HR Assistant salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Hiring an HR assistant costs less in Buffalo-Cheektowaga than in New York or the country as a whole. The median is $49,000 a year1: 7.4% below the New York statewide median of $52,920 and 3.2% below the US median of $50,610. Nationally it ranks #162 of 384 areas. BLS counts about 550 people in this job here, 6% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $35,600 | $49,000 | $63,890 | |
| New York | $39,000 | $52,920 | $73,620 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Buffalo-Cheektowaga earns $40,970–$56,830. The top tenth earns $63,890 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.8 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $15,860 wide, between the figure for New York ($17,060) and the US figure ($15,770).
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 | $35,600 | $2,967 | $17.12 | $45,935 |
| 25th percentile | $40,970 | $3,414 | $19.70 | $52,865 |
| Median | $49,000 | $4,083 | $23.56 | $63,226 |
| 75th percentile | $56,830 | $4,736 | $27.32 | $73,329 |
| 90th percentile | $63,890 | $5,324 | $30.72 | $82,439 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,030 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,830, or about $10,103 once benefits are added. 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 median and the 75th percentile in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, and the New York statewide median of $52,920 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
At the $49,000 median, a local hire costs about $63,226 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,226 here. 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga
Of the 17 roles we track in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($51,610) and e-commerce order specialists ($47,020). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,180.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +13.6% | 630 | |
| Bookkeeper | +5.3% | 5,890 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 550 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -4.0% | 250 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.5% | 6,470 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Buffalo-Cheektowaga (-3.2%), between executive assistants (-2.2%) and marketing specialists (-3.5%). The typical role here is at -1.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 1.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, 0.8% across New York and 0.6% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $46,120 in Kingston to $56,850 in New York-Newark, a gap of $10,730 a year. Of the 3 areas in New York with more HR assistants than Buffalo-Cheektowaga, 1 pays less: Rochester, NY ($48,390).
| Area | Median | vs Buffalo-Cheektowaga | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +3.5% | 250 | |
| Syracuse, NY | +2.5% | 280 | |
| Capital/Northern New York (Nonmetro) | +0.8% | 130 | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | this area | 550 | |
| Elmira, NY | -0.2% | 50 | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | -0.2% | 100 | |
| Glens Falls, NY | -1.2% | 40 |
Buffalo-Cheektowaga against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Buffalo-Cheektowaga is #34 of 382 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside New York, Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and Columbia pay just above Buffalo-Cheektowaga and Lakeland-Winter Haven and Naples-Marco Island just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Buffalo-Cheektowaga. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Buffalo-Cheektowaga | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale, CA | +37.9% | 560 | jobs | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | +7.0% | 530 | jobs | |
| Columbus, OH | +3.5% | 530 | jobs | |
| Columbia, MO | +0.1% | 50 | pay | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +0.0% | 120 | pay | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | this area | 550 | ||
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | -0.0% | 130 | pay | |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | -0.1% | 30 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?
About $63,226 a year at the median, or $5,269 a month: $49,000 in pay plus about $14,226 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
The median was $49,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,600, the 90th $63,890, and the middle half earned $40,970 to $56,830.
Is Buffalo-Cheektowaga cheaper than the rest of New York for HR assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $49,000 against $52,920 statewide. The next area up in New York is the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area at $49,400, the next down Elmira at $48,900.
How many HR assistants work in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
BLS counts about 550 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the New York total of 8,800. 3 areas in New York have more; the closest in size is Rochester, with about 610.
Does an HR assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Yes: $1,980 a year more at the median. The medians are $49,000 and $47,020.
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.