HR Assistant salary in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN
Chicago-Naperville pays HR assistants more than Illinois as a whole but less than the country. The median is $49,590 a year1: 2.6% above the Illinois statewide median of $48,310 and 2.0% below the US median of $50,610. Nationally it ranks #150 of 384 areas. It is the largest market for the job in Illinois: about 2,920 people.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Chicago-Naperville against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | $39,190 | $49,590 | $68,130 | |
| Illinois | $38,180 | $48,310 | $66,330 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Chicago-Naperville earns $45,920–$59,050. The top tenth earns $68,130 or more, 1.7 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.8 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $13,130 wide, against $13,300 across Illinois and $15,770 nationally: employers in Chicago-Naperville 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 | $39,190 | $3,266 | $18.84 | $50,568 |
| 25th percentile | $45,920 | $3,827 | $22.08 | $59,252 |
| Median | $49,590 | $4,132 | $23.84 | $63,987 |
| 75th percentile | $59,050 | $4,921 | $28.39 | $76,194 |
| 90th percentile | $68,130 | $5,678 | $32.75 | $87,910 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $9,460 over the median, the 25th only $3,670 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $12,206 a year in employer cost. 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 Chicago-Naperville, and the Illinois statewide median of $48,310 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Chicago-Naperville
At the $49,590 median, a local hire costs about $63,987 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,397 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 Chicago-Naperville
Of the 17 roles we track in Chicago-Naperville, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($50,440) and e-commerce order specialists ($47,890). Project Coordinator is the highest at $105,320.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +3.7% | 35,660 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +1.7% | 50,190 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 2,920 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -3.4% | 2,970 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -3.9% | 20,020 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in Chicago-Naperville (-2.0%); paralegals come first (+12.2%). The typical role here is at +3.0%, so, measured against the US, HR assistants cost less in Chicago-Naperville than the area's general pay level would suggest. HR assistants hold 0.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Chicago-Naperville, 0.7% across Illinois and 0.6% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Illinois
Across the 9 areas of Illinois with data for this job, the median runs from $44,000 in Bloomington to $51,410 in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area, a gap of $7,410 a year. No other area in Illinois has as many HR assistants, and 6 of the other 8 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Chicago-Naperville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | +3.7% | 60 | |
| Springfield, IL | +0.7% | 130 | |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | this area | 2,920 | |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | -5.0% | 70 | |
| Peoria, IL | -5.2% | 90 | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | -8.8% | 90 | |
| Rockford, IL | -9.1% | 60 |
Chicago-Naperville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Chicago-Naperville is #3 of 382 US areas, one of the ten largest markets for this job. Outside Illinois, York-Hanover and Salt Lake City-Murray pay just above Chicago-Naperville and New Orleans-Metairie and Oshkosh-Neenah just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in Chicago-Naperville. Of the three markets closest in size, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Chicago-Naperville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +16.2% | 3,890 | jobs | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +14.3% | 2,350 | jobs | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | +5.2% | 1,630 | jobs | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | +0.1% | 240 | pay | |
| York-Hanover, PA | +0.1% | 100 | pay | |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | this area | 2,920 | ||
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | -0.0% | 190 | pay | |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | -0.5% | 50 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN?
About $63,987 a year at the median, or $5,332 a month: $49,590 in pay plus about $14,397 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Chicago-Naperville?
The median was $49,590 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,190, the 90th $68,130, and the middle half earned $45,920 to $59,050.
Is Chicago-Naperville cheaper than the rest of Illinois for HR assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $49,590 against $48,310 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is Springfield at $49,940, the next down the South Illinois nonmetro area at $47,130.
How many HR assistants work in Chicago-Naperville?
BLS counts about 2,920 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Illinois has as many.
Does an HR assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Chicago-Naperville?
Yes: $1,700 a year more at the median. The medians are $49,590 and $47,890.
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.