Checked
Human Resources Specialists Salary
Human Resources Specialists earn a median $75,940 a year in the U.S., with 912,430 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $75,940 a year
- Employment
- 912,430
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +6.4%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 73,700
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $75,940 · $36.51 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $81,990 · $39.42 an hour (estimate error ±0.2%)
- 10th percentile
- $47,180 · $22.69 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $58,610 · $28.18 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $99,380 · $47.78 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $128,720 · $61.89 an hour
- Employment
- 912,430 (estimate error ±0.6%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas. Excludes “Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists” (13-1141) and “Training and Development Specialists” (13-1151).
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 939,700
- Projected for 2035
- 999,700
- Change
- +60,100 (+6.4%)
- Openings each year
- 73,700
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- 1.1%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $110,970 | 6,910 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $85,630 | 27,300 |
| 3 | Washington | $84,550 | 22,770 |
| 4 | New York | $84,380 | 54,610 |
| 5 | Maryland | $83,910 | 15,530 |
| 6 | California | $83,500 | 104,000 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $82,890 | 9,010 |
| 8 | Virginia | $82,090 | 28,540 |
| 9 | Colorado | $80,840 | 19,450 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $80,690 | 21,690 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 104,000 | $83,500 |
| Texas | 84,930 | $68,920 |
| Florida | 62,730 | $66,410 |
| New York | 54,610 | $84,380 |
| Pennsylvania | 36,960 | $70,450 |
| Illinois | 35,430 | $76,820 |
| Ohio | 33,500 | $70,180 |
| Georgia | 32,110 | $70,570 |
| North Carolina | 31,140 | $73,070 |
| Virginia | 28,540 | $82,090 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
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| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $112,140 | 7,970 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $103,140 | 16,420 |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $100,830 | 24,450 |
| 4 | Lexington Park, MD | $98,170 | 330 |
| 5 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $94,520 | 440 |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92,770 | 14,120 |
| 7 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $90,290 | 710 |
| 8 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $90,270 | 21,770 |
| 9 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $89,780 | 52,370 |
| 10 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $86,700 | 1,410 |
| 11 | Boulder, CO | $86,200 | 1,480 |
| 12 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $85,550 | 2,350 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 52,370 | $89,780 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 36,850 | $80,220 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 29,190 | $70,700 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 26,470 | $78,210 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 24,450 | $100,830 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 21,770 | $90,270 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 20,920 | $75,410 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 18,320 | $72,550 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 18,080 | $67,580 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 16,420 | $103,140 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 16,000 | $76,700 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 15,430 | $74,640 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)617 certified filingsMedian offered wage $88,800
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)187 certified filingsMedian offered wage $64,168
Human Resources Specialists pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
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Frequently asked questions
- How much do human resources specialists make?
- The median wage for human resources specialists in the U.S. is $75,940 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $58,610 and $99,380.
- Which state pays human resources specialists the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median wage for this occupation at $110,970 a year.
- What is the job outlook for human resources specialists?
- BLS projects employment to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 73,700 openings each year on average.
- What education do human resources specialists need?
- The typical entry-level education is: bachelor's degree.