Human Resources Specialists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for human resources specialistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $81,990 ≈ $39/hr
National median salary $75,940
Total employment 912,430 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +6.2%
Faster than average
Annual openings 81,800 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 944,300 → 1,002,700 (+58,400)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$116,020
- Massachusetts$95,400
- California$95,180
- New York$95,040
- Washington$94,000
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Arkansas$62,410
- Louisiana$66,370
- Nebraska$67,010
- Oklahoma$67,900
- Mississippi$68,360
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $116,020 | $110,970 | $56 | +41.5% | 6,910 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $95,400 | $85,630 | $46 | +16.4% | 27,300 |
| 3 | California | $95,180 | $83,500 | $46 | +16.1% | 104,000 |
| 4 | New York | $95,040 | $84,380 | $46 | +15.9% | 54,610 |
| 5 | Washington | $94,000 | $84,550 | $45 | +14.6% | 22,770 |
| 6 | Maryland | $92,180 | $83,910 | $44 | +12.4% | 15,530 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $90,080 | $82,890 | $43 | +9.9% | 9,010 |
| 8 | Virginia | $89,620 | $82,090 | $43 | +9.3% | 28,540 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $89,170 | $80,690 | $43 | +8.8% | 21,690 |
| 10 | Colorado | $88,440 | $80,840 | $43 | +7.9% | 19,450 |
| 11 | Delaware | $85,230 | $77,700 | $41 | +4% | 2,720 |
| 12 | Oregon | $84,550 | $78,060 | $41 | +3.1% | 10,620 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $83,970 | $78,760 | $40 | +2.4% | 17,240 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $82,250 | $77,560 | $40 | +0.3% | 3,320 |
| 15 | Illinois | $81,480 | $76,820 | $39 | -0.6% | 35,430 |
| 16 | Vermont | $80,760 | $77,800 | $39 | -1.5% | 1,270 |
| 17 | Alaska | $80,410 | $76,990 | $39 | -1.9% | 1,420 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $79,450 | $73,070 | $38 | -3.1% | 31,140 |
| 19 | Nevada | $79,260 | $71,610 | $38 | -3.3% | 6,520 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $79,210 | $75,630 | $38 | -3.4% | 1,710 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $78,500 | $70,840 | $38 | -4.3% | 4,270 |
| 22 | Utah | $77,610 | $71,750 | $37 | -5.3% | 9,900 |
| 23 | Georgia | $77,570 | $70,570 | $37 | -5.4% | 32,110 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $77,320 | $73,750 | $37 | -5.7% | 2,570 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $77,290 | $70,450 | $37 | -5.7% | 36,960 |
| 26 | Kansas | $76,590 | $70,870 | $37 | -6.6% | 7,560 |
| 27 | Arizona | $76,500 | $71,390 | $37 | -6.7% | 20,230 |
| 28 | Ohio | $76,230 | $70,180 | $37 | -7% | 33,500 |
| 29 | Michigan | $75,250 | $69,520 | $36 | -8.2% | 25,520 |
| 30 | Maine | $75,140 | $71,630 | $36 | -8.4% | 3,020 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $75,140 | $68,050 | $36 | -8.4% | 4,090 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $74,990 | $66,970 | $36 | -8.5% | 1,000 |
| 33 | Texas | $74,920 | $68,920 | $36 | -8.6% | 84,930 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $74,710 | $65,370 | $36 | -8.9% | 13,720 |
| 35 | Missouri | $74,670 | $66,990 | $36 | -8.9% | 17,650 |
| 36 | Florida | $74,610 | $66,410 | $36 | -9% | 62,730 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $74,450 | $67,590 | $36 | -9.2% | 1,340 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $74,310 | $70,540 | $36 | -9.4% | 17,360 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $74,040 | $66,860 | $36 | -9.7% | 3,130 |
| 40 | Iowa | $73,850 | $66,710 | $36 | -9.9% | 7,930 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $73,590 | $67,370 | $35 | -10.2% | 21,460 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $72,970 | $69,010 | $35 | -11% | 10,900 |
| 43 | Alabama | $72,590 | $64,940 | $35 | -11.5% | 11,080 |
| 44 | Indiana | $72,550 | $65,600 | $35 | -11.5% | 17,110 |
| 45 | Montana | $71,430 | $63,790 | $34 | -12.9% | 2,340 |
| 46 | Idaho | $70,070 | $64,990 | $34 | -14.5% | 3,930 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $68,360 | $60,300 | $33 | -16.6% | 4,850 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $67,900 | $61,630 | $33 | -17.2% | 9,370 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $67,010 | $61,930 | $32 | -18.3% | 7,220 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $66,370 | $61,300 | $32 | -19.1% | 7,240 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $62,410 | $55,010 | $30 | -23.9% | 6,230 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 521 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $112,140 | $122,290 | 7,970 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $103,140 | $113,530 | 16,420 |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $100,830 | $105,580 | 24,450 |
| 4 | Lexington Park, MD | $98,170 | $104,240 | 330 |
| 5 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $94,520 | $93,040 | 440 |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92,770 | $99,220 | 14,120 |
| 7 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $90,290 | $95,830 | 710 |
| 8 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $90,270 | $96,840 | 21,770 |
| 9 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $89,780 | $98,100 | 52,370 |
| 10 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $86,700 | $88,490 | 1,410 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing human resources specialistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $135,620 | $142,490 | 2,450 |
| 2 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $135,620 | $142,490 | 2,450 |
| 3 | Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, & Other Media Networks & Content Providers | $125,490 | $122,990 | 2,700 |
| 4 | Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $114,210 | $111,200 | 260 |
| 5 | Broadcasting and Content Providers | $113,750 | $116,620 | 3,130 |
| 6 | Software Publishers | $108,370 | $115,130 | 8,050 |
| 7 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $108,180 | $110,260 | 37,880 |
| 8 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $108,080 | $109,680 | 38,910 |
| 9 | Wind Electric Power Generation | $107,620 | $110,330 | 60 |
| 10 | Publishing Industries | $105,960 | $112,720 | 9,780 |
| 11 | Taxi and Limousine Service | $104,920 | $107,590 | 370 |
| 12 | Monetary Authorities-Central Bank | $104,770 | $112,690 | 260 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do human resources specialists make in the U.S.?
The median human resources specialists salary in the United States is $75,940 per year (mean $81,990), and about 80% earn between $47,180 and $128,720.
How much do human resources specialists make per hour?
Roughly $39 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $81,990 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays human resources specialists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for human resources specialists at $116,020 per year (median $110,970).
What is the job outlook for human resources specialists?
Employment is projected to change +6.2% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 81,800 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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