HR Assistant salary in Indianapolis-Carmel, IN
Indianapolis-Carmel pays HR assistants more than Indiana as a whole but less than the country. The median is $48,400 a year1: 1.1% above the Indiana statewide median of $47,850 and 4.4% below the US median of $50,610. Nationally it ranks #192 of 384 areas. With about 890 HR assistants, 48% of the Indiana total, no area in Indiana employs more.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Indianapolis-Carmel against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | $34,240 | $48,400 | $63,040 | |
| Indiana | $36,020 | $47,850 | $61,610 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Indianapolis-Carmel earns $41,200–$57,150. The top tenth earns $63,040 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 $15,950 wide, wider than in Indiana as a whole ($14,350) and the US ($15,770), so what a HR assistant earns in Indianapolis-Carmel depends more on the employer.
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 | $34,240 | $2,853 | $16.46 | $44,181 |
| 25th percentile | $41,200 | $3,433 | $19.81 | $53,161 |
| Median | $48,400 | $4,033 | $23.27 | $62,452 |
| 75th percentile | $57,150 | $4,762 | $27.48 | $73,742 |
| 90th percentile | $63,040 | $5,253 | $30.31 | $81,342 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,200 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,750, or about $11,290 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 median and the 75th percentile in Indianapolis-Carmel, and the Indiana statewide median of $47,850 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Indianapolis-Carmel
At the $48,400 median, a local hire costs about $62,452 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,052 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 Indianapolis-Carmel
Of the 17 roles we track in Indianapolis-Carmel, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($48,750) and administrative assistants ($46,450). Project Coordinator is the highest at $99,710.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +14.6% | 1,690 | |
| Bookkeeper | +0.7% | 10,000 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 890 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.0% | 6,280 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.9% | 8,260 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Indianapolis-Carmel (-4.4%), between bookkeepers (-3.8%) and payroll specialists (-4.8%). The typical role here is at -3.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 0.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Indianapolis-Carmel, 0.7% across Indiana and 0.6% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 11 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $42,970 in Bloomington to $49,140 in Elkhart-Goshen, a gap of $6,170 a year. No other area in Indiana has as many HR assistants, and 9 of the other 10 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Indianapolis-Carmel | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | +1.5% | 50 | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | this area | 890 | |
| Northern Indiana (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 60 | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | -3.3% | 70 | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | -4.1% | 60 | |
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | -4.3% | 80 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | -4.7% | 80 |
Indianapolis-Carmel against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Indianapolis-Carmel is #20 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 Indiana, Glens Falls and Baton Rouge pay just above Indianapolis-Carmel and Port St. Lucie and Rochester just below. All four are within $20 a year of the median in Indianapolis-Carmel. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Indianapolis-Carmel | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +15.9% | 950 | jobs | |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL | +1.1% | 830 | jobs | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | +0.0% | 200 | pay | |
| Glens Falls, NY | +0.0% | 40 | pay | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | this area | 890 | ||
| Port St. Lucie, FL | -0.0% | 50 | pay | |
| Rochester, NY | -0.0% | 610 | pay | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | -0.2% | 870 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Indianapolis-Carmel, IN?
About $62,452 a year at the median, or $5,204 a month: $48,400 in pay plus about $14,052 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Indianapolis-Carmel?
The median was $48,400 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,240, the 90th $63,040, and the middle half earned $41,200 to $57,150.
Is Indianapolis-Carmel cheaper than the rest of Indiana for HR assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $48,400 against $47,850 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Elkhart-Goshen at $49,140, the next down the Northern Indiana nonmetro area at $47,880.
How many HR assistants work in Indianapolis-Carmel?
BLS counts about 890 in the May 2025 survey. That is 48% of the Indiana total of 1,870. No other area in Indiana has as many.
Does an HR assistant cost more than an administrative assistant in Indianapolis-Carmel?
Yes: $1,950 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,400 and $46,450.
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.