114
La Crosse, WI$58,114
Albuquerque, NM$58,077
Newport News, VA$58,070
High Point, NC$58,052
Ogden, UT$58,027
Corpus Christi, TX$57,978
Norfolk, VA$57,941
Laramie, WY$57,941
Rock Island, IL$57,904
Saginaw, MI$57,891
Jacksonville, FL$57,885
Salisbury, NC$57,873
Boise, ID$57,860
Moline, IL$57,830
Fort Myers, FL$57,811
Memphis, TN$57,799
Tulsa, OK$57,768
Waterloo, IA$57,731
Spartanburg, SC$57,669
Lincoln, NE$57,638
Fort Wayne, IN$57,626
Provo, UT$57,620
Cedar Falls, IA$57,545
San Antonio, TX$57,521
Greensboro, NC$57,496
South Bend, IN$57,490
Savannah, GA$57,422
Muskegon, MI$57,397
Birmingham, AL$57,391
Winston Salem, NC$57,361
Lake Charles, LA$57,212
Anderson, IN$57,199
Lexington, KY$57,181
Augusta, GA$57,162
Greenville, SC$57,162
Lima, OH$57,113
Wichita, KS$57,107
Tuscaloosa, AL$57,107
Columbia, SC$57,051
Springfield, OH$57,039
Asheville, NC$56,940
Bloomington, IN$56,897
Knoxville, TN$56,674
Shreveport, LA$56,668
Wilmington, NC$56,588
Roanoke, VA$56,588
Topeka, KS$56,477
Frankfort, KY$56,470
Oklahoma City, OK$56,427
Chillicothe, OH$56,403
Longview, TX$56,396
Melbourne, FL$56,390
Sioux Falls, SD$56,291
Mobile, AL$56,285
Terre Haute, IN$56,261
Altoona, PA$56,224
Amarillo, TX$56,180
Killeen, TX$56,162
Fayetteville, AR$56,112
Chattanooga, TN$56,094
Sioux City, IA$56,038
Idaho Falls, ID$56,026
Lynchburg, VA$55,976
Gainesville, FL$55,896
Portsmouth, OH$55,865
Little Rock, AR$55,853
Lafayette, LA$55,828
Youngstown, OH$55,828
Daytona Beach, FL$55,791
Clarksville, TN$55,785
Pensacola, FL$55,779
Temple, TX$55,774
Hopkinsville, KY$55,593
Erie, PA$55,581
Florence, SC$55,556
Charleston, WV$55,458
Great Falls, MT$55,427
Macon, GA$55,340
Tallahassee, FL$55,334
Fayetteville, NC$55,322
Waco, TX$55,309
Helena, MT$55,266
Pine Bluff, AR$55,243
Vincennes, IN$55,167
Lubbock, TX$55,143
Alamogordo, NM$55,105
Twin Falls, ID$55,050
Rapid City, SD$55,031
Jackson, MS$54,920
Huntington, WV$54,916
Greenville, MS$54,914
Parkersburg, WV$54,851
Montgomery, AL$54,840
Wichita Falls, TX$54,778
Springfield, MO$54,778
Biloxi, MS$54,747
Monroe, LA$54,685
Johnstown, PA$54,642
Sumter, SC$54,617
Columbus, GA$54,611
Pascagoula, MS$54,494
Abilene, TX$54,494
Kingsport, TN$54,333
Albany, GA$54,333
Gulfport, MS$54,315
Alexandria, LA$54,111
Fort Smith, AR$53,957
El Paso, TX$53,790
Las Cruces, NM$53,512
Harlingen, TX$53,355
Pocatello, ID$53,345
Florence, AL$53,265
Brownsville, TX$53,252
Mcallen, TX$53,123
Dothan, AL$53,036
Columbus, MS$52,669
Altus, OK$52,381
Lawton, OK$52,264
Pierre, SD$52,042
What Skills Can Increase an HR Associate's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 5.44% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Employee Relations (Mentioned in 3.06% Job Postings): Establishing and managing all interactions with employees to achieve the goals of the organization.
Employment Law (Mentioned in 1.42% Job Postings): Applying the knowledge of employment law to regulate relationships between employers and employees.
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 Associate's salary.
Resource Management: Can increase your salary by up to 27%.
ATS: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Business Administration: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
HR Associate Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For HR Associate roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Insurance and Energy & Utilities
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, HR Associate positions in Internet or Financial Services typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view HR Associate as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for an HR Associate
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Insurance
$80,302
$39.0
30%
Energy & Utilities
$77,213
$37.0
25%
Business Services
$74,125
$36.0
20%
Software & Networking
$74,125
$36.0
20%
Healthcare
$71,036
$34.0
15%
How Education impacts an HR Associate's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many HR Associates enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate 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 Associate with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$58,245
and $61,526).
HR Associate Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how an HR Associate'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.
Salaries for an HR Associate can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $52,674 in 2023
to around $52,548 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of HR Associate salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of HR Associate Over Time
$???
$52,674
$52,789
$52,548
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$52,674
2024
$52,789
2025
$52,548
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for HR Associate
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for HR Associate
Here are companies hiring for HR Associate and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next HR Associate Job
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current HR Associate job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
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FAQ about HR Associate
1. What industry pays the highest salary for HR Associate?
The Insurance industry offers the highest average compensation for HR Associate roles,
with salaries approximately 30% 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.
