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Boston Career Explorer

Office and Administrative Support

Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping

Compile and keep personnel records. Record data for each employee, such as address, weekly earnings, absences, amount of sales or production, supervisory reports, and date of and reason for termination. May prepare reports for employment records, file employment records, or search employee files and furnish information to authorized persons.

Also called: Human Resources Administrative Assistant (HR Administrative Assistant), Human Resources Assistant (HR Assistant), Human Resources Associate (HR Associate), Personnel Clerk

Median pay in Greater Boston
$57,440
$27.62/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
1,150
Massachusetts 2024–2034
−5.9%
90 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Associate's degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$45,110$49,040$57,440$64,860$71,460

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Process, verify, and maintain personnel related documentation, including staffing, recruitment, training, grievances, performance evaluations, classifications, and employee leaves of absence.
  • Record data for each employee, including such information as addresses, weekly earnings, absences, amount of sales or production, supervisory reports on performance, and dates of and reasons for terminations.
  • Explain company personnel policies, benefits, and procedures to employees or job applicants.
  • Provide assistance in administering employee benefit programs and worker's compensation plans.
  • Answer questions regarding examinations, eligibility, salaries, benefits, and other pertinent information.
  • Prepare and set up for new employee orientations.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure87 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 93
  • Language-model AIOE 94
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 75

Observed AI use today: Substantial (Anthropic Economic Index)

Human resources assistants have higher AI exposure, and observed AI use in this job is substantial. AI tools can help with processing records, entering employee data, and answering routine benefits questions. Federal projections say HR technology and combined office functions mean fewer of these jobs, and Massachusetts expects a 5.9% decline by 2034. Explaining policies and working through sensitive issues with people stay human.

Likely to change

  • Entering and updating employee records
  • Answering routine benefits questions

Still relies on people

  • Explaining policies to employees in person
  • Handling sensitive leave and grievance conversations

What federal projections say

“Productivity change - share decreases as organizations combine their administrative functions and leverage HR technology, resulting in the need for fewer human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers

    Keeping attendance and hours records carries over to supervising production workers. This role pays a Boston median of $82,660 with lower AI exposure.

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  • First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services

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  • Administrative Services Managers

    Your records and reporting skills fit administrative management, which pays a Boston median of $120,670. It typically needs a bachelor's degree, and AI exposure is still fairly high.

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

5 programs near Boston (plus 5 graduate)

Related occupations

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