HR Specialist Salary: Your 2025 Career Guide

HR specialists are vital to the overall function of companies, contributing in a range of different areas. They are essential for a business's growth and long-term success, from recruiting and training new hires to handling labor disputes. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), human resources (HR) specialists in the US earn a median salary of $67,650 per year [1].

Typically, you can choose from different specialties, giving you plenty of possibilities depending on your skills and preferences. Through experience, you will learn which path is right for you before making that decision as a specialist. Considering HR specialists are critical to the operation of a successful business, these jobs feature continued stability.

Explore the factors that may impact your earnings as an HR specialist, including education, location, and experience. Determine if this role suits you by exploring the HR specialist description and learning more about job responsibilities.

Read more: A Human Resources Department Guide

What does an HR specialist do?

HR specialists often deal with tasks that include recruiting talent for a company, training new employees, and problem-solving for employees and employers. Your day-to-day tasks as an HR specialist may vary depending on your precise role and your company’s needs. Discover some typical HR specialties and their responsibilities.

1. Labor relations

Labor relations specialists are there to help solve any disputes that may arise. You should have knowledge of labor union laws and regulations in addition to health and safety policies. This knowledge empowers you to protect the employer and employees by ensuring everyone follows proper procedures. 

2. Recruiting

Relying on networking, communication, and organizational skills, recruiting specialists help their companies identify and retain talented individuals. This process involves plenty of research to identify candidates and interview screening to ensure prospective candidates meet baseline requirements. In this position, you will also help manage job listings and recruiting events, such as job fairs.

3. Training and development

Across all industries, new hires have training and development specialists to help acclimate to their new role. To develop training programs, you must understand the requirements of different positions and the necessary skills for each position. Your ability to communicate and teach effectively is imperative to work as a training and development specialist. 

4. Compensation and benefits

Employee wages are part of your compensation and benefits specialist role. It involves delivering paychecks on schedule according to the pay structure as well as addressing employees’ questions and concerns. You also have to perform research to gain insight into typical market rates for different jobs so that your company remains competitive in its compensation.. 

How much does an HR specialist make?

The average HR specialist salary ranges from $53,143 to $70,339, according to data from several other popular websites that report salary figures and earnings [1, 2, 3, 4]:

*All salary data current as of January 2025

Factors that influence HR specialist pay level include your education level, experience, industry, company, and location. For example, the top-paying metropolitan areas for human resources specialists, according to data from the BLS, include [5]:

• Washington, DC: $97,560

• New York, NY: $92,660

• Boston, MA: $86,680

• Los Angeles, CA: $83,840

• Philadelphia, PA: $75,650

In addition to earning power, the promising job outlook is another factor to consider when making career decisions. The future for HR specialists has solid growth potential. From 2023 to 2033, the BLS anticipates growth of 8 percent in this field, equating to about 86,200 openings each year on average [1]. 

Factors that impact HR specialist salary

Many factors affect how much you might earn as an HR specialist. Although only some factors are within your control, you may find ways to increase your earning potential when you look at the entire picture. 

Education

With a bachelor’s degree typically being the minimum required standard for HR specialists, choosing to further your education and earn a master’s degree is a good way to boost your earning potential. You could earn a master’s degree in human resources or a related field to develop new skills and gain knowledge that qualifies you for more money and career advancements.

According to Zippia, your average annual earnings could vary based on the level of education you completed [4]:

• High school diploma: $48,880

• Associate degree: $49,093

• Bachelor’s degree: $58,365

• Master’s degree: $64,595

Additionally, Zippia reports that, on average, 61 percent of HR specialists have a bachelor’s degree, while 16 percent hold an associate degree. The remaining 11 percent obtained their master’s degree, 7 percent have a high school diploma, and 5 percent hold a different degree [6].

Read more: What Can I Expect from a Human Resources Degree?

Certification 

A degree isn’t the only way to improve your skill set while showing your qualifications to employers. Certifications are a good option for developing your abilities in a specific area. Consider earning the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) certification to practice and refine your HR principles and skills or the Professional in Human Resources certification from the HR Certification Institute.

Payscale reports the average earnings for those who completed popular human resources certifications [7, 8]:

• SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP): $78,000

• Professional in Human Resources (PHR): $82,000

Past experience

As with many careers, human resource positions come with different levels. As you gain experience, HR specialists are often mid-level roles, and before becoming one, you will already have had experience in a related position. As you become more experienced, you can apply to more positions and use your knowledge to identify your career path. 

Explore how much you may earn as an HR specialist based on your experience level, according to data from Glassdoor [2]:

• 0–1 years: $59,732

• 1–3 years: $62,850

• 4–6 years: $67,894

• 7–9 years: $72,572

• 10–14 years: $78,470

• 15 or more years: $81,374

Location

In some states and districts, human resources specialists can earn a higher salary on average than those working in others. Five of the highest-paying states and their average salaries include [5]:

• District of Columbia: $106,740

• Washington: $91,220

• California: $90,110

• New York: $89,530

• Maryland: $86,710

Industry

The industry you work in impacts your earnings as well. Sectors such as government, technology, finance, manufacturing, or telecommunications tend to pay higher salaries. Others, including health care, employment services, and social assistance, typically pay lower wages on average. 

Discover how the salary for an HR specialist varies by industry, according to Glassdoor [2]:

• Manufacturing: $69,082

• Financial services: $73,400

• Information technology: $80,765

• Aerospace and defense: $90,007

• Media and communication: $77,522

Skills to succeed as an HR specialist

Many valuable workplace skills can help you succeed in this role. Some in-demand HR specialist skills worth developing so you can be job-ready include:

• General HR skills: As a specialist, you should be proficient in all areas of HR, including HR reporting, communication, and employee relations.

• Workplace culture development: No matter what area of HR you work in, you have a strong influence over the company's workplace culture. Knowing how to create a positive, healthy work environment that supports employees' productivity is essential for creating a work environment conducive to engagement, leadership development, and creativity.

• Technology: Today’s workplace relies on various technologies. You must develop familiarity with human resources information software (HRIS), which manages many HR functions, including payroll and benefits. It also helps to have a strong command of analytics, which helps make sense of all the HR-related data generated to drive decisions.

• Management: Even if you don't directly oversee others, having leadership skills can be helpful. Additionally, you should have business management skills, which will help with tasks such as hiring and managing applications. People management skills—knowing how to manage employee expectations and support their overall well-being—are also essential.

Payscale reports that your annual salary may increase significantly as an HR specialist, depending on your skills and knowledge. Check out the percentage increase you could potentially get by honing these abilities [9]:

• Change management: 44 percent

• Global mobility: 39 percent

• Writing procedures and documentation: 37 percent

• Equal employment opportunities: 32 percent

• Learning management system (LMS): 29 percent

How to start a career as an HR specialist

Before becoming an HR specialist, employers typically require you to meet several standards. In terms of education, you will want to earn a bachelor’s degree in human resources, communications, psychology, business, or another similarly related field. You will also need professional experience, particularly since HR specialist jobs aren’t typically entry-level. Experience as an HR generalist or coordinator is valuable, as well as internship opportunities you can capitalize on during your studies. 

Some positions will require you to obtain certification to qualify. Even if your employer doesn’t require certification, this can be a helpful step in developing your skills and demonstrating your proficiency.

Related job titles and career path

Before working as an HR specialist, you will likely begin in an internship or entry-level position such as an HR assistant. HR coordinators provide support and handle tasks like onboarding new employees and overseeing payroll. 

HR generalists and HR specialists typically have a few years of experience, with some HR specialists working as generalists first before choosing to specialize. One of the main advantages of working in HR is the number of advancement possibilities you have. Depending on the company's size, you can become a manager or director of HR, vice president, and even a chief HR officer.

Related HR specialist careers, including advancement opportunities and roles with overlapping tasks, and their respective average base salaries include:

• HR generalist: $76,526

• HR manager: $81,665

• HR director: $138,419

• HR vice president: $169,414

• Chief HR officer: $176,188

• HR coordinator: $54,765

• HR administrator: $54,607

• Staffing manager: $66,306

*All annual base salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of January 2025 and does not include additional pay, such as commission and benefits.

Beyond the HR specialist salary: Take the next steps on Coursera

As an HR specialist, you can earn various annual salaries based on factors such as education, location, and prior human resource experience. You can also maximize your earnings by completing certifications, advancing your skills, gaining more experience to boost your resume, and moving to geographic locations that pay HR specialists more.

Start honing in-demand human resources skills now on Coursera. You can access many highly rated programs where you can begin learning the skills you need for a career as an HR specialist. For example, consider the Human Resources Management: HR for People Managers Specialization offered by the University of Minnesota. This program covers managing employee performance, recruiting, hiring, and more. Upon completion, gain a shareable Professional Certificate to include in your resume, CV, or LinkedIn profile.