Human Resources Specialists
Recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas.
Also called: Business Intelligence Engineer, Career Development Specialist, Career Development Technician, Career Specialist, Certification Specialist, Contract Recruiter
Median pay
$75,940
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$47,180 – $128,720
People employed
912,430
Holland code
ECS
Enterprising · Conventional · Social
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 2.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 3.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 4.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 5.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 6.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
The hard parts
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
- Tight deadlines are common
Human Resources Specialists pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What human resources specialists do
- 01Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.
- 02Hire employees and process hiring-related paperwork.
- 03Administer employee benefit plans.
- 04Maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- 05Schedule or administer skill, intelligence, psychological, or drug tests for current or prospective employees.
- 06Prepare or maintain employment records related to events, such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions, using human resources management system software.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Administrative
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from human resources specialists
- Human Resources Managers94% · +97%
- Compensation and Benefits Managers90% · +97%
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers89% · −8%
- Social and Community Service Managers85% · +6%
- Training and Development Managers84% · +75%
Change into human resources specialists
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping89% · $50,610
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs86% · $54,210
- Compliance Managers84% · $141,900
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants82% · $76,590
- Credit Counselors81% · $52,230
Majors that lead here
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology
- Business Administration and Management, General
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General
- Organizational Behavior Studies
- Executive/Career Coaching
- Human Resources Management and Services, Other
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.