# Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping

US SOC code 43-4161. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/43-4161

Also called: HR assistant, Human resources clerk, HR coordinator, Personnel assistant, HR administrative assistant.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **90,220** US human resources assistants (except payroll and timekeeping), with median pay of **$50,610** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **165,760**, in May 2003. The earliest figure here is [a Census count](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ_ind.shtml) of **18,000** from 1940, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for human resources assistants: Conversational recruiting AI and applicant tracking systems, 2016 to 2023.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 6.2% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-4161&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **46%** of work tasks in office and administrative support occupations, this job's group, are exposed to automation by AI. Not a forecast of job losses. [Goldman Sachs, 2023](https://www.gspublishing.com/content/research/en/reports/2023/03/27/d64e052b-0f6e-45d7-967b-d7be35fabd16.pdf)
- **46.6%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1914
- Latest US employment: 90,220 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $50,610 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [11]
- Outlook: -6.2% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [26]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 14102)
  - Employment, 2020: 11,475. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [8]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 14102 Personnel clerks, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$56,000. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [14]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 14102 Personnel clerks, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 28 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1940 | 18,000 | n/a | Decennial Census 1940 [1] |
| 1950 | 55,000 | n/a | Decennial Census 1950 [1] |
| 1980 | 130,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., BLS Monthly Labor Review 1980 [2] |
| 1985 | 155,000 (estimate) | $15,400 | Est., BLS Monthly Labor Review [3] |
| 2000 | 172,070 | $28,340 | BLS OEWS 2000 [4] |
| 2003 | 165,760 | $31,060 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 164,940 | $31,750 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 161,870 | $32,730 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 159,750 | $33,750 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 161,970 | $34,970 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 164,340 | $35,750 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 161,920 | $36,650 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 150,090 | $36,800 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 145,780 | $37,250 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 139,200 | $37,510 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 136,960 | $37,680 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 135,270 | $38,040 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 138,910 | $38,100 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 137,150 | $39,020 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 134,570 | $39,480 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 124,600 | $40,390 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 117,340 | $41,430 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 108,470 | $43,250 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 102,770 | $45,630 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 103,680 | $45,930 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 101,440 | $47,710 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 92,580 | $49,440 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 90,220 | $50,610 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (92)

### Employment series

1. [IPUMS USA -- Occupation and Industry Codes and Documentation (1940 Census "personnel and labor relations workers" category)](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ_ind.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
2. [BLS Monthly Labor Review 1980 -- occupational wage survey data for clerical occupations including personnel clerks](https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/1980/), Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. [BLS Monthly Labor Review -- "Weekly earnings in 1985" (September 1986, reporting clerical occupations including personnel clerks)](https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/1986/09/rpt1full.pdf), Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
7. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
8. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

9. [BLS Monthly Labor Review -- "Weekly earnings in 1985" (September 1986)](https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/1986/09/rpt1full.pdf), Bureau of Labor Statistics
10. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
11. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
12. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
13. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
14. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

15. [The Henry Ford -- Ford Sociological Department and English School (establishment of personnel records system, 1914)](https://www.thehenryford.org/collections/explore/popular-research-topics/ford-motor-company-sociological-department-english-school), The Henry Ford
16. [HappyOrNot -- "When did human resources start and who created it?" (history of personnel departments)](https://www.happy-or-not.com/en/insights/blog/beginning-human-resources-although-called-personnel/), HappyOrNot
17. [ICehrm -- "Evolution of the Human Resource Information System" (history of early HRIS from mainframe era)](https://icehrm.com/blog/evolution-of-human-resource-information-system/), ICehrm
18. [Wikipedia -- History of IBM punched card data processing (IBM 80-column card tabulating systems)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punched_card), Wikipedia
19. [ResearchGate -- "Historical Evolution of Human Resource Information System (HRIS): An Interface between HR and Computer Technology"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316036752_Historical_Evolution_of_Human_Resource_Information_System_HRIS_An_Interface_between_HR_and_Computer_Technology), ResearchGate / Science & Education Publishing
20. [EEOC -- Recordkeeping Requirements under Title VII (origin and scope of employer record-keeping obligations from 1965)](https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/recordkeeping-requirements), U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
21. [Wikipedia -- PeopleSoft (founding 1987, version 1 released 1989, Oracle acquisition 2004)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PeopleSoft), Wikipedia
22. [Wikipedia -- Workday, Inc. (founding 2005 by David Duffield and Aneel Bhusri, cloud HR platform)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workday,_Inc.), Wikipedia
23. [Paradox -- Olivia conversational hiring AI (product history and capabilities)](https://www.paradox.ai/why-paradox), Paradox
24. [AIHR -- "AI in HR: A Comprehensive Guide 2026" (overview of AI tools reshaping HR operations)](https://www.aihr.com/blog/ai-in-hr/), AIHR
25. [Workday Newsroom -- "Workday Illuminate TM Expands with New AI Agents for HR, Finance, and Industry" (September 2025)](https://newsroom.workday.com/2025-09-16-Workday-Illuminate-TM-Expands-with-New-AI-Agents-for-HR,-Finance,-and-Industry), Workday

### Forecasts and exposure studies

26. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 43-4161 Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping (2025: 96.5 thousand; 2035: 90.5 thousand; -6.2%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-4161&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
27. [Briggs & Kodnani, "The Potentially Large Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Economic Growth", Goldman Sachs Global Economics Analyst (26 March 2023), Exhibit 5 (US): office and administrative support 46%](https://www.gspublishing.com/content/research/en/reports/2023/03/27/d64e052b-0f6e-45d7-967b-d7be35fabd16.pdf), Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
28. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 43-4161.00, human-rated β 0.466)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

29. [The Henry Ford -- Ford Sociological Department and English School (1914 establishment)](https://www.thehenryford.org/collections/explore/popular-research-topics/ford-motor-company-sociological-department-english-school), The Henry Ford
30. [HappyOrNot -- "When did human resources start and who created it?" (personnel department growth statistics 1915-1920)](https://www.happy-or-not.com/en/insights/blog/beginning-human-resources-although-called-personnel/), HappyOrNot
31. [EEOC -- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (text and recordkeeping requirements)](https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/title-vii-civil-rights-act-1964), U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
32. [U.S. Department of Labor -- Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), signed 1974 (record-keeping requirements)](https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/retirement/erisa), U.S. Department of Labor
33. [Wikipedia -- PeopleSoft (company founding 1987, HRMS version 1 released 1989)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PeopleSoft), Wikipedia
34. [DOL -- Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (recordkeeping requirements under 29 CFR 825.500)](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla), U.S. Department of Labor
35. [Wikipedia -- Workday, Inc. (founding 2005, Duffield and Bhusri, cloud HR platform)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workday,_Inc.), Wikipedia
36. [Workday Newsroom -- "Workday Illuminate TM Expands with New AI Agents for HR, Finance, and Industry" (September 16, 2025)](https://newsroom.workday.com/2025-09-16-Workday-Illuminate-TM-Expands-with-New-AI-Agents-for-HR,-Finance,-and-Industry), Workday

### Predecessors & successors

37. [The Henry Ford -- Ford Sociological Department (establishment of personnel records function, 1914)](https://www.thehenryford.org/collections/explore/popular-research-topics/ford-motor-company-sociological-department-english-school), The Henry Ford
38. [OPM -- GS-0200 Classification Standard for Assistance Work in the Human Resources Group (December 2000)](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/classifying-general-schedule-positions/standards/0200/gs0200c.pdf), U.S. Office of Personnel Management

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 29.0 — Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping (43-4161.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-4161.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BLS OEWS May 2024 — 43-4161 wage and employment data (national flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), accessed 2026-10-07
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Goldman Sachs — Generative AI Could Replace 300 Million Jobs (2023)](https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/how-will-ai-affect-the-global-workforce), accessed 2026-06-05
- [AIHR — AI in HR: A Comprehensive Guide 2026](https://www.aihr.com/blog/ai-in-hr/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Workday Newsroom — Workday Illuminate AI Agents (Sep 2025)](https://newsroom.workday.com/2025-09-16-Workday-Illuminate-TM-Expands-with-New-AI-Agents-for-HR,-Finance,-and-Industry), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Paradox — Olivia conversational hiring AI (2025)](https://www.paradox.ai/why-paradox), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Index.dev — Paradox AI Olivia Chatbot Review 2026](https://www.index.dev/blog/paradox-ai-recruitment-chatbot-review), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Rippling — Best 9 AI Tools for HR Automation in 2025](https://www.rippling.com/blog/hr-ai-tools), accessed 2026-06-05
- [DianaHR — Best AI HR Agents for Onboarding and Operations 2026](https://www.getdianahr.com/blog/best-ai-hr-agents-guide), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.