HR Assistant salary in Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ
Philadelphia-Camden pays HR assistants close to the national norm. The median is $50,820 a year1, 4.1% above the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,800 and about level with the US median of $50,610. Among US areas it comes in at #103 of 384. It is the largest market for the job in Pennsylvania: about 1,630 people.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Philadelphia-Camden against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | $40,030 | $50,820 | $66,380 | |
| Pennsylvania | $37,780 | $48,800 | $63,810 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Philadelphia-Camden earns $45,430–$59,030. The top tenth earns $66,380 or more, 1.7 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.8 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $13,600 wide, against $13,820 across Pennsylvania and $15,770 nationally: employers in Philadelphia-Camden 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 | $40,030 | $3,336 | $19.25 | $51,652 |
| 25th percentile | $45,430 | $3,786 | $21.84 | $58,619 |
| Median | $50,820 | $4,235 | $24.43 | $65,574 |
| 75th percentile | $59,030 | $4,919 | $28.38 | $76,168 |
| 90th percentile | $66,380 | $5,532 | $31.91 | $85,652 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,210 over the median, the 25th only $5,390 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $10,594 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 25th percentile and the median in Philadelphia-Camden, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,800 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Philadelphia-Camden
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 $14,754 to the $50,820 median and brings it to $65,574 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 Philadelphia-Camden
Of the 17 roles we track in Philadelphia-Camden, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($52,710) and administrative assistants ($48,850). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,160.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +15.7% | 2,410 | |
| Bookkeeper | +3.7% | 22,660 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 1,630 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.9% | 32,850 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -4.9% | 1,220 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Philadelphia-Camden (+0.4%), between marketing specialists (+0.8%) and virtual receptionists (+0.1%). The typical role here is at +2.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 0.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Philadelphia-Camden, 0.5% across Pennsylvania and 0.6% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 15 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $45,900 in Pittsburgh to $51,880 in Allentown-Bethlehem, a gap of $5,980 a year. No other area in Pennsylvania has as many HR assistants, and 12 of the other 14 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Philadelphia-Camden | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | +2.1% | 220 | |
| Reading, PA | +1.2% | 80 | |
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | this area | 1,630 | |
| Chambersburg, PA | -1.5% | 40 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -2.4% | 100 | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | -3.5% | 120 | |
| State College, PA | -4.0% | 40 |
Philadelphia-Camden against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Philadelphia-Camden is #6 of 382 US areas, one of the ten largest markets for this job. Outside Pennsylvania, Salisbury and Yakima pay just above Philadelphia-Camden and Madison and Cincinnati just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in Philadelphia-Camden. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Philadelphia-Camden | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +18.9% | 1,480 | jobs | |
| Washington-Arlington, DC-VA | +16.3% | 1,610 | jobs | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | +2.6% | 1,630 | jobs | |
| Yakima, WA | +0.2% | 40 | pay | |
| Salisbury, MD | +0.2% | 50 | pay | |
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | this area | 1,630 | ||
| Madison, WI | -0.0% | 280 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -0.0% | 610 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ?
About $65,574 a year at the median, or $5,465 a month: $50,820 in pay plus about $14,754 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for HR assistants in Philadelphia-Camden?
The median was $50,820 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $40,030, the 90th $66,380, and the middle half earned $45,430 to $59,030.
Is Philadelphia-Camden cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for HR assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $50,820 against $48,800 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Reading at $51,410, the next down Chambersburg at $50,070.
How many HR assistants work in Philadelphia-Camden?
BLS counts about 1,630 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Pennsylvania has as many.
Does an HR assistant cost more than an administrative assistant in Philadelphia-Camden?
Yes: $1,970 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,820 and $48,850.
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.