13 Series · SOC 13-1071

Human Resources Specialists Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$75,940
Median / year
+4.2%
2024→2025
$128,720
Top 10% earn
+6.2%
Growth '24–'34
912,430
Estimated US jobs

Human Resources Specialists earn a median of $75,940 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $75,940, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $47,180 (10th percentile) to $128,720 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 912,430 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($110,970).

13 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Human Resources Specialists earn a median of $75,940, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 67% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Business and Financial Operations, it ranks #24 of 32 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 6.2% by 2034.

$75,940
Median annual wage
Top 33%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#24 of 32
in Business and Financial Operations
2.7×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $110,970. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Human Resources Specialists moved from $61,920 in May 2019 to $75,940 in May 2025 (+22.6%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Human Resources Specialists sits -1.8 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Human Resources Specialists (SOC 13-1071) has a national median of $75,940 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $47,180 to $128,720, and the published mean is $81,990. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 912,430 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 528 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $72,910 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $75,940 in May 2025, a rise of $3,030 (+4.2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +6.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 81,800 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Business and Financial Operations Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $110,970, which is +46% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $112,140. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 912,430 jobs Median $75,940/yr

Median Salary

$75,940

per year

Median Hourly

$36.51/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$81,990

average

Employment

912,430

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Human Resources Specialists pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$75,940 Top 33% higher than 67% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 (this entry) 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$75,940 · 67th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 13-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Human Resources Specialists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 13-series occupations with growth data, Human Resources Specialists sits on the faster-growing side at +6.2% growth and $75,940 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -10%0%10%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Accountants and Audi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $83680Business Operations … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3% · Median annual wage: $83050Project Management S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.6% · Median annual wage: $102320Human Resources Spec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.2% · Median annual wage: $75940Market Research Anal… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.7% · Median annual wage: $78760Management Analysts - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.8% · Median annual wage: $101860Buyers and Purchasin… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.8% · Median annual wage: $77710Training and Develop… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 10.8% · Median annual wage: $69280Compliance Officers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3% · Median annual wage: $80730Financial and Invest… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.7% · Median annual wage: $102740Claims Adjusters, Ex… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.1% · Median annual wage: $78000Loan Officers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $76690Personal Financial A… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.6% · Median annual wage: $105070Logisticians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 16.7% · Median annual wage: $82320Cost Estimators - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -4.2% · Median annual wage: $78740Meeting, Convention,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.8% · Median annual wage: $61160Financial Specialist… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.1% · Median annual wage: $81100Compensation, Benefi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.3% · Median annual wage: $78210Fundraisers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $72550Insurance Underwriters - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.6% · Median annual wage: $81370Tax Preparers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $54920Financial Examiners - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 18.5% · Median annual wage: $94160Labor Relations Spec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $95420Credit Analysts - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -4.4% · Median annual wage: $83510
Among 24 13-series occupations with growth data, Human Resources Specialists sits on the faster-growing side at +6.2% growth and $75,940 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Accountants and Audi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $83680
  • Business Operations …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $83050
  • Project Management S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $102320
  • Human Resources Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.2%, Median annual wage $75940
  • Market Research Anal…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.7%, Median annual wage $78760
  • Management Analysts: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.8%, Median annual wage $101860
  • Buyers and Purchasin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.8%, Median annual wage $77710
  • Training and Develop…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.8%, Median annual wage $69280
  • Compliance Officers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $80730
  • Financial and Invest…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.7%, Median annual wage $102740
  • Claims Adjusters, Ex…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.1%, Median annual wage $78000
  • Loan Officers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $76690
  • Personal Financial A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.6%, Median annual wage $105070
  • Logisticians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 16.7%, Median annual wage $82320
  • Cost Estimators: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.2%, Median annual wage $78740
  • Meeting, Convention,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.8%, Median annual wage $61160
  • Financial Specialist…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $81100
  • Compensation, Benefi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.3%, Median annual wage $78210
  • Fundraisers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $72550
  • Insurance Underwriters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.6%, Median annual wage $81370
  • Tax Preparers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $54920
  • Financial Examiners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 18.5%, Median annual wage $94160
  • Labor Relations Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $95420
  • Credit Analysts: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.4%, Median annual wage $83510

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+6.2%

Faster than average

Annual Openings

81,800

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+58,400

944,300 (2024) → 1,002,700 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Business and Financial Operations Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.3/100K

Injury Rate

0.3/100

Danger Index

1.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Human Resources Specialists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Speaking 4.1
Reading Comprehension 4.0
Active Listening 4.0
Writing 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.9
Social Perceptiveness 3.4
Service Orientation 3.4
Active Learning 3.3
Judgment and Decision Making 3.3
Instructing 3.1

Knowledge Areas

Personnel and Human Resources 4.6
Administrative 3.9
Administration and Management 3.8
English Language 3.8
Customer and Personal Service 3.5
Law and Government 3.3
Education and Training 3.1
Computers and Electronics 2.7
Communications and Media 2.5
Mathematics 2.3

Key Tasks

  • Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.
  • Hire employees and process hiring-related paperwork.
  • Administer employee benefit plans.
  • Maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
  • Schedule or administer skill, intelligence, psychological, or drug tests for current or prospective employees.
  • Prepare or maintain employment records related to events, such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions, using human resources management system software.
  • Address employee relations issues, such as harassment allegations, work complaints, or other employee concerns.
  • Conduct reference or background checks on job applicants.
  • Review employment applications and job orders to match applicants with job requirements.
  • Inform job applicants of details such as duties and responsibilities, compensation, benefits, schedules, working conditions, or promotion opportunities.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$47,180
25th$58,610
Median$75,940
75th$99,380
90th$128,720

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$22.69
25th$28.18
Median$36.51
75th$47.78
90th$61.89

Human Resources Specialists pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$55,000$60,000$65,000$70,000$75,000$80,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $58,350National median - 2016: $59,180National median - 2017: $60,350National median - 2018: $60,880National median - 2019: $61,920National median - 2020: $63,490National median - 2021: $62,290National median - 2022: $64,240National median - 2023: $67,650National median - 2024: $72,910National median - 2025: $75,940$75,940
National median annual wage for Human Resources Specialists, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $58,350
2016 $59,180
2017 $60,350
2018 $60,880
2019 $61,920
2020 $63,490
2021 $62,290
2022 $64,240
2023 $67,650
2024 $72,910
2025 $75,940

2015 median

$58,350

2025 median

$75,940

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$14,020 (+22.6%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3.5%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Human Resources Specialists by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $58,350 First banked release 491,090
May 2016 $59,180 +1.4% 524,800
May 2017 $60,350 +2.0% 553,950
May 2018 $60,880 +0.9% 593,790
May 2019 $61,920 Classification break 633,040
May 2020 $63,490 +2.5% 647,810
May 2021 $62,290 -1.9% 740,830
May 2022 $64,240 +3.1% 835,360
May 2023 $67,650 +5.3% 895,970
May 2024 $72,910 +7.8% 917,460
May 2025 $75,940 +4.2% 912,430

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $58,350 in May 2015 to $75,940 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.5% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 633,040 in May 2019 to 912,430 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 54 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $110,970 +46% above national
2 Massachusetts $85,630 +13% above national
3 Washington $84,550 +11% above national
4 New York $84,380 +11% above national
5 Maryland $83,910 +10% above national
6 California $83,500 +10% above national
7 Connecticut $82,890 +9% above national
8 Virginia $82,090 +8% above national
9 Colorado $80,840 +6% above national
10 New Jersey $80,690 +6% above national
11 Minnesota $78,760 +4% above national
12 Oregon $78,060 +3% above national
13 Vermont $77,800 +2% above national
14 Delaware $77,700 +2% above national
15 Rhode Island $77,560 +2% above national
16 Alaska $76,990 +1% above national
17 Illinois $76,820 +1% above national
18 North Dakota $75,630 same as national
19 Hawaii $73,750 3% below national
20 North Carolina $73,070 4% below national
21 Utah $71,750 6% below national
22 Maine $71,630 6% below national
23 Nevada $71,610 6% below national
24 Arizona $71,390 6% below national
25 Kansas $70,870 7% below national
26 New Hampshire $70,840 7% below national
27 Georgia $70,570 7% below national
28 Wisconsin $70,540 7% below national
29 Pennsylvania $70,450 7% below national
30 Ohio $70,180 8% below national
31 Michigan $69,520 8% below national
32 Kentucky $69,010 9% below national
33 Texas $68,920 9% below national
34 New Mexico $68,050 10% below national
35 South Dakota $67,590 11% below national
36 Tennessee $67,370 11% below national
37 Missouri $66,990 12% below national
38 Wyoming $66,970 12% below national
39 West Virginia $66,860 12% below national
40 Iowa $66,710 12% below national
41 Florida $66,410 13% below national
42 Indiana $65,600 14% below national
43 South Carolina $65,370 14% below national
44 Idaho $64,990 14% below national
45 Alabama $64,940 14% below national
46 Montana $63,790 16% below national
47 Nebraska $61,930 18% below national
48 Oklahoma $61,630 19% below national
49 Louisiana $61,300 19% below national
50 Mississippi $60,300 21% below national
51 Virgin Islands $60,210 21% below national
52 Guam $59,900 21% below national
53 Arkansas $55,010 28% below national
54 Puerto Rico $40,900 46% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 393 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $112,140 +48% above national
2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $103,140 +36% above national
3 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $100,830 +33% above national
4 Lexington Park, MD $98,170 +29% above national
5 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $94,520 +24% above national
6 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $92,770 +22% above national
7 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $90,290 +19% above national
8 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $90,270 +19% above national
9 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $89,780 +18% above national
10 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $86,700 +14% above national
11 Boulder, CO $86,200 +14% above national
12 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $85,550 +13% above national
13 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $84,690 +12% above national
14 Napa, CA $84,400 +11% above national
15 Rochester, MN $83,810 +10% above national
16 Vallejo, CA $83,160 +10% above national
17 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $82,920 +9% above national
18 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $82,550 +9% above national
19 New Haven, CT $82,510 +9% above national
20 Charlottesville, VA $82,430 +9% above national
21 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $82,380 +8% above national
22 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $81,540 +7% above national
23 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $81,300 +7% above national
24 Kennewick-Richland, WA $81,290 +7% above national
25 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $81,100 +7% above national
26 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $80,950 +7% above national
27 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $80,770 +6% above national
28 Walla Walla, WA $80,730 +6% above national
29 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $80,560 +6% above national
30 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $80,340 +6% above national
31 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $80,340 +6% above national
32 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $80,330 +6% above national
33 Salem, OR $80,270 +6% above national
34 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $80,220 +6% above national
35 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $80,100 +5% above national
36 Salinas, CA $80,100 +5% above national
37 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $79,850 +5% above national
38 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $79,670 +5% above national
39 Richmond, VA $79,340 +4% above national
40 Winchester, VA-WV $79,040 +4% above national
41 Colorado Springs, CO $79,000 +4% above national
42 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $78,920 +4% above national
43 Elizabethtown, KY $78,850 +4% above national
44 Springfield, IL $78,840 +4% above national
45 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $78,800 +4% above national
46 Huntsville, AL $78,780 +4% above national
47 Midland, TX $78,650 +4% above national
48 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $78,520 +3% above national
49 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $78,450 +3% above national
50 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $78,330 +3% above national
51 Minot, ND $78,220 +3% above national
52 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $78,210 +3% above national
53 Bellingham, WA $78,160 +3% above national
54 Portland-South Portland, ME $78,100 +3% above national
55 Helena, MT $78,020 +3% above national
56 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $78,020 +3% above national
57 Warner Robins, GA $77,920 +3% above national
58 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $77,920 +3% above national
59 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $77,840 +3% above national
60 Ann Arbor, MI $77,770 +2% above national
61 Fairbanks-College, AK $77,760 +2% above national
62 Springfield, MA $77,740 +2% above national
63 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $77,730 +2% above national
64 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $77,380 +2% above national
65 Worcester, MA $77,290 +2% above national
66 Syracuse, NY $77,190 +2% above national
67 Modesto, CA $77,070 +1% above national
68 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $77,000 +1% above national
69 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $76,930 +1% above national
70 Merced, CA $76,820 +1% above national
71 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $76,810 +1% above national
72 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $76,700 +1% above national
73 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $76,700 +1% above national
74 Topeka, KS $76,690 +1% above national
75 Madison, WI $76,660 +1% above national
76 Rochester, NY $76,590 +1% above national
77 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $76,570 +1% above national
78 Stockton-Lodi, CA $76,560 +1% above national
79 Fargo, ND-MN $76,550 +1% above national
80 Manhattan, KS $76,400 +1% above national
81 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $76,250 same as national
82 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $76,240 same as national
83 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $76,230 same as national
84 Bend, OR $76,190 same as national
85 Greeley, CO $76,180 same as national
86 Binghamton, NY $76,140 same as national
87 Barnstable Town, MA $76,020 same as national
88 Reno, NV $76,010 same as national
89 Bismarck, ND $75,980 same as national
90 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $75,860 same as national
91 Anchorage, AK $75,850 same as national
92 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $75,830 same as national
93 Longview-Kelso, WA $75,810 same as national
94 Urban Honolulu, HI $75,490 1% below national
95 Hinesville, GA $75,450 1% below national
96 Columbus, OH $75,440 1% below national
97 Fayetteville, NC $75,440 1% below national
98 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $75,410 1% below national
99 Lebanon, PA $75,320 1% below national
100 Ithaca, NY $75,270 1% below national
101 Kansas City, MO-KS $75,190 1% below national
102 Rapid City, SD $74,980 1% below national
103 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $74,970 1% below national
104 Vineland, NJ $74,880 1% below national
105 Cheyenne, WY $74,830 1% below national
106 Manchester-Nashua, NH $74,760 2% below national
107 Carson City, NV $74,710 2% below national
108 St. Cloud, MN $74,710 2% below national
109 Yuba City, CA $74,680 2% below national
110 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $74,640 2% below national
111 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $74,510 2% below national
112 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $74,430 2% below national
113 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $74,410 2% below national
114 York-Hanover, PA $74,350 2% below national
115 Bloomington, IL $74,210 2% below national
116 Pittsfield, MA $74,210 2% below national
117 Fresno, CA $74,170 2% below national
118 Raleigh-Cary, NC $74,170 2% below national
119 Visalia, CA $74,050 2% below national
120 Peoria, IL $74,020 3% below national
121 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $73,920 3% below national
122 Chico, CA $73,910 3% below national
123 Albany, OR $73,850 3% below national
124 Sheboygan, WI $73,410 3% below national
125 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $73,330 3% below national
126 Grand Forks, ND-MN $73,300 3% below national
127 Albuquerque, NM $73,290 3% below national
128 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $73,010 4% below national
129 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $72,930 4% below national
130 Midland, MI $72,630 4% below national
131 Fond du Lac, WI $72,610 4% below national
132 Green Bay, WI $72,550 4% below national
133 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $72,550 4% below national
134 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $72,490 5% below national
135 Utica-Rome, NY $72,420 5% below national
136 Mankato, MN $72,410 5% below national
137 Yakima, WA $72,180 5% below national
138 Elmira, NY $72,160 5% below national
139 Kingston, NY $72,040 5% below national
140 Monroe, MI $71,990 5% below national
141 El Centro, CA $71,970 5% below national
142 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $71,880 5% below national
143 Jacksonville, FL $71,850 5% below national
144 Chambersburg, PA $71,800 5% below national
145 St. Louis, MO-IL $71,670 6% below national
146 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $71,600 6% below national
147 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $71,370 6% below national
148 Santa Fe, NM $71,300 6% below national
149 Ogden, UT $71,280 6% below national
150 Iowa City, IA $71,120 6% below national
151 Cleveland, OH $70,900 7% below national
152 Redding, CA $70,830 7% below national
153 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $70,700 7% below national
154 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $70,580 7% below national
155 Corvallis, OR $70,420 7% below national
156 Asheville, NC $70,210 8% below national
157 Killeen-Temple, TX $70,170 8% below national
158 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $70,140 8% below national
159 Ames, IA $70,060 8% below national
160 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $70,040 8% below national
161 Lexington-Fayette, KY $69,990 8% below national
162 Sumter, SC $69,990 8% below national
163 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $69,950 8% below national
164 Akron, OH $69,900 8% below national
165 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $69,880 8% below national
166 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $69,740 8% below national
167 Burlington, NC $69,500 8% below national
168 Lynchburg, VA $69,490 8% below national
169 Reading, PA $69,410 9% below national
170 Eugene-Springfield, OR $69,390 9% below national
171 Jackson, MI $69,240 9% below national
172 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $69,150 9% below national
173 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $69,030 9% below national
174 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $68,940 9% below national
175 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $68,880 9% below national
176 Pueblo, CO $68,830 9% below national
177 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $68,810 9% below national
178 Winston-Salem, NC $68,540 10% below national
179 Naples-Marco Island, FL $68,420 10% below national
180 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $68,230 10% below national
181 Glens Falls, NY $68,170 10% below national
182 Ocala, FL $68,080 10% below national
183 Columbia, SC $67,990 10% below national
184 Birmingham, AL $67,880 11% below national
185 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $67,690 11% below national
186 Greensboro-High Point, NC $67,660 11% below national
187 Salisbury, MD $67,640 11% below national
188 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $67,580 11% below national
189 Medford, OR $67,540 11% below national
190 Roanoke, VA $67,450 11% below national
191 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $67,410 11% below national
192 Spartanburg, SC $67,410 11% below national
193 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $67,380 11% below national
194 Knoxville, TN $67,370 11% below national
195 Champaign-Urbana, IL $67,360 11% below national
196 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $67,300 11% below national
197 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $67,200 12% below national
198 Toledo, OH $67,200 12% below national
199 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $67,120 12% below national
200 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $67,100 12% below national
201 Duluth, MN-WI $67,040 12% below national
202 Dover, DE $66,920 12% below national
203 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $66,870 12% below national
204 Bloomington, IN $66,750 12% below national
205 Wausau, WI $66,750 12% below national
206 Battle Creek, MI $66,660 12% below national
207 Goldsboro, NC $66,660 12% below national
208 Grand Junction, CO $66,660 12% below national
209 Lancaster, PA $66,330 13% below national
210 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $66,260 13% below national
211 Kokomo, IN $66,200 13% below national
212 Greenville, NC $66,190 13% below national
213 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $66,190 13% below national
214 Anniston-Oxford, AL $66,060 13% below national
215 Boise City, ID $66,060 13% below national
216 Saginaw, MI $66,060 13% below national
217 Niles, MI $66,050 13% below national
218 Lewiston, ID-WA $66,000 13% below national
219 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $65,760 13% below national
220 Clarksville, TN-KY $65,680 14% below national
221 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $65,580 14% below national
222 Columbus, GA-AL $65,550 14% below national
223 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $65,540 14% below national
224 Grants Pass, OR $65,520 14% below national
225 Fort Wayne, IN $65,510 14% below national
226 Rockford, IL $65,490 14% below national
227 Billings, MT $65,470 14% below national
228 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $65,430 14% below national
229 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $65,400 14% below national
230 Wichita, KS $65,390 14% below national
231 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $65,360 14% below national
232 Pittsburgh, PA $65,260 14% below national
233 Yuma, AZ $65,250 14% below national
234 Odessa, TX $65,110 14% below national
235 Logan, UT-ID $64,990 14% below national
236 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $64,990 14% below national
237 Eau Claire, WI $64,900 15% below national
238 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $64,860 15% below national
239 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $64,780 15% below national
240 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $64,770 15% below national
241 Longview, TX $64,750 15% below national
242 Jacksonville, NC $64,730 15% below national
243 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $64,700 15% below national
244 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $64,620 15% below national
245 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $64,560 15% below national
246 Paducah, KY-IL $64,500 15% below national
247 Traverse City, MI $64,480 15% below national
248 Wilmington, NC $64,440 15% below national
249 Dubuque, IA $64,390 15% below national
250 Flint, MI $64,260 15% below national
251 Mobile, AL $64,260 15% below national
252 State College, PA $64,220 15% below national
253 St. Joseph, MO-KS $64,200 15% below national
254 Farmington, NM $64,170 15% below national
255 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $64,140 16% below national
256 Montgomery, AL $64,140 16% below national
257 Lake Charles, LA $64,130 16% below national
258 Lawrence, KS $64,130 16% below national
259 Bozeman, MT $64,080 16% below national
260 Kenosha, WI $64,080 16% below national
261 Tucson, AZ $63,950 16% below national
262 Altoona, PA $63,910 16% below national
263 Bangor, ME $63,900 16% below national
264 Idaho Falls, ID $63,860 16% below national
265 Kankakee, IL $63,720 16% below national
266 Decatur, IL $63,700 16% below national
267 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $63,700 16% below national
268 Appleton, WI $63,650 16% below national
269 Evansville, IN $63,520 16% below national
270 Lima, OH $63,510 16% below national
271 Morgantown, WV $63,500 16% below national
272 Tulsa, OK $63,490 16% below national
273 Coeur d'Alene, ID $63,450 16% below national
274 Flagstaff, AZ $63,430 16% below national
275 Jackson, TN $63,430 16% below national
276 Columbia, MO $63,360 17% below national
277 Gainesville, GA $63,330 17% below national
278 Waco, TX $63,320 17% below national
279 Lincoln, NE $63,280 17% below national
280 Janesville-Beloit, WI $63,270 17% below national
281 Tuscaloosa, AL $63,220 17% below national
282 Bay City, MI $63,200 17% below national
283 Oklahoma City, OK $63,170 17% below national
284 Springfield, MO $63,140 17% below national
285 Cedar Rapids, IA $63,070 17% below national
286 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $63,040 17% below national
287 Auburn-Opelika, AL $63,030 17% below national
288 Decatur, AL $63,030 17% below national
289 Sherman-Denison, TX $63,010 17% below national
290 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $62,970 17% below national
291 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $62,900 17% below national
292 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $62,870 17% below national
293 Beckley, WV $62,850 17% below national
294 Great Falls, MT $62,740 17% below national
295 Jackson, MS $62,720 17% below national
296 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $62,700 17% below national
297 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $62,700 17% below national
298 Savannah, GA $62,690 17% below national
299 Port St. Lucie, FL $62,610 18% below national
300 Gettysburg, PA $62,600 18% below national
301 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $62,570 18% below national
302 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $62,490 18% below national
303 Wheeling, WV-OH $62,480 18% below national
304 College Station-Bryan, TX $62,460 18% below national
305 Owensboro, KY $62,440 18% below national
306 Jefferson City, MO $62,420 18% below national
307 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $62,400 18% below national
308 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $62,390 18% below national
309 Springfield, OH $62,390 18% below national
310 Missoula, MT $62,380 18% below national
311 Columbus, IN $62,330 18% below national
312 Harrisonburg, VA $62,310 18% below national
313 Wichita Falls, TX $62,300 18% below national
314 Alexandria, LA $62,210 18% below national
315 Amarillo, TX $62,180 18% below national
316 Grand Island, NE $62,100 18% below national
317 Sandusky, OH $62,070 18% below national
318 Canton-Massillon, OH $61,950 18% below national
319 Williamsport, PA $61,940 18% below national
320 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $61,900 18% below national
321 Bowling Green, KY $61,860 19% below national
322 Omaha, NE-IA $61,840 19% below national
323 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $61,770 19% below national
324 Johnson City, TN $61,730 19% below national
325 Terre Haute, IN $61,730 19% below national
326 Punta Gorda, FL $61,700 19% below national
327 Chattanooga, TN-GA $61,660 19% below national
328 Rocky Mount, NC $61,660 19% below national
329 San Angelo, TX $61,630 19% below national
330 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $61,570 19% below national
331 Homosassa Springs, FL $61,530 19% below national
332 Charleston, WV $61,500 19% below national
333 Rome, GA $61,430 19% below national
334 Baton Rouge, LA $61,400 19% below national
335 Texarkana, TX-AR $61,350 19% below national
336 Florence, SC $61,300 19% below national
337 Joplin, MO-KS $61,240 19% below national
338 Twin Falls, ID $61,230 19% below national
339 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $61,200 19% below national
340 Pocatello, ID $61,150 19% below national
341 Albany, GA $61,110 20% below national
342 Muncie, IN $60,990 20% below national
343 Erie, PA $60,860 20% below national
344 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $60,810 20% below national
345 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $60,660 20% below national
346 Youngstown-Warren, OH $60,570 20% below national
347 Cleveland, TN $60,560 20% below national
348 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $60,560 20% below national
349 Mansfield, OH $60,430 20% below national
350 Abilene, TX $60,400 20% below national
351 Lubbock, TX $60,380 20% below national
352 Corpus Christi, TX $60,030 21% below national
353 Lawton, OK $59,880 21% below national
354 Morristown, TN $59,820 21% below national
355 Dothan, AL $59,810 21% below national
356 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $59,810 21% below national
357 Victoria, TX $59,580 22% below national
358 Sebring, FL $59,440 22% below national
359 Macon-Bibb County, GA $59,190 22% below national
360 Johnstown, PA $59,120 22% below national
361 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $59,050 22% below national
362 Enid, OK $59,010 22% below national
363 El Paso, TX $58,990 22% below national
364 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $58,830 23% below national
365 Tyler, TX $58,770 23% below national
366 Hammond, LA $58,280 23% below national
367 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $58,240 23% below national
368 St. George, UT $58,140 23% below national
369 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $57,640 24% below national
370 Gainesville, FL $57,520 24% below national
371 Athens-Clarke County, GA $57,330 25% below national
372 Tallahassee, FL $57,320 25% below national
373 Las Cruces, NM $57,150 25% below national
374 Casper, WY $56,090 26% below national
375 Lafayette, LA $56,070 26% below national
376 Gadsden, AL $55,720 27% below national
377 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $55,550 27% below national
378 Dalton, GA $55,480 27% below national
379 Valdosta, GA $55,260 27% below national
380 Hattiesburg, MS $55,000 28% below national
381 Monroe, LA $54,610 28% below national
382 Fort Smith, AR-OK $54,220 29% below national
383 Jonesboro, AR $53,790 29% below national
384 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $53,600 29% below national
385 Laredo, TX $51,780 32% below national
386 Hot Springs, AR $51,260 32% below national
387 Eagle Pass, TX $46,630 39% below national
388 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $41,600 45% below national
389 Guayama, PR $39,440 48% below national
390 Ponce, PR $39,040 49% below national
391 Aguadilla, PR $37,460 51% below national
392 Arecibo, PR $35,300 54% below national
393 Mayaguez, PR $35,000 54% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 13 (Business and Financial Operations Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 31 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Business and Financial Operations Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($75,940 here) and reported employment (912,430 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Human Resources Specialists make?
The median annual salary for Human Resources Specialists is $75,940 ($36.51/hour). The salary range spans from $47,180 at the 10th percentile to $128,720 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Human Resources Specialists pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $75,940, Human Resources Specialists pay is higher than 67% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Human Resources Specialists the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Human Resources Specialists at $110,970/year, which is +46% above the national median.
What education do Human Resources Specialists need?
BLS assigns Human Resources Specialists to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Human Resources Specialists?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Human Resources Specialists in this release. WageDex shows the Business and Financial Operations Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Human Resources Specialists a good career?
Employment for Human Resources Specialists is projected to grow 6.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than average. About 81,800 openings are projected each year.
How does Human Resources Specialists pay vary by state?
Human Resources Specialists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $110,970/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $40,900/year. BLS data covers 54 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Human Resources Specialists?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $112,140/year. BLS reports a median for 393 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Human Resources Specialists pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $99,380/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $110,970/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.