SOC 4136 Administrative occupations

Human resources administrative occupations Salary

Median salary £25,531 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £26,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For human resources administrative occupations, £26,851 is the typical (median) pay. That is well below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -31% versus the national average. Experienced human resources administrative occupations (top 25%) earn over £29,041.

About this role

Human resources administrative occupations involve providing administrative support to HR teams, processing recruitment paperwork, maintaining employee records, coordinating training logistics and supporting HR processes.

Key responsibilities

Processing recruitment administration including job postings and interview scheduling
Maintaining employee records and HR information systems
Administering starter and leaver processes and HR documentation
Coordinating training bookings and recording CPD
Handling routine HR enquiries from managers and employees

Qualifications and entry routes

GCSEs or equivalent are typically required. CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate is valued. Experience with HRIS systems (SAP, Workday, People HR) is beneficial.

Career outlook

Consistent demand. HRIS automation is streamlining routine tasks, with administrative roles evolving to support employee experience and self-service platforms.

Key skills

HR administration HRIS systems Confidentiality Organisation Communication

Common industries

All sectors
Public sector
Professional services
Manufacturing
Retail

Data coverage

SOC code 4136

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 19,000

Median Salary

£25,531

Mean Salary

£25,032

Jobs (000s)

19k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P25: £20,373Median: £25,531P75: £29,041

P10: £14kP25: £20kMedian: £26kP75: £29kP90: --

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£13,534

0-2 years

Mid Level

£20,373

3-7 years

Senior

£29,041

8-15 years

Potential career growth: +115% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +43.5%Real growth: +4.0%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 5.5%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£25,531

Full-time Only

£26,851

Full-time premium: +£1,320

Human resources administrative occupations salary: common questions

How much do human resources administrative occupations earn in the UK?

Human resources administrative occupations earn a median of £26,851 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £20,373 and £29,041.

Is £26,851 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for human resources administrative occupations?

Entry-level human resources administrative occupations typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £20,373, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £13,534.

Have human resources administrative occupations salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median human resources administrative occupations pay has risen from £20,176 to £26,851 — +33% in cash terms, or -4.0% after CPIH inflation. That is behind inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for human resources administrative occupations?

Male human resources administrative occupations earn a median £26,779 and female human resources administrative occupations £25,302 — a gap of +6.0% in 2025.

Figures: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, gross annual pay. UK full-time median £39,039 (2025).