HR Assistant salary in Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA
Portland-Vancouver is a higher-paying market for HR assistants: the median of $55,190 a year1 is 3.1% above the Oregon statewide median of $53,550, and 9.0% above the US median of $50,610. Only 33 of 384 US areas pay more for this job. With about 640 HR assistants, no area in Oregon employs more.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Portland-Vancouver against Oregon and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | $45,930 | $55,190 | $67,910 | |
| Oregon | $43,920 | $53,550 | $66,230 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Portland-Vancouver earns $49,920–$61,390. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $67,910, only 1.5 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 $11,470 wide, between the figure for Oregon ($11,440) 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 | $45,930 | $3,828 | $22.08 | $59,265 |
| 25th percentile | $49,920 | $4,160 | $24.00 | $64,413 |
| Median | $55,190 | $4,599 | $26.53 | $71,213 |
| 75th percentile | $61,390 | $5,116 | $29.51 | $79,213 |
| 90th percentile | $67,910 | $5,659 | $32.65 | $87,626 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,200 a year in pay and about $8,000 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,270 in pay. 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 Portland-Vancouver, and the Oregon statewide median of $53,550 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Portland-Vancouver
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 $16,023 to the $55,190 median and brings it to $71,213 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 Portland-Vancouver
Of the 17 roles we track in Portland-Vancouver, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($55,360) and medical administrative assistants ($54,560). Project Coordinator is the highest at $108,340.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +3.4% | 12,170 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +0.3% | 13,510 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 640 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -1.1% | 8,290 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -4.8% | 460 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Portland-Vancouver (+9.0%), between office managers (+9.9%) and customer support specialists (+8.7%). The typical role here is at +9.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 0.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Portland-Vancouver, 0.5% across Oregon and 0.6% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Oregon
Across the 8 areas of Oregon with data for this job, the median runs from $48,420 in the Eastern Oregon nonmetro area to $59,880 in Corvallis, a gap of $11,460 a year. No other area in Oregon has as many HR assistants, and 6 of the other 7 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Portland-Vancouver | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corvallis, OR | +8.5% | 40 | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | this area | 640 | |
| Salem, OR | -2.1% | 150 | |
| Bend, OR | -3.8% | n/a | |
| Medford, OR | -8.2% | 40 | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | -11.8% | 60 | |
| Coast Oregon (Nonmetro) | -12.0% | 50 |
Portland-Vancouver against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Portland-Vancouver is #27 of 382 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Oregon, Iowa City and Modesto pay just above Portland-Vancouver and Elizabethtown and Anchorage just below. All four are within $590 a year of the median in Portland-Vancouver. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Portland-Vancouver | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | +6.2% | 640 | jobs | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | +4.2% | 660 | jobs | |
| Modesto, CA | +1.1% | 190 | pay | |
| Iowa City, IA | +0.8% | 40 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | this area | 640 | ||
| Elizabethtown, KY | -0.4% | 240 | pay | |
| Anchorage, AK | -0.5% | 130 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | -11.7% | 650 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA?
About $71,213 a year at the median, or $5,934 a month: $55,190 in pay plus about $16,023 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for HR assistants in Portland-Vancouver?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $55,190 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,930, the 90th $67,910, and the middle half earned $49,920 to $61,390.
Is Portland-Vancouver cheaper than the rest of Oregon for HR assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $55,190 against $53,550 statewide. The next area up in Oregon is Corvallis at $59,880, the next down Salem at $54,040.
How many HR assistants work in Portland-Vancouver?
BLS counts about 640 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Oregon has as many.
Does an HR assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Portland-Vancouver?
Yes: $630 a year more at the median. The medians are $55,190 and $54,560.
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.