HR Assistant salary in Columbus, OH
Columbus pays HR assistants close to the national norm. The median is $50,700 a year1, 4.9% above the Ohio statewide median of $48,310 and about level with the US median of $50,610. Nationally it ranks #110 of 384 areas. BLS counts about 530 people in this job here, 19% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Columbus, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbus against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | $38,230 | $50,700 | $66,020 | |
| Ohio | $35,790 | $48,310 | $65,100 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
HR assistants at the 90th percentile earn $66,020, 1.7 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.8. The middle half of HR assistants in Columbus earns $45,900–$59,460. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $13,560 wide, against $15,670 across Ohio and $15,770 nationally: employers in Columbus 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 | $38,230 | $3,186 | $18.38 | $49,329 |
| 25th percentile | $45,900 | $3,825 | $22.07 | $59,226 |
| Median | $50,700 | $4,225 | $24.38 | $65,419 |
| 75th percentile | $59,460 | $4,955 | $28.59 | $76,723 |
| 90th percentile | $66,020 | $5,502 | $31.74 | $85,187 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,760 over the median, the 25th only $4,800 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,303 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 25th percentile and the median in Columbus, and the Ohio statewide median of $48,310 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Columbus
At the $50,700 median, a local hire costs about $65,419 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,719 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 Columbus
Of the 17 roles we track in Columbus, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($51,170) and administrative assistants ($47,870). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,660.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +16.4% | 1,200 | |
| Bookkeeper | +0.9% | 9,000 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 530 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.6% | 9,570 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -7.3% | 650 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Columbus (+0.2%), between medical administrative assistants (+0.6%) and recruiters (-0.7%). The typical role here is at -0.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 0.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Columbus, 0.5% across Ohio and 0.6% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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. Of the 2 areas in Ohio with more HR assistants than Columbus, 1 pays less: Cleveland, OH ($48,740).
| Area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +2.6% | 150 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +0.2% | 610 | |
| Columbus, OH | this area | 530 | |
| Akron, OH | -2.8% | 160 | |
| Cleveland, OH | -3.9% | 650 | |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -4.3% | 100 | |
| Southern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -6.2% | 70 |
Columbus against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbus is #35 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, Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie and Fort Collins-Loveland pay just above Columbus and Lexington-Fayette and Medford just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Columbus. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | +3.4% | 530 | jobs | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +0.2% | 100 | pay | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +0.0% | 250 | pay | |
| Columbus, OH | this area | 530 | ||
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -0.0% | 150 | pay | |
| Medford, OR | -0.1% | 40 | pay | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | -3.4% | 550 | jobs | |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -3.6% | 510 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Columbus, OH?
About $65,419 a year at the median, or $5,452 a month: $50,700 in pay plus about $14,719 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Columbus?
The median was $50,700 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,230, the 90th $66,020, and the middle half earned $45,900 to $59,460.
Is Columbus cheaper than the rest of Ohio for HR assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $50,700 against $48,310 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Cincinnati at $50,800, the next down Akron at $49,270.
How many HR assistants work in Columbus?
BLS counts about 530 in the May 2025 survey. That is 19% of the Ohio total of 2,770. Only Cleveland and Cincinnati have more in Ohio.
Does an HR assistant cost more than an administrative assistant in Columbus?
Yes: $2,830 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,700 and $47,870.
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.