Human resources specialists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Human resources specialists in the United States earn a median salary of $75,940 per year — about $37 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 944K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +6%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core tasks of recruiting, screening, and administrative record-keeping are highly digital and data-driven, making them prime targets for AI automation and augmentation. While the role requires significant interpersonal interaction and human judgment for interviewing and employee relations, AI can now handle complex scheduling, initial candidate vetting, and policy inquiries, significantly increasing individual worker productivity and reducing the need for entry-level administrative staff.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WVBEST VALUE | $94,520 | Below avg (87.1) | $108,561 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $112,140 | Above avg (110.4) | $101,555 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $98,170 | Average (100.8) | $97,430 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $100,830 | Above avg (108.9) | $92,603 |
| Rochester, MN | $83,810 | Below avg (90.8) | $92,280 |
| Minot, ND | $78,220 | Below avg (87.0) | $89,879 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $79,670 | Below avg (89.1) | $89,437 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $103,140 | Above avg (115.6) | $89,211 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $78,450 | Below avg (89.2) | $87,906 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $78,850 | Below avg (90.6) | $87,058 |
| Topeka, KS | $76,690 | Below avg (88.8) | $86,343 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $90,290 | Above avg (105.6) | $85,496 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $74,710 | Below avg (87.6) | $85,254 |
| Springfield, IL | $78,840 | Below avg (92.7) | $85,007 |
| Manhattan, KS | $76,400 | Below avg (90.2) | $84,736 |