HR Assistant salary in Seattle-Tacoma, WA
HR assistants earn more in Seattle-Tacoma than anywhere else in Washington. Expect a median of $60,420 a year1, 5.3% above the Washington statewide median of $57,390 and 19.4% above the US median of $50,610. Only 6 of 384 US areas pay more for this job. With about 1,480 HR assistants, 63% of the Washington total, no area in Washington employs more.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Seattle-Tacoma against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $48,810 | $60,420 | $78,490 | |
| Washington | $45,320 | $57,390 | $75,920 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Seattle-Tacoma earns $51,160–$72,990. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $78,490, 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 $21,830 wide, wider than in Washington as a whole ($14,840) and the US ($15,770), so what a HR assistant earns in Seattle-Tacoma depends more on the employer.
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 | $48,810 | $4,068 | $23.47 | $62,981 |
| 25th percentile | $51,160 | $4,263 | $24.60 | $66,013 |
| Median | $60,420 | $5,035 | $29.05 | $77,961 |
| 75th percentile | $72,990 | $6,082 | $35.09 | $94,181 |
| 90th percentile | $78,490 | $6,541 | $37.74 | $101,277 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $9,260 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $12,570, or about $16,219 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 10th and 25th percentiles in Seattle-Tacoma, and the Washington statewide median of $57,390 falls between the 25th percentile and the median. An offer at the national rate would be lower than what three quarters of local HR assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in Seattle-Tacoma
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 $17,541 to the $60,420 median and brings it to $77,961 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 Seattle-Tacoma
Of the 17 roles we track in Seattle-Tacoma, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($60,460) and medical administrative assistants ($60,350). Project Coordinator is the highest at $130,380.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +10.3% | 1,980 | |
| Bookkeeper | +0.1% | 17,860 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 1,480 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.1% | 6,420 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -0.3% | 15,780 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Seattle-Tacoma (+19.4%), between customer support specialists (+19.6%) and bookkeepers (+19.3%). The typical role here is at +19.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 0.7% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Seattle-Tacoma, 0.7% across Washington and 0.6% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 11 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $50,530 in the Eastern Washington nonmetro area to $60,420 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $9,890 a year. No other area in Washington has as many HR assistants, and all 10 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Seattle-Tacoma | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | this area | 1,480 | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | -5.3% | 30 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | -7.1% | 100 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | -7.6% | 70 | |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | -10.4% | 40 | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | -11.3% | 90 | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | -12.2% | 150 |
Seattle-Tacoma against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Seattle-Tacoma is #8 of 382 US areas, one of the ten largest markets for this job. Outside Washington, Rochester and Napa pay just above Seattle-Tacoma and Lexington Park and Corvallis just below. All four are within $970 a year of the median in Seattle-Tacoma. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Seattle-Tacoma | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | +1.6% | 40 | pay | |
| Rochester, MN | +0.2% | 200 | pay | |
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | this area | 1,480 | ||
| Lexington Park, MD | -0.7% | 40 | pay | |
| Corvallis, OR | -0.9% | 40 | pay | |
| Washington-Arlington, DC-VA | -2.2% | 1,610 | jobs | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | -13.7% | 1,630 | jobs | |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA | -19.3% | 1,360 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Seattle-Tacoma, WA?
About $77,961 a year at the median, or $6,497 a month: $60,420 in pay plus about $17,541 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Seattle-Tacoma?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $60,420 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,810, the 90th $78,490, and the middle half earned $51,160 to $72,990.
Is Seattle-Tacoma the most expensive area in Washington for HR assistants?
Yes. Its median of $60,420 is the highest of 11 areas in Washington. Mount Vernon-Anacortes comes next at $57,220.
How many HR assistants work in Seattle-Tacoma?
BLS counts about 1,480 in the May 2025 survey. That is 63% of the Washington total of 2,350. No other area in Washington has as many.
Does an HR assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Seattle-Tacoma?
Yes: $70 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,420 and $60,350.
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.