HR Assistant salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
For this job Milwaukee-Waukesha sits right at the Wisconsin figure, with a median of $48,630 a year1. That is about level with the Wisconsin statewide median of $48,690, and 3.9% below the US median of $50,610. Nationally it ranks #183 of 384 areas. With about 610 HR assistants, 32% of the Wisconsin total, no area in Wisconsin employs more.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $36,230 | $48,630 | $64,960 | |
| Wisconsin | $36,710 | $48,690 | $63,040 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
HR assistants at the 90th percentile earn $64,960, 1.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.8. The middle half of HR assistants in Milwaukee-Waukesha earns $44,040–$59,740. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $15,700 wide, between the figure for Wisconsin ($13,990) and the US figure ($15,770).
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 | $36,230 | $3,019 | $17.42 | $46,748 |
| 25th percentile | $44,040 | $3,670 | $21.17 | $56,826 |
| Median | $48,630 | $4,052 | $23.38 | $62,748 |
| 75th percentile | $59,740 | $4,978 | $28.72 | $77,084 |
| 90th percentile | $64,960 | $5,413 | $31.23 | $83,819 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $11,110 over the median, the 25th only $4,590 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $14,335 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $48,690 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Milwaukee-Waukesha
At the $48,630 median, a local hire costs about $62,748 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,118 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha
Of the 17 roles we track in Milwaukee-Waukesha, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($50,920) and medical administrative assistants ($48,560). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,350.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +24.1% | 1,880 | |
| Bookkeeper | +4.7% | 6,750 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 610 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.1% | 2,220 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -0.3% | 7,930 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Milwaukee-Waukesha (-3.9%), between executive assistants (-3.1%) and accountants (-4.1%). The typical role here is at -1.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 0.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Milwaukee-Waukesha, 0.7% across Wisconsin and 0.6% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 14 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $45,450 in Wausau to $51,630 in the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area, a gap of $6,180 a year. No other area in Wisconsin has as many HR assistants, and 5 of the other 13 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Milwaukee-Waukesha | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | +1.5% | 50 | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | +0.3% | 40 | |
| Eau Claire, WI | +0.2% | 40 | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | this area | 610 | |
| South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -1.2% | 100 | |
| Northeastern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -2.3% | 120 | |
| Appleton, WI | -3.1% | 60 |
Milwaukee-Waukesha against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Milwaukee-Waukesha is #30 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 Wisconsin, Raleigh-Cary and Harrisburg-Carlisle pay just above Milwaukee-Waukesha and Duluth and Memphis just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Milwaukee-Waukesha. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Milwaukee-Waukesha | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +4.5% | 610 | jobs | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | +0.1% | 250 | pay | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | +0.0% | 370 | pay | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | this area | 610 | ||
| Duluth, MN-WI | -0.2% | 110 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -0.3% | 960 | pay | |
| Rochester, NY | -0.5% | 610 | jobs | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -1.2% | 600 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
About $62,748 a year at the median, or $5,229 a month: $48,630 in pay plus about $14,118 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The median was $48,630 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,230, the 90th $64,960, and the middle half earned $44,040 to $59,740.
Is Milwaukee-Waukesha cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for HR assistants?
About the same: a median of $48,630 against $48,690 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Eau Claire at $48,720, the next down the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area at $48,040.
How many HR assistants work in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
BLS counts about 610 in the May 2025 survey. That is 32% of the Wisconsin total of 1,890. No other area in Wisconsin has as many.
Does an HR assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Yes: $70 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,630 and $48,560.
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.