HR Salary and Career Outlook

Human Resources Job Description

Most employers expect human resources specialists to recruit, screen and interview potential employees. HR job descriptions may also require specialists to handle interpersonal issues among employees as well as facilitate the training process. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET program, human resources specialist duties commonly include:

• Consulting with employers to identify employment needs.
• Informing applicants about job details, such as duties, benefits and working conditions.
• Conducting or helping with new employee orientation.
• Keeping employment records and processing paperwork.

Employee job descriptions may include fewer or more duties than those listed here. For example, while you may be assigned to a central office location, your employer may require a high percentage of travel if duties include recruitment. This could mean visiting regional job fairs and college campuses or interviewing applicants at various locations rather than conducting remote recruiting. According to O*NET, some specialists may also administer employee benefits or take on other HR administrative functions, depending on the employer.

Human Resources Education and Experience

A human resources job description would be incomplete without considering education, work experience, desired skill set, and licensure or certification requirements. According to O*NET, many entry-level HR positions ask for a bachelor's degree in human resources, business or a related field, though exact education requirements are set by individual employers rather than by a single national standard. Degree programs in this field commonly include coursework such as psychology, writing, human resources management, business and accounting. Master's in human resources programs are also available to expand your knowledge of HR and best practices.

Candidates who also hold a professional human resources certification, such as the Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), may stand out to some employers. SHRM's own eligibility criteria for the SHRM-CP do not require a specific degree or minimum work experience, though individual employers set their own hiring preferences.

The exact job duties, educational, and experiential requirements will vary by employer.

Desired Human Resources Skills

Human resources specialists make decisions that affect an employee's and/or organization's future. According to O*NET, important qualities for those pursuing this occupation include:

• Communication and interpersonal skills. The ability to convey information effectively and pay careful attention to questions and concerns from job applicants and employees.
• Decision-making skills. Human resources specialists use decision-making skills in various scenarios, such as when reviewing candidates' qualifications or resolving interpersonal disputes.
• Detail-oriented. This occupation often requires individuals to maintain employee grievance records and ensure workplace compliance with local, state and federal labor standards.

Great Human Resources Jobs

As of May 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program reports human resources specialists held about 912,430 jobs nationally. The industries with the largest human resources specialist workforce were:

Organizations may hire internally or contract with an employment services firm to handle human resources for the business. This may be limited to recruiting or extending to ongoing HR support.

Human resources specialists may be assigned different job titles but perform similar duties. Sample titles include Employment Representative, Human Resources Analyst, Human Resources Coordinator, Human Resources Generalist, Human Resources Representative, Human Resources Specialist, Personnel Analyst, Personnel Officer and Recruiter.

While duties may crossover, different job titles represent a unique area of focus. Some may even combine titles to better reflect the overall job function. Here are two examples of great human resources specialist jobs to explore as you consider the specializations available within the field.

Human Resources Generalist

According to O*NET, human resources generalists typically administer human resources policies, procedures, and programs. This often includes recruitment, employee relations, compensation, benefits, and new employee and professional development training.

Recruitment Specialist

Sometimes called personnel recruiters or “headhunters,” a recruitment specialist finds, screens, and interviews applicants to fill job openings within an organization. Based on the same O*NET occupation profile, they may also test applicants, perform reference checks, and extend job offers.

What is the Median Salary for Human Resources Specialists?

According to BLS OEWS data, the median annual wage for human resources specialists was $75,940 as of May 2025. The data also showed that the lowest 10% earned less than $47,180, and the highest 10% earned more than $128,720. OEWS annual wage figures are calculated by converting reported hourly wage rates to a yearly amount using a standard 2,080-hour work-year; the survey also captures hourly rates for part-time workers this way, so the annual figures may not reflect actual pay for people who work more or fewer hours than that standard.

For comparison, the median annual wage for all workers as of May 2025 was $50,980.

The BLS OEWS program also reported that, as of May 2025, the mean annual wages for human resources specialists were highest in these industries:

The industries with the highest employment level for human resources specialists (see above) may not be the highest paying. However, based on BLS OEWS data, wages in those industries are generally above the national median wage for all occupations.

5 Best Paying Cities for Human Resource Specialists

As of May 2025, the BLS OEWS program found the five best-paying metropolitan areas for human resource specialists to be:

The highest average annual income for human resource specialists was found in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, metropolitan area at $122,290. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, followed with an average yearly income of $113,530. The remaining regions also stayed above $99,000 a year, with Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $105,580, Lexington Park, MD, at $104,240, and Boulder, CO, at $99,420.

Top States for Human Resource Careers

States that pay the highest annual average HR salary don't necessarily have the highest concentration of jobs, according to BLS data. As of May 2025, the top-paying states for human resource specialists were:

The BLS OEWS program also compared states by concentration of employment for human resources specialists (jobs per 1,000 total jobs in the state) and found the top five to be:

The District of Columbia is the top place for human resources specialists based on May 2025 data. It topped the list of states for the highest annual average HR salary and the highest concentration of jobs for this occupation.

Is a Human Resources Career Path Right for You?

You can turn your interest in the human resources field into a rewarding, long-lasting HR career. If you enjoy high levels of interpersonal communication and watching people reach their potential, a career as a human resources specialist might be an excellent fit.

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Human Resources Specialists, May 2025 release. Accessed September 2026.

2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Handbook of Methods, Calculation.

3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Handbook of Methods, Concepts.

4. Society for Human Resource Management, SHRM-CP Certification.

5. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, O*NET OnLine, Human Resources Specialists (13-1071.00).