SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 13-1071.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $47,180 | $3,932 | $907 | $22.69 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $58,610 | $4,884 | $1,127 | $28.18 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $75,940 | $6,328 | $1,460 | $36.51 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $99,380 | $8,282 | $1,911 | $47.78 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $128,720 | $10,727 | $2,475 | $61.89 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Human Resources Specialists is $75,940, which is 49% higher. Among the 32 occupations of the field Business and Financial Operations, it ranks number 24 by median pay. With 912,430 jobs, it makes up about 59 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Human Resources Specialists pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($110,970), Massachusetts ($85,630) and Washington ($84,550). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($40,900), Arkansas ($55,010) and Guam ($59,900). The most jobs were in California (104,000), Texas (84,930) and Florida (62,730). The occupation is most concentrated in District of Columbia, where its share of all jobs is 1.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 6,910 | $110,970 | $116,020 | $53.35 |
| Massachusetts | 27,300 | $85,630 | $95,400 | $41.17 |
| Washington | 22,770 | $84,550 | $94,000 | $40.65 |
| New York | 54,610 | $84,380 | $95,040 | $40.57 |
| Maryland | 15,530 | $83,910 | $92,180 | $40.34 |
| California | 104,000 | $83,500 | $95,180 | $40.14 |
| Connecticut | 9,010 | $82,890 | $90,080 | $39.85 |
| Virginia | 28,540 | $82,090 | $89,620 | $39.47 |
| Colorado | 19,450 | $80,840 | $88,440 | $38.86 |
| New Jersey | 21,690 | $80,690 | $89,170 | $38.80 |
| Minnesota | 17,240 | $78,760 | $83,970 | $37.87 |
| Oregon | 10,620 | $78,060 | $84,550 | $37.53 |
| Vermont | 1,270 | $77,800 | $80,760 | $37.40 |
| Delaware | 2,720 | $77,700 | $85,230 | $37.36 |
| Rhode Island | 3,320 | $77,560 | $82,250 | $37.29 |
| Alaska | 1,420 | $76,990 | $80,410 | $37.02 |
| Illinois | 35,430 | $76,820 | $81,480 | $36.93 |
| North Dakota | 1,710 | $75,630 | $79,210 | $36.36 |
| Hawaii | 2,570 | $73,750 | $77,320 | $35.46 |
| North Carolina | 31,140 | $73,070 | $79,450 | $35.13 |
| Utah | 9,900 | $71,750 | $77,610 | $34.49 |
| Maine | 3,020 | $71,630 | $75,140 | $34.44 |
| Nevada | 6,520 | $71,610 | $79,260 | $34.43 |
| Arizona | 20,230 | $71,390 | $76,500 | $34.32 |
| Kansas | 7,560 | $70,870 | $76,590 | $34.07 |
| New Hampshire | 4,270 | $70,840 | $78,500 | $34.06 |
| Georgia | 32,110 | $70,570 | $77,570 | $33.93 |
| Wisconsin | 17,360 | $70,540 | $74,310 | $33.91 |
| Pennsylvania | 36,960 | $70,450 | $77,290 | $33.87 |
| Ohio | 33,500 | $70,180 | $76,230 | $33.74 |
| Michigan | 25,520 | $69,520 | $75,250 | $33.42 |
| Kentucky | 10,900 | $69,010 | $72,970 | $33.18 |
| Texas | 84,930 | $68,920 | $74,920 | $33.14 |
| New Mexico | 4,090 | $68,050 | $75,140 | $32.72 |
| South Dakota | 1,340 | $67,590 | $74,450 | $32.50 |
| Tennessee | 21,460 | $67,370 | $73,590 | $32.39 |
| Missouri | 17,650 | $66,990 | $74,670 | $32.21 |
| Wyoming | 1,000 | $66,970 | $74,990 | $32.20 |
| West Virginia | 3,130 | $66,860 | $74,040 | $32.14 |
| Iowa | 7,930 | $66,710 | $73,850 | $32.07 |
| Florida | 62,730 | $66,410 | $74,610 | $31.93 |
| Indiana | 17,110 | $65,600 | $72,550 | $31.54 |
| South Carolina | 13,720 | $65,370 | $74,710 | $31.43 |
| Idaho | 3,930 | $64,990 | $70,070 | $31.25 |
| Alabama | 11,080 | $64,940 | $72,590 | $31.22 |
| Montana | 2,340 | $63,790 | $71,430 | $30.67 |
| Nebraska | 7,220 | $61,930 | $67,010 | $29.77 |
| Oklahoma | 9,370 | $61,630 | $67,900 | $29.63 |
| Louisiana | 7,240 | $61,300 | $66,370 | $29.47 |
| Mississippi | 4,850 | $60,300 | $68,360 | $28.99 |
| Virgin Islands | 120 | $60,210 | $64,320 | $28.95 |
| Guam | 380 | $59,900 | $61,080 | $28.80 |
| Arkansas | 6,230 | $55,010 | $62,410 | $26.45 |
| Puerto Rico | 4,270 | $40,900 | $46,930 | $19.66 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,000 a year
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents$77,710 a year
- Loan Officers$76,690 a year
- Fundraisers$72,550 a year
- Training and Development Specialists$69,280 a year
- Property Appraisers and Assessors$67,960 a year
Common questions
How much do Human Resources Specialists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $75,940 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,180 and the highest-paid 10% more than $128,720.
How many people work as Human Resources Specialists?
About 912,430 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.