HR Assistant salary in Chattanooga, TN-GA
Chattanooga is a lower-cost market for HR assistants: the median of $44,520 a year1 is 2.7% below the Tennessee statewide median of $45,760, and 12.0% below the US median of $50,610. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#319 of 384). BLS counts about 290 HR assistants here: a small pool for a local search.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Chattanooga, TN-GA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Chattanooga against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $32,130 | $44,520 | $58,790 | |
| Tennessee | $35,740 | $45,760 | $59,990 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Chattanooga earns $35,140–$49,980. The top tenth earns $58,790 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.8 times. The mean ($44,280) 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 $14,840 wide, between the figure for Tennessee ($14,350) 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 | $32,130 | $2,678 | $15.45 | $41,458 |
| 25th percentile | $35,140 | $2,928 | $16.89 | $45,342 |
| Median | $44,520 | $3,710 | $21.40 | $57,445 |
| 75th percentile | $49,980 | $4,165 | $24.03 | $64,490 |
| 90th percentile | $58,790 | $4,899 | $28.26 | $75,858 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $5,460 over it, while the 25th sits $9,380 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $7,045 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Chattanooga, and the Tennessee statewide median of $45,760 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local HR assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in Chattanooga
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 $12,925 to the $44,520 median and brings it to $57,445 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 Chattanooga
Of the 17 roles we track in Chattanooga, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($45,030) and e-commerce order specialists ($42,840). Project Coordinator is the highest at $87,240.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +5.4% | 2,920 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +1.1% | 5,120 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 290 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -3.8% | 140 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.7% | 2,470 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Chattanooga (-12.0%), between administrative assistants (-11.7%) and project coordinators (-14.7%). The typical role here is at -11.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 1.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Chattanooga, 1.1% across Tennessee and 0.6% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $41,120 in Cleveland to $48,490 in Memphis, a gap of $7,370 a year. All 3 areas in Tennessee with more HR assistants than Chattanooga also pay more, among them Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN ($45,630) and Memphis, TN-MS ($48,490).
| Area | Median | vs Chattanooga | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +1.4% | 110 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +1.2% | 90 | |
| Knoxville, TN | +1.1% | 500 | |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 100 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +0.3% | 100 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | this area | 290 | |
| Cleveland, TN | -7.6% | 30 |
Chattanooga against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Chattanooga is #54 of 382 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Tennessee, Tulsa and Lafayette pay just above Chattanooga and Cape Coral-Fort Myers and Evansville just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in Chattanooga. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Chattanooga | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | +14.1% | 280 | jobs | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +14.1% | 310 | jobs | |
| Syracuse, NY | +12.8% | 280 | jobs | |
| Lafayette, LA | +0.6% | 50 | pay | |
| Tulsa, OK | +0.5% | 130 | pay | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | this area | 290 | ||
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | -0.3% | 80 | pay | |
| Evansville, IN | -0.6% | 60 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
About $57,445 a year at the median, or $4,787 a month: $44,520 in pay plus about $12,925 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Chattanooga?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,520 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,130, the 90th $58,790, and the middle half earned $35,140 to $49,980.
Is Chattanooga cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for HR assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,520 against $45,760 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Clarksville at $44,650, the next down Cleveland at $41,120.
How many HR assistants work in Chattanooga?
BLS counts about 290 in the May 2025 survey. 3 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is Knoxville, with about 500.
Does an HR assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Chattanooga?
Yes: $1,680 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,520 and $42,840.
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 2026-11-13.