HR Assistant salary in Detroit-Warren, MI
Detroit-Warren pays HR assistants close to the Michigan norm. The median is $48,310 a year1, about level with the Michigan statewide median of $48,250 and 4.5% below the US median of $50,610. Nationally it ranks #196 of 384 areas. It is the largest market for the job in Michigan: about 870 people, 46% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Detroit-Warren against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren, MI | $38,890 | $48,310 | $63,830 | |
| Michigan | $37,940 | $48,250 | $64,190 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Detroit-Warren earns $45,230–$55,930. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $63,830, only 1.6 times the bottom tenth, against 1.8 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $10,700 wide, against $12,380 across Michigan and $15,770 nationally: employers in Detroit-Warren 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 | $38,890 | $3,241 | $18.70 | $50,181 |
| 25th percentile | $45,230 | $3,769 | $21.75 | $58,361 |
| Median | $48,310 | $4,026 | $23.23 | $62,335 |
| 75th percentile | $55,930 | $4,661 | $26.89 | $72,168 |
| 90th percentile | $63,830 | $5,319 | $30.69 | $82,361 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,620 over the median, the 25th only $3,080 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,832 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 Detroit-Warren, and the Michigan statewide median of $48,250 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Detroit-Warren
At the $48,310 median, a local hire costs about $62,335 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,025 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 Detroit-Warren
Of the 17 roles we track in Detroit-Warren, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($51,480) and administrative assistants ($47,330). Project Coordinator is the highest at $105,350.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +23.4% | 1,450 | |
| Bookkeeper | +6.6% | 14,730 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 870 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -2.0% | 16,970 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -6.7% | 940 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in Detroit-Warren (-4.5%), between accountants (-3.6%) and medical administrative assistants (-7.9%). The typical role here is at -0.4%, so, measured against the US, HR assistants cost less in Detroit-Warren than the area's general pay level would suggest. HR assistants hold 0.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Detroit-Warren, 0.5% across Michigan and 0.6% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 11 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $45,930 in Saginaw to $51,220 in Ann Arbor, a gap of $5,290 a year. No other area in Michigan has as many HR assistants, and 6 of the other 10 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Detroit-Warren | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Nonmetro) | +4.8% | 50 | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | +4.6% | 120 | |
| Southern Michigan (Nonmetro) | +4.4% | 30 | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | this area | 870 | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -0.7% | 220 | |
| Mid Michigan (Nonmetro) | -2.6% | 50 | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | -3.0% | 50 |
Detroit-Warren against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Detroit-Warren is #21 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 Michigan, Abilene and Rochester pay just above Detroit-Warren and St. Cloud and San Antonio-New Braunfels just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in Detroit-Warren. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Detroit-Warren | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +16.1% | 950 | jobs | |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL | +1.3% | 830 | jobs | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | +0.2% | 890 | jobs | |
| Rochester, NY | +0.2% | 610 | pay | |
| Abilene, TX | +0.1% | 30 | pay | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | this area | 870 | ||
| St. Cloud, MN | -0.2% | 150 | pay | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -0.5% | 600 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Detroit-Warren, MI?
About $62,335 a year at the median, or $5,195 a month: $48,310 in pay plus about $14,025 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for HR assistants in Detroit-Warren?
The median was $48,310 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,890, the 90th $63,830, and the middle half earned $45,230 to $55,930.
Is Detroit-Warren cheaper than the rest of Michigan for HR assistants?
About the same: a median of $48,310 against $48,250 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is the Southern Michigan nonmetro area at $50,440, the next down Grand Rapids-Wyoming at $47,970.
How many HR assistants work in Detroit-Warren?
BLS counts about 870 in the May 2025 survey. That is 46% of the Michigan total of 1,890. No other area in Michigan has as many.
Does an HR assistant cost more than an administrative assistant in Detroit-Warren?
Yes: $980 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,310 and $47,330.
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.