Human Resources Specialists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for human resources specialists is $75,940, or $36.51 per hour. About 912,430 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $110,970 in District of Columbia to $55,010 in Arkansas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $110,970 | $53.35 | 6,910 | 1.68 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $85,630 | $41.17 | 27,300 | 1.28 |
| 3 | Washington | $84,550 | $40.65 | 22,770 | 1.09 |
| 4 | New York | $84,380 | $40.57 | 54,610 | 0.96 |
| 5 | Maryland | $83,910 | $40.34 | 15,530 | 0.96 |
| 6 | California | $83,500 | $40.14 | 104,000 | 0.97 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $82,890 | $39.85 | 9,010 | 0.91 |
| 8 | Virginia | $82,090 | $39.47 | 28,540 | 1.18 |
| 9 | Colorado | $80,840 | $38.86 | 19,450 | 1.15 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $80,690 | $38.80 | 21,690 | 0.86 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $78,760 | $37.87 | 17,240 | 1.00 |
| 12 | Oregon | $78,060 | $37.53 | 10,620 | 0.92 |
| 13 | Vermont | $77,800 | $37.40 | 1,270 | 0.71 |
| 14 | Delaware | $77,700 | $37.36 | 2,720 | 0.96 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $77,560 | $37.29 | 3,320 | 1.13 |
| 16 | Alaska | $76,990 | $37.02 | 1,420 | 0.74 |
| 17 | Illinois | $76,820 | $36.93 | 35,430 | 0.99 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $75,630 | $36.36 | 1,710 | 0.68 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $73,750 | $35.46 | 2,570 | 0.70 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $73,070 | $35.13 | 31,140 | 1.07 |
| 21 | Utah | $71,750 | $34.49 | 9,900 | 0.97 |
| 22 | Maine | $71,630 | $34.44 | 3,020 | 0.80 |
| 23 | Nevada | $71,610 | $34.43 | 6,520 | 0.72 |
| 24 | Arizona | $71,390 | $34.32 | 20,230 | 1.06 |
| 25 | Kansas | $70,870 | $34.07 | 7,560 | 0.90 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $70,840 | $34.06 | 4,270 | 1.07 |
| 27 | Georgia | $70,570 | $33.93 | 32,110 | 1.12 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $70,540 | $33.91 | 17,360 | 1.01 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $70,450 | $33.87 | 36,960 | 1.04 |
| 30 | Ohio | $70,180 | $33.74 | 33,500 | 1.03 |
| 31 | Michigan | $69,520 | $33.42 | 25,520 | 0.99 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $69,010 | $33.18 | 10,900 | 0.93 |
| 33 | Texas | $68,920 | $33.14 | 84,930 | 1.03 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $68,050 | $32.72 | 4,090 | 0.80 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $67,590 | $32.50 | 1,340 | 0.50 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $67,370 | $32.39 | 21,460 | 1.12 |
| 37 | Missouri | $66,990 | $32.21 | 17,650 | 1.02 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $66,970 | $32.20 | 1,000 | 0.60 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $66,860 | $32.14 | 3,130 | 0.76 |
| 40 | Iowa | $66,710 | $32.07 | 7,930 | 0.87 |
| 41 | Florida | $66,410 | $31.93 | 62,730 | 1.08 |
| 42 | Indiana | $65,600 | $31.54 | 17,110 | 0.91 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $65,370 | $31.43 | 13,720 | 1.01 |
| 44 | Idaho | $64,990 | $31.25 | 3,930 | 0.78 |
| 45 | Alabama | $64,940 | $31.22 | 11,080 | 0.89 |
| 46 | Montana | $63,790 | $30.67 | 2,340 | 0.78 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $61,930 | $29.77 | 7,220 | 1.20 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $61,630 | $29.63 | 9,370 | 0.94 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $61,300 | $29.47 | 7,240 | 0.64 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $60,300 | $28.99 | 4,850 | 0.71 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $55,010 | $26.45 | 6,230 | 0.81 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do human resources specialists make?
The median annual wage for human resources specialists in the United States is $75,940, or $36.51 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $47,180, and the top 10% earn $128,720.
How many human resources specialists are employed in the U.S.?
About 912,430 people work as human resources specialists nationwide.
Which state pays human resources specialists the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $110,970, followed by Massachusetts ($85,630) and Washington ($84,550).
Which state pays human resources specialists the least?
Arkansas has the lowest median at $55,010.
Where are human resources specialists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 1.68×.