Human Resources Specialist Salary by State (May 2025 BLS Data)
By The College Match Editorial Team · Data: May 2025 · Updated October 2026
Human resources specialists earn a median of $75,940 a year nationally, but pay depends heavily on location: from $55,010 in Arkansas to $110,970 in District of Columbia.
Human resources specialists recruit, screen and hire workers and handle employee relations, pay and benefits. The table below covers all 50 states and Washington, DC, using the latest wage survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. median
$75,940
Highest: District of Columbia
$110,970
Lowest: Arkansas
$55,010
Employed in the U.S.
912,430
Human Resources Specialist pay in every state
Sorted by median annual wage. "Typical range" is the 10th to 90th percentile: 80% of human resources specialists in the state earn within it.
| Rank | State | Median | Average | Typical range | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $110,970 | $116,020 | $65,280 – $170,330 | 6,910 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $85,630 | $95,400 | $57,500 – $145,130 | 27,300 |
| 3 | Washington | $84,550 | $94,000 | $57,030 – $136,070 | 22,770 |
| 4 | New York | $84,380 | $95,040 | $56,040 – $149,990 | 54,610 |
| 5 | Maryland | $83,910 | $92,180 | $54,410 – $139,400 | 15,530 |
| 6 | California | $83,500 | $95,180 | $52,770 – $151,410 | 104,000 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $82,890 | $90,080 | $51,000 – $134,810 | 9,010 |
| 8 | Virginia | $82,090 | $89,620 | $48,530 – $136,660 | 28,540 |
| 9 | Colorado | $80,840 | $88,440 | $51,290 – $133,850 | 19,450 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $80,690 | $89,170 | $56,420 – $132,770 | 21,690 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $78,760 | $83,970 | $50,330 – $127,060 | 17,240 |
| 12 | Oregon | $78,060 | $84,550 | $51,480 – $126,280 | 10,620 |
| 13 | Vermont | $77,800 | $80,760 | $55,510 – $114,090 | 1,270 |
| 14 | Delaware | $77,700 | $85,230 | $50,960 – $132,030 | 2,720 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $77,560 | $82,250 | $51,270 – $128,250 | 3,320 |
| 16 | Alaska | $76,990 | $80,410 | $49,910 – $114,330 | 1,420 |
| 17 | Illinois | $76,820 | $81,480 | $48,980 – $123,940 | 35,430 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $75,630 | $79,210 | $50,520 – $116,990 | 1,710 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $73,750 | $77,320 | $49,110 – $113,320 | 2,570 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $73,070 | $79,450 | $46,760 – $126,000 | 31,140 |
| 21 | Utah | $71,750 | $77,610 | $46,800 – $123,780 | 9,900 |
| 22 | Maine | $71,630 | $75,140 | $45,850 – $105,840 | 3,020 |
| 23 | Nevada | $71,610 | $79,260 | $47,150 – $119,050 | 6,520 |
| 24 | Arizona | $71,390 | $76,500 | $47,290 – $112,900 | 20,230 |
| 25 | Kansas | $70,870 | $76,590 | $47,340 – $115,920 | 7,560 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $70,840 | $78,500 | $47,700 – $122,560 | 4,270 |
| 27 | Georgia | $70,570 | $77,570 | $44,580 – $125,540 | 32,110 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $70,540 | $74,310 | $47,860 – $105,270 | 17,360 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $70,450 | $77,290 | $46,610 – $119,850 | 36,960 |
| 30 | Ohio | $70,180 | $76,230 | $45,950 – $118,340 | 33,500 |
| 31 | Michigan | $69,520 | $75,250 | $46,580 – $110,710 | 25,520 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $69,010 | $72,970 | $43,690 – $107,940 | 10,900 |
| 33 | Texas | $68,920 | $74,920 | $43,410 – $117,060 | 84,930 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $68,050 | $75,140 | $46,620 – $117,170 | 4,090 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $67,590 | $74,450 | $50,670 – $104,550 | 1,340 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $67,370 | $73,590 | $45,630 – $109,990 | 21,460 |
| 37 | Missouri | $66,990 | $74,670 | $44,730 – $110,660 | 17,650 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $66,970 | $74,990 | $44,630 – $115,790 | 1,000 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $66,860 | $74,040 | $44,490 – $115,920 | 3,130 |
| 40 | Iowa | $66,710 | $73,850 | $45,400 – $110,640 | 7,930 |
| 41 | Florida | $66,410 | $74,610 | $44,920 – $115,920 | 62,730 |
| 42 | Indiana | $65,600 | $72,550 | $44,810 – $106,830 | 17,110 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $65,370 | $74,710 | $46,070 – $118,590 | 13,720 |
| 44 | Idaho | $64,990 | $70,070 | $43,820 – $102,490 | 3,930 |
| 45 | Alabama | $64,940 | $72,590 | $41,890 – $112,880 | 11,080 |
| 46 | Montana | $63,790 | $71,430 | $44,990 – $108,180 | 2,340 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $61,930 | $67,010 | $42,730 – $98,480 | 7,220 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $61,630 | $67,900 | $39,990 – $103,460 | 9,370 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $61,300 | $66,370 | $39,170 – $100,420 | 7,240 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $60,300 | $68,360 | $38,500 – $108,950 | 4,850 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $55,010 | $62,410 | $32,030 – $99,990 | 6,230 |
| United States | $75,940 | $81,990 | $47,180 – $128,720 | 912,430 |
Common questions
How much do human resources specialists make in the U.S.?
The national median annual wage for human resources specialists was $75,940 in May 2025, with an average of $81,990. The middle 80% earned between $47,180 and $128,720.
Which state pays human resources specialists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $110,970 a year. Of the 51 areas (states plus DC) with published figures, 17 pay above the national median.
Which state pays human resources specialists the least?
Arkansas has the lowest median wage at $55,010 a year. Lower pay often comes with a lower cost of living, so compare against local living costs.
Which state employs the most human resources specialists?
California employs the most, about 104,000.
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Find My MatchAbout this data
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, occupation code 13-1071. Figures are annual wages for employed human resources specialists and exclude the self-employed. Some states' figures are not published by BLS and show as n/a. See our editorial standards for how we build these pages.