HR Assistant salary in Syracuse, NY
Syracuse pays HR assistants close to the national norm. The median is $50,210 a year1, 5.1% below the New York statewide median of $52,920 and about level with the US median of $50,610. Nationally it ranks #126 of 384 areas. BLS counts about 280 HR assistants here, 3% of the New York total: a small pool for a local search.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Syracuse, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Syracuse against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse, NY | $39,520 | $50,210 | $63,560 | |
| New York | $39,000 | $52,920 | $73,620 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Syracuse earns $44,300–$57,380. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $63,560, 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 only $13,080 wide, against $17,060 across New York and $15,770 nationally: employers in Syracuse 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 | $39,520 | $3,293 | $19.00 | $50,994 |
| 25th percentile | $44,300 | $3,692 | $21.30 | $57,161 |
| Median | $50,210 | $4,184 | $24.14 | $64,787 |
| 75th percentile | $57,380 | $4,782 | $27.59 | $74,039 |
| 90th percentile | $63,560 | $5,297 | $30.56 | $82,013 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,910 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,170, or about $9,252 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 median and the 75th percentile in Syracuse, and the New York statewide median of $52,920 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Syracuse
At the $50,210 median, a local hire costs about $64,787 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,577 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 Syracuse
Of the 17 roles we track in Syracuse, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($52,000) and administrative assistants ($48,500). Project Coordinator is the highest at $105,390.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +10.4% | 290 | |
| Bookkeeper | +3.6% | 2,980 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 280 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.4% | 4,950 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -5.6% | 90 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Syracuse (-0.8%), between executive assistants (-0.3%) and accountants (-1.7%). The typical role here is at +1.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 0.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Syracuse, 0.8% across New York and 0.6% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $46,120 in Kingston to $56,850 in New York-Newark, a gap of $10,730 a year. Of the 4 areas in New York with more HR assistants than Syracuse, 2 pay less: Rochester, NY ($48,390) and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ($49,000).
| Area | Median | vs Syracuse | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binghamton, NY | +3.2% | 90 | |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | +1.5% | 40 | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +1.0% | 250 | |
| Syracuse, NY | this area | 280 | |
| Capital/Northern New York (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 130 | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | -2.4% | 550 | |
| Elmira, NY | -2.6% | 50 |
Syracuse against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Syracuse is #56 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 New York, Fresno and Davenport-Moline pay just above Syracuse and Green Bay and Parkersburg-Vienna just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in Syracuse. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Syracuse | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | +1.2% | 280 | jobs | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +0.2% | 150 | pay | |
| Fresno, CA | +0.0% | 310 | pay | |
| Syracuse, NY | this area | 280 | ||
| Green Bay, WI | -0.1% | 100 | pay | |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | -0.1% | 60 | pay | |
| Jacksonville, FL | -1.0% | 270 | jobs | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -11.3% | 290 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Syracuse, NY?
About $64,787 a year at the median, or $5,399 a month: $50,210 in pay plus about $14,577 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Syracuse?
The median was $50,210 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,520, the 90th $63,560, and the middle half earned $44,300 to $57,380.
Is Syracuse cheaper than the rest of New York for HR assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $50,210 against $52,920 statewide. The next area up in New York is Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie at $50,710, the next down the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area at $49,400.
How many HR assistants work in Syracuse?
BLS counts about 280 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the New York total of 8,800. 4 areas in New York have more; the closest in size is Buffalo-Cheektowaga, with about 550.
Does an HR assistant cost more than an administrative assistant in Syracuse?
Yes: $1,710 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,210 and $48,500.
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 2026-11-13.