HR Assistant salary in Fresno, CA
For this job Fresno sits right at the US figure, with a median of $50,210 a year1. That is about level with the US median of $50,610, and 12.8% below the California statewide median of $57,590. Among US areas it comes in at #125 of 384. BLS counts about 310 people in this job here, 3% of the California total.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Fresno, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fresno against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno, CA | $40,690 | $50,210 | $65,270 | |
| California | $41,300 | $57,590 | $78,370 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Fresno earns $45,240–$58,470. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $65,270, 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 $13,230 wide, against $17,090 across California and $15,770 nationally: employers in Fresno 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 | $40,690 | $3,391 | $19.56 | $52,503 |
| 25th percentile | $45,240 | $3,770 | $21.75 | $58,374 |
| Median | $50,210 | $4,184 | $24.14 | $64,787 |
| 75th percentile | $58,470 | $4,872 | $28.11 | $75,445 |
| 90th percentile | $65,270 | $5,439 | $31.38 | $84,219 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,260 over the median, the 25th only $4,970 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $10,658 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 Fresno, and the California statewide median of $57,590 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Fresno
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 $14,577 to the $50,210 median and brings it to $64,787 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 Fresno
Of the 17 roles we track in Fresno, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($54,170) and administrative assistants ($50,100). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,030.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +19.0% | 710 | |
| Bookkeeper | +7.9% | 4,310 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 310 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -0.2% | 3,870 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.2% | 3,410 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Fresno (-0.8%), between paralegals (-0.7%) and project coordinators (-1.3%). The typical role here is at +1.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 0.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Fresno, 0.7% across California and 0.6% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 27 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $44,870 in Hanford-Corcoran to $67,590 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $22,720 a year. All 6 areas in California with more HR assistants than Fresno also pay more, among them Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA ($57,600) and San Francisco-Oakland, CA ($66,550).
| Area | Median | vs Fresno | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | +3.1% | 110 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +2.7% | 230 | |
| Chico, CA | +1.8% | 40 | |
| Redding, CA | +0.3% | 30 | |
| Fresno, CA | this area | 310 | |
| El Centro, CA | -8.4% | 40 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | -10.6% | 50 |
Fresno against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fresno is #53 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 California, Davenport-Moline and Albuquerque pay just above Fresno and Syracuse and Green Bay just below. All four are within $270 a year of the median in Fresno. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fresno | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +3.3% | 320 | jobs | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +1.2% | 310 | jobs | |
| Albuquerque, NM | +0.5% | 420 | pay | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +0.2% | 150 | pay | |
| Fresno, CA | this area | 310 | ||
| Syracuse, NY | +0.0% | 280 | pay | |
| Green Bay, WI | -0.1% | 100 | pay | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -11.3% | 290 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Fresno, CA?
About $64,787 a year at the median, or $5,399 a month: $50,210 in pay plus about $14,577 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Fresno?
The median was $50,210 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $40,690, the 90th $65,270, and the middle half earned $45,240 to $58,470.
Is Fresno cheaper than the rest of California for HR assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $50,210 against $57,590 statewide. The next area up in California is Redding at $50,370, the next down El Centro at $46,010.
How many HR assistants work in Fresno?
BLS counts about 310 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the California total of 11,490. 6 areas in California have more; the closest in size is San Jose-Sunnyvale, with about 560.
Does an HR assistant cost more than an administrative assistant in Fresno?
Yes: $110 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,210 and $50,100.
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.