HR Assistant salary in Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN
Nashville-Murfreesboro pays HR assistants close to the Tennessee norm. The median is $45,630 a year1, about level with the Tennessee statewide median of $45,760 and 9.8% below the US median of $50,610. Among US areas it comes in at #283 of 384. It is the largest market for the job in Tennessee: about 1,330 people, 34% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Nashville-Murfreesboro against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | $37,820 | $45,630 | $60,460 | |
| Tennessee | $35,740 | $45,760 | $59,990 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Nashville-Murfreesboro earns $39,860–$54,430. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $60,460, 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 $14,570 wide, between the figure for Tennessee ($14,350) 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 | $37,820 | $3,152 | $18.18 | $48,800 |
| 25th percentile | $39,860 | $3,322 | $19.16 | $51,432 |
| Median | $45,630 | $3,802 | $21.94 | $58,877 |
| 75th percentile | $54,430 | $4,536 | $26.17 | $70,232 |
| 90th percentile | $60,460 | $5,038 | $29.07 | $78,013 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,800 over the median, the 25th only $5,770 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,355 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 Nashville-Murfreesboro, and the Tennessee statewide median of $45,760 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Nashville-Murfreesboro
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 $13,247 to the $45,630 median and brings it to $58,877 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 Nashville-Murfreesboro
Of the 17 roles we track in Nashville-Murfreesboro, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($49,000) and medical administrative assistants ($45,570). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,990.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +11.4% | 13,790 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +7.4% | 12,100 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 1,330 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.1% | 12,970 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -0.3% | 20,770 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in Nashville-Murfreesboro (-9.8%), between accountants (-6.7%) and sales development representatives (-10.1%). The typical role here is at -3.3%, so, measured against the US, HR assistants cost less in Nashville-Murfreesboro than the area's general pay level would suggest. HR assistants hold 1.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Nashville-Murfreesboro, 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. No other area in Tennessee has as many HR assistants, and 7 of the other 13 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Nashville-Murfreesboro | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morristown, TN | +1.8% | 30 | |
| Jackson, TN | +1.2% | 100 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | +0.1% | 100 | |
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | this area | 1,330 | |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 110 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -1.2% | 90 | |
| Knoxville, TN | -1.3% | 500 |
Nashville-Murfreesboro against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Nashville-Murfreesboro is #10 of 382 US areas, one of the ten largest markets for this job. Outside Tennessee, Beaumont-Port Arthur and Hickory-Lenoir pay just above Nashville-Murfreesboro and Jackson and Birmingham just below. All four are within $180 a year of the median in Nashville-Murfreesboro. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Nashville-Murfreesboro | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | +45.8% | 1,300 | jobs | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +14.5% | 1,290 | jobs | |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA | +6.9% | 1,360 | jobs | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +0.4% | 70 | pay | |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | +0.4% | 50 | pay | |
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | this area | 1,330 | ||
| Jackson, MS | -0.0% | 230 | pay | |
| Birmingham, AL | -0.3% | 180 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN?
About $58,877 a year at the median, or $4,906 a month: $45,630 in pay plus about $13,247 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for HR assistants in Nashville-Murfreesboro?
The median was $45,630 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,820, the 90th $60,460, and the middle half earned $39,860 to $54,430.
Is Nashville-Murfreesboro cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for HR assistants?
About the same: a median of $45,630 against $45,760 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Kingsport-Bristol at $45,660, the next down the East Tennessee nonmetro area at $45,140.
How many HR assistants work in Nashville-Murfreesboro?
BLS counts about 1,330 in the May 2025 survey. That is 34% of the Tennessee total of 3,930. No other area in Tennessee has as many.
Does an HR assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Nashville-Murfreesboro?
Yes: $60 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,630 and $45,570.
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.