HR Assistant salary in Baltimore-Columbia, MD
Budget above the national rate here. The median HR assistant in Baltimore-Columbia earned $57,530 a year in May 20251, 1.1% above the Maryland statewide median of $56,880 and 13.7% above the US median of $50,610. Only 16 of 384 US areas pay more for this job. It is the largest market for the job in Maryland: about 660 people, 45% of the Maryland total.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Baltimore-Columbia against Maryland and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | $45,140 | $57,530 | $73,910 | |
| Maryland | $41,390 | $56,880 | $73,900 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Baltimore-Columbia earns $48,990–$61,760. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $73,910, only 1.6 times the bottom tenth, against 1.8 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($57,150) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,770 wide, against $14,800 across Maryland and $15,770 nationally: employers in Baltimore-Columbia pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an HR assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45,140 | $3,762 | $21.70 | $58,245 |
| 25th percentile | $48,990 | $4,082 | $23.55 | $63,213 |
| Median | $57,530 | $4,794 | $27.66 | $74,232 |
| 75th percentile | $61,760 | $5,147 | $29.69 | $79,690 |
| 90th percentile | $73,910 | $6,159 | $35.53 | $95,368 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $4,230 over it, while the 25th sits $8,540 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $5,458 more a year with benefits. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $50,610 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Baltimore-Columbia, and the Maryland statewide median of $56,880 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Baltimore-Columbia
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $16,702 to the $57,530 median and brings it to $74,232 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for HR assistants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Baltimore-Columbia
Of the 17 roles we track in Baltimore-Columbia, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($60,330) and bookkeepers ($53,570). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,720.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +7.5% | 11,340 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +4.9% | 840 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 660 | |
| Bookkeeper | -6.9% | 8,540 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -14.4% | 29,780 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 17 roles we track in Baltimore-Columbia (+13.7%); sales development representatives come last (-11.6%). The typical role here is at +3.5%, so, measured against the US, HR assistants cost more in Baltimore-Columbia than the area's general pay level would suggest. HR assistants hold 0.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Baltimore-Columbia, 0.5% across Maryland and 0.6% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Maryland
Across the 5 areas of Maryland with data for this job, the median runs from $45,140 in the Maryland nonmetro area to $59,970 in Lexington Park, a gap of $14,830 a year. No other area in Maryland has as many HR assistants, and 3 of the other 4 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Baltimore-Columbia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | +4.2% | 40 | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | this area | 660 | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -10.0% | 50 | |
| Salisbury, MD | -11.5% | 50 | |
| Maryland (Nonmetro) | -21.5% | 50 |
Baltimore-Columbia against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Baltimore-Columbia is #25 of 382 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Maryland, Los Angeles-Long Beach and Santa Rosa-Petaluma pay just above Baltimore-Columbia and Boston-Cambridge and Mount Vernon-Anacortes just below. All four are within $310 a year of the median in Baltimore-Columbia. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Baltimore-Columbia | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | +1.9% | 640 | jobs | |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | +0.5% | 90 | pay | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +0.1% | 3,890 | pay | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | this area | 660 | ||
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | -0.2% | 1,150 | pay | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | -0.5% | 30 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | -4.1% | 640 | jobs | |
| Cleveland, OH | -15.3% | 650 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Baltimore-Columbia, MD?
About $74,232 a year at the median, or $6,186 a month: $57,530 in pay plus about $16,702 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for HR assistants in Baltimore-Columbia?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $57,530 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,140, the 90th $73,910, and the middle half earned $48,990 to $61,760.
Is Baltimore-Columbia cheaper than the rest of Maryland for HR assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $57,530 against $56,880 statewide. The next area up in Maryland is Lexington Park at $59,970, the next down Hagerstown-Martinsburg at $51,750.
How many HR assistants work in Baltimore-Columbia?
BLS counts about 660 in the May 2025 survey. That is 45% of the Maryland total of 1,480. No other area in Maryland has as many.
Does an HR assistant cost more than a bookkeeper in Baltimore-Columbia?
Yes: $3,960 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,530 and $53,570.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4161: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.