StafkaRequest profiles

HR Assistant salary and cost of hiring in Illinois

The median HR assistant in Illinois earned $48,310 a year in May 2025[1], 4.5% below the US median of $50,610. That puts Illinois at #31 of 51 states for this job.

$48,310median annual wage
$69,014employer cost with benefits
$23.23median per hour
4,140people in this job in Illinois

BLS occupation 43-4161. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.

Request profilesCompare with a remote hire

Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
Illinois$38,180$48,310$66,330
United States$37,340$50,610$68,280
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of HR assistants in Illinois earns $44,750–$58,050; the top tenth earns $66,330 or more, 1.7 times the bottom tenth.

What a hire really costs

Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the Illinois median that makes about $69,014 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].

$69,014local hire, first year incl. benefits
-remote hire, first year incl. fee
-difference in year one
-of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in Illinois

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$51,410
$56,16060
Springfield, IL
$49,940
$58,930130
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$49,590
$59,0502,920
South Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$47,130
$59,21070
Peoria, IL
$47,010
$56,64090
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$45,250
$52,79090
Rockford, IL
$45,060
$50,87060
East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$44,980
$55,330130
Bloomington, IL
$44,000
$47,700110

Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area pays the most ($51,410) and Bloomington, IL the least ($44,000): $7,410 a year apart for the same job.

What an HR assistant does

An HR assistant runs the admin side of people work: job posts, interview scheduling, onboarding paperwork, employee records and HR questions.

Neighbours in the ranking

StateMedianvs Illinois
Iowa
$48,490
+0.4%
Florida
$48,330
+0.0%
Illinois
$48,310
+0.0%
Ohio
$48,310
+0.0%
Michigan
$48,250
-0.1%

Questions

How much does an HR assistant earn in Illinois?

The median was $48,310 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $44,750 to $58,050.

What does it cost to employ an HR assistant in Illinois?

About $69,014 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in Illinois do HR assistants earn the most?

Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area, with a median of $51,410 a year.

Other roles in Illinois

Hire HR assistants remotely

Sources

  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4161: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes434161.htm
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
  3. Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.