HR Assistant salary in Memphis, TN-MS
No other area in Tennessee pays HR assistants more than Memphis: the median is $48,490 a year1. That is 6.0% above the Tennessee statewide median of $45,760, and 4.2% below the US median of $50,610. Among US areas it comes in at #188 of 384. BLS counts about 960 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Memphis, TN-MS-AR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Memphis against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS | $38,850 | $48,490 | $61,340 | |
| Tennessee | $35,740 | $45,760 | $59,990 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Memphis earns $41,660–$55,570. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $61,340, 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 $13,910 wide, against $14,350 across Tennessee and $15,770 nationally: employers in Memphis 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 | $38,850 | $3,238 | $18.68 | $50,129 |
| 25th percentile | $41,660 | $3,472 | $20.03 | $53,755 |
| Median | $48,490 | $4,041 | $23.31 | $62,568 |
| 75th percentile | $55,570 | $4,631 | $26.72 | $71,703 |
| 90th percentile | $61,340 | $5,112 | $29.49 | $79,148 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,830 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,080, or about $9,135 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 Memphis, and the Tennessee statewide median of $45,760 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Memphis
At the $48,490 median, a local hire costs about $62,568 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,078 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 Memphis
Of the 17 roles we track in Memphis, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($53,420) and bookkeepers ($48,400). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,130.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +17.2% | 1,120 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +10.2% | 520 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 960 | |
| Bookkeeper | -0.2% | 6,320 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.2% | 5,500 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Memphis (-4.2%), between administrative assistants (-3.3%) and bookkeepers (-4.5%). The typical role here is at -8.9%, so, measured against the US, HR assistants cost more in Memphis than the area's general pay level would suggest. HR assistants hold 1.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Memphis, 1.1% across Tennessee and 0.6% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $41,120 in Cleveland to $48,490 in Memphis, a gap of $7,370 a year. The one area in Tennessee with more HR assistants, Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN ($45,630), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 960 | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 100 | |
| Johnson City, TN | -3.6% | 100 | |
| Morristown, TN | -4.2% | 30 | |
| Jackson, TN | -4.8% | 100 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -5.8% | 100 | |
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | -5.9% | 1,330 |
Memphis against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Memphis is #18 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 Tennessee, Duluth and Milwaukee-Waukesha pay just above Memphis and Baton Rouge and Glens Falls just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Memphis. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +15.7% | 950 | jobs | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | +0.3% | 610 | pay | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | +0.1% | 110 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 960 | ||
| Baton Rouge, LA | -0.1% | 200 | pay | |
| Glens Falls, NY | -0.2% | 40 | pay | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -0.2% | 890 | jobs | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | -1.2% | 970 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Memphis, TN-MS?
About $62,568 a year at the median, or $5,214 a month: $48,490 in pay plus about $14,078 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Memphis?
The median was $48,490 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,850, the 90th $61,340, and the middle half earned $41,660 to $55,570.
Is Memphis the most expensive area in Tennessee for HR assistants?
Yes. Its median of $48,490 is the highest of 14 areas in Tennessee. The North Central Tennessee nonmetro area comes next at $47,840.
How many HR assistants work in Memphis?
BLS counts about 960 in the May 2025 survey. Only Nashville-Murfreesboro has more in Tennessee.
Does an HR assistant cost more than a bookkeeper in Memphis?
Yes: $90 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,490 and $48,400.
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.