HR Assistant salary in Cincinnati, OH-KY
For this job Cincinnati sits right at the US figure, with a median of $50,800 a year1. That is about level with the US median of $50,610, and 5.2% above the Ohio statewide median of $48,310. Among US areas it comes in at #105 of 384. About 610 HR assistants work here.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cincinnati against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | $37,400 | $50,800 | $67,510 | |
| Ohio | $35,790 | $48,310 | $65,100 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Cincinnati earns $44,040–$59,270. The top tenth earns $67,510 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 only $15,230 wide, against $15,670 across Ohio and $15,770 nationally: employers in Cincinnati 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 | $37,400 | $3,117 | $17.98 | $48,258 |
| 25th percentile | $44,040 | $3,670 | $21.17 | $56,826 |
| Median | $50,800 | $4,233 | $24.42 | $65,548 |
| 75th percentile | $59,270 | $4,939 | $28.50 | $76,477 |
| 90th percentile | $67,510 | $5,626 | $32.46 | $87,110 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,760 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,470, or about $10,929 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 25th percentile and the median in Cincinnati, and the Ohio statewide median of $48,310 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Cincinnati
At the $50,800 median, a local hire costs about $65,548 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,748 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 Cincinnati
Of the 17 roles we track in Cincinnati, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($57,540) and bookkeepers ($49,590). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,380.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +18.1% | 8,960 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +13.3% | 1,030 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 610 | |
| Bookkeeper | -2.4% | 9,050 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.8% | 9,670 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Cincinnati (+0.4%), between e-commerce order specialists (+0.4%) and payroll specialists (-1.2%). The typical role here is at -1.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 0.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cincinnati, 0.5% across Ohio and 0.6% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 12 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $42,340 in Youngstown-Warren to $52,040 in Dayton-Kettering, a gap of $9,700 a year. The one area in Ohio with more HR assistants, Cleveland, OH ($48,740), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Cincinnati | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +2.4% | 150 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | this area | 610 | |
| Columbus, OH | -0.2% | 530 | |
| Akron, OH | -3.0% | 160 | |
| Cleveland, OH | -4.1% | 650 | |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -4.5% | 100 | |
| Southern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -6.4% | 70 |
Cincinnati against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cincinnati is #29 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 Ohio, Madison and Philadelphia-Camden pay just above Cincinnati and Des Moines-West Des Moines and Fort Collins-Loveland just below. All four are within $20 a year of the median in Cincinnati. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cincinnati | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | +0.0% | 1,630 | pay | |
| Madison, WI | +0.0% | 280 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | this area | 610 | ||
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +0.0% | 310 | pay | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +0.0% | 100 | pay | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | -4.3% | 610 | jobs | |
| Rochester, NY | -4.7% | 610 | jobs | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -5.4% | 600 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Cincinnati, OH-KY?
About $65,548 a year at the median, or $5,462 a month: $50,800 in pay plus about $14,748 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for HR assistants in Cincinnati?
The median was $50,800 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,400, the 90th $67,510, and the middle half earned $44,040 to $59,270.
Is Cincinnati cheaper than the rest of Ohio for HR assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $50,800 against $48,310 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Dayton-Kettering at $52,040, the next down Columbus at $50,700.
How many HR assistants work in Cincinnati?
BLS counts about 610 in the May 2025 survey. Only Cleveland has more in Ohio.
Does an HR assistant cost more than a bookkeeper in Cincinnati?
Yes: $1,210 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,800 and $49,590.
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.