State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Human Resources Specialist Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Human Resources Specialists is $75,940 a year ($36.51/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 6.2% through 2034, with about 81,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 13-1071Business and Financial OperationsLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $75,940
- Projected growth
- +6.2%
- Openings a year
- 81,800
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Corporate Recruiter, Employment Representative, HR Analyst (Human Resources Analyst), HR Coordinator (Human Resources Coordinator), HR Generalist (Human Resources Generalist), Human Resources Representative (HR Rep).
How much do Human Resources Specialists make?
10th percentile$47,180
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$58,610
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$75,940
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$99,380
Upper quartile
90th percentile$128,720
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $75,940 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $36.51/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $81,990 |
| People employed | 912,430 |
Versus all US occupations
At $75,940, Human Resources Specialists earn 49% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $24,960 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
Inside the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730, this is 6% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $128,720 or more while the bottom 10% earn $47,180, a gap of 2.7×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 60% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $110,970, and still leads at $100,973 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Human Resources Specialists the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $110,970 | $100,973 | 6,910 |
| Massachusetts | $85,630 | $80,969 | 27,300 |
| Washington | $84,550 | $79,009 | 22,770 |
| New York | $84,380 | $78,187 | 54,610 |
| Maryland | $83,910 | $79,946 | 15,530 |
| California | $83,500 | $75,415 | 104,000 |
| Connecticut | $82,890 | $80,002 | 9,010 |
| Virginia | $82,090 | $81,194 | 28,540 |
| Colorado | $80,840 | $78,446 | 19,450 |
| New Jersey | $80,690 | $74,160 | 21,690 |
Is Human Resources Specialist a growing career?
Human Resources Specialists6.2%
All US occupations3.1%
+6.2% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Human Resources Specialists to change 6.2% over 2024–2034, roughly 2.0× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 58,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 81,800 openings are projected each year, 8.7% of the 944,300 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Demand for human resources specialists is expected to be strong over the projections decade as more of these workers are needed to help meet strategic organizational priorities.
Some companies may outsource human resources functions to organizations that provide these services, rather than directly employing human resources specialists.
How to become a Human Resources Specialist
Not a licensed occupation anywhere in the United States. BLS records a bachelor's degree as the typical entry point, with certification usually voluntary though some employers prefer or require it. The genuinely useful detail is how open the entry-level credentials are: SHRM states that candidates for the SHRM-CP are not required to hold an HR title and need no degree and no previous HR experience to apply, while HRCI's PHR does set an experience floor, one year with a master's, two with a bachelor's, or four with no degree.
The credential path, step by step
- Get the bachelor's degree and use an internship4 years
Human resources specialists typically need a bachelor's degree in human resources, business, communications or a related field. Working an internship during college gives relevant experience and a network in the industry.
- Get experience in the areas employers actually screen for
Employers may prefer candidates with experience in personnel recruitment, staff training and development, employee relations, and compensation and benefits. Candidates sometimes acquire it through college courses or volunteering, or by working first as human resources assistants or customer service representatives.
- Sit a certification when it helps, and know the eligibility differs sharply
SHRM sets no degree or experience prerequisite for the SHRM-CP, recommending only a basic working knowledge of HR practices and principles or a degree from an Academically Aligned program; the exam assesses HR competence at the operational level. HRCI's PHR requires one year of professional-level HR experience plus a master's degree or higher, two years plus a bachelor's, or four years with no degree.
- Understand what certification actually tests
BLS records that certification usually requires passing an exam covering HR knowledge and asking candidates to apply it to different situations, and that candidates typically must meet minimum education and experience requirements. Generalists in particular benefit, because the credential evidences competence across all HR areas rather than in one.
- Plan the step to manager
Specialists with a thorough knowledge of their organisation and its personnel regulations may advance to human resources manager, and BLS notes that taking on new responsibilities or completing voluntary certification programmes improves the chance of advancement.
- How long the training takes
4 years for a bachelor's degree
The degree is the only fixed part of the path. SHRM requires no previous HR experience for the SHRM-CP; HRCI requires one to four years of professional-level HR experience for the PHR depending on the degree you hold.
- Continuing education
Not required
None is required to work. HRCI credentials are valid for three years and are maintained by earning 60 recertification credits or by retaking the examination.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
No state licenses human resources specialists, and neither SHRM nor HRCI issues a licence. Both certifications are national and portable, and nothing about them changes when you move between states. What does change state by state is the employment law the role has to apply.
Who governs the credential
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) — Awards the SHRM-CP, an operational-level voluntary certification with no degree or previous HR experience requirement, and the senior SHRM-SCP.
- HR Certification Institute (HRCI) — Awards the aPHR, PHR and SPHR among others, voluntary certifications whose eligibility trades education against years of professional-level HR experience and which renew on a three-year cycle.
Credential detail for human resources specialists is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Human Resources Specialists · checked August 23, 2026
- SHRM: Certification Eligibility Criteria · checked August 23, 2026
- HRCI: PHR Certification · checked August 23, 2026
- HRCI: Compare HR Certifications · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Human resources specialists typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as human resources specialists.
- Bachelor's Degree46.6%
- Master's Degree24.9%
- High School Diploma13.5%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)7.2%
- Some College Courses4.8%
What does a Human Resources Specialist do?
Recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas.
Human resources specialists recruit, screen, and interview job applicants and place newly hired workers in jobs. They also may handle compensation and benefits, training, and employee relations.
Day-to-day tasks
- Maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- Select qualified job applicants or refer them to managers, making hiring recommendations when appropriate.
- Review employment applications and job orders to match applicants with job requirements.
- Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.
- Advise management on organizing, preparing, or implementing recruiting or retention programs.
- Inform job applicants of details such as duties and responsibilities, compensation, benefits, schedules, working conditions, or promotion opportunities.
- Provide management with information or training related to interviewing, performance appraisals, counseling techniques, or documentation of performance issues.
- Hire employees and process hiring-related paperwork.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Human resources specialists generally work in office settings. Some, particularly recruitment specialists, travel to attend job fairs, visit college campuses, and meet with applicants.
Most specialists work full time during regular business hours. Some work more than 40 hours per week.
Where the work happens
- Indoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day
Physical demands
- Seated for more than half the working day
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
- Face-to-face discussions every day
Pressure and stakes
- Handling conflict situations at least monthly
Autonomy
- A lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where human resources specialists work
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 14% |
|---|---|
| Employment services | 14% |
| Healthcare and social assistance | 11% |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 10% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Speaking4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Writing3.9/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Active Learning3.3/5
- Learning Strategies3.0/5
- Monitoring3.0/5
Transferable skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.4/5
- Service Orientation3.4/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3/5
- Instructing3.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Negotiation3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Application server software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base reporting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Human Resources Specialist?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic1.0
Investigative2.5
Artistic1.4
Socialprimary3.8
Enterprisingprimary5.7
Conventionalprimary5.5
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Human Resources Specialist: frequently asked questions
How much do Human Resources Specialists make?
Human Resources Specialists earn a median of $75,940 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 49% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $36.51/hr. The middle half earn between $58,610 and $99,380. The top 10% earn $128,720 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Human Resources Specialist?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Human Resources Specialists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 46.6% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Human Resources Specialist a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 6.2% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 81,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Human Resources Specialist do?
Human resources specialists recruit, screen, and interview job applicants and place newly hired workers in jobs. A core O*NET task: maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Analytical or scientific software, Application server software.
Which states pay Human Resources Specialists the most?
The highest state medians for Human Resources Specialists are District of Columbia ($110,970), Massachusetts ($85,630), Washington ($84,550) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Human Resources Specialist?
O*NET scores Human Resources Specialists highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Human Resources Specialist?
4 years for a bachelor's degree. The degree is the only fixed part of the path. SHRM requires no previous HR experience for the SHRM-CP; HRCI requires one to four years of professional-level HR experience for the PHR depending on the degree you hold.
Do you need a license to work as a Human Resources Specialist?
Not a state license. No state licenses human resources specialists, and neither SHRM nor HRCI issues a licence. Both certifications are national and portable, and nothing about them changes when you move between states. What does change state by state is the employment law the role has to apply.