HR Assistant salary in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL
HR assistants earn more in Tampa-St. Petersburg than anywhere else in Florida. Expect a median of $52,420 a year1, 8.5% above the Florida statewide median of $48,330 and 3.6% above the US median of $50,610. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#65 of 384). BLS counts about 530 people in this job here, 17% of the Florida total.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg against Florida and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | $39,080 | $52,420 | $63,620 | |
| Florida | $36,810 | $48,330 | $62,880 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Tampa-St. Petersburg earns $45,550–$59,800. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $63,620, 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 $14,250 wide, between the figure for Florida ($14,250) 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 | $39,080 | $3,257 | $18.79 | $50,426 |
| 25th percentile | $45,550 | $3,796 | $21.90 | $58,774 |
| Median | $52,420 | $4,368 | $25.20 | $67,639 |
| 75th percentile | $59,800 | $4,983 | $28.75 | $77,161 |
| 90th percentile | $63,620 | $5,302 | $30.59 | $82,090 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,870 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,380, or about $9,523 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 25th percentile and the median in Tampa-St. Petersburg, and the Florida statewide median of $48,330 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Tampa-St. Petersburg
At the $52,420 median, a local hire costs about $67,639 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $15,219 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg
Of the 16 roles we track in Tampa-St. Petersburg, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($59,600) and payroll specialists ($50,440). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,780.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +14.7% | 6,630 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +13.7% | 16,050 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 530 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -3.8% | 2,300 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.4% | 12,750 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #2 of the 16 roles we track in Tampa-St. Petersburg (+3.6%), between e-commerce order specialists (+6.5%) and bookkeepers (-1.1%). The typical role here is at -4.7%, so, measured against the US, HR assistants cost more in Tampa-St. Petersburg than the area's general pay level would suggest. HR assistants hold 0.3% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Tampa-St. Petersburg, 0.3% across Florida and 0.6% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Florida
Across the 16 areas of Florida with data for this job, the median runs from $44,050 in Ocala to $52,420 in Tampa-St. Petersburg, a gap of $8,370 a year. The one area in Florida with more HR assistants, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ($48,920), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Tampa-St. Petersburg | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | this area | 530 | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | -0.5% | 80 | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | -1.9% | 30 | |
| Jacksonville, FL | -5.1% | 270 | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | -6.5% | 130 | |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | -6.6% | 30 | |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL | -6.7% | 830 |
Tampa-St. Petersburg against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tampa-St. Petersburg is #36 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 Florida, Hinesville and Visalia pay just above Tampa-St. Petersburg and Trenton-Princeton and Riverside-San Bernardino just below. All four are within $170 a year of the median in Tampa-St. Petersburg. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tampa-St. Petersburg | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visalia, CA | +0.3% | 90 | pay | |
| Hinesville, GA | +0.0% | 40 | pay | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | this area | 530 | ||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | -0.2% | 270 | pay | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | -0.3% | 1,290 | pay | |
| Columbus, OH | -3.3% | 530 | jobs | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | -6.5% | 550 | jobs | |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -6.7% | 510 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL?
About $67,639 a year at the median, or $5,637 a month: $52,420 in pay plus about $15,219 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $52,420 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,080, the 90th $63,620, and the middle half earned $45,550 to $59,800.
Is Tampa-St. Petersburg the most expensive area in Florida for HR assistants?
Yes. Its median of $52,420 is the highest of 16 areas in Florida. Palm Bay-Melbourne comes next at $52,180.
How many HR assistants work in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
BLS counts about 530 in the May 2025 survey. That is 17% of the Florida total of 3,210. Only Miami-Fort Lauderdale has more in Florida.
Does an HR assistant cost more than a payroll specialist in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
Yes: $1,980 a year more at the median. The medians are $52,420 and $50,440.
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.