What Does a Human Resources Specialist Do?
When a department creates a new post, the job's classification can be the deciding factor in whether it is paid fairly or whether it lands in the wrong pay grade. And yet managers often rush that step, copying an old description or guessing at a title. The human resources specialist works as a member of the central HR team, giving advice to managers and employees in a university, hospital or company.
Also known as: Senior Human Resources Specialist, Academic Personnel Specialist, Human Resources Team Leader
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Corporate Recruiter, Employment Representative, HR Analyst (Human Resources Analyst), HR Coordinator (Human Resources Coordinator), HR Generalist (Human Resources Generalist), Human Resources Representative (HR Rep), Human Resources Specialist (HR Specialist), Personnel Analyst.
Human Resources Specialist Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a human resources specialist include:
- Review new and changed position descriptions and assign titles and pay grades.
- Determine whether each job is exempt or nonexempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
- Process faculty appointments, promotions and tenure paperwork, checking each file against academic policy.
- Advise managers on hiring steps, probation periods and documentation before disciplinary action.
- Administer FMLA and other leave requests, tracking dates and medical certifications.
- Run salary surveys and compare pay with similar employers when grades are reviewed.
- Coordinate H-1B and other work visa paperwork for international faculty and researchers.
- Investigate employee complaints about pay or treatment and recommend a fair resolution.
- Lead a small team of HR assistants and spot-check their data entry for accuracy.
- Explain policy changes in plain language through training sessions and written guides.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a human resources specialist, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Job classification and pay grade analysis
- FLSA, FMLA and equal employment opportunity rules
- HR systems such as Workday, PeopleSoft or Banner HR
- Excel for salary analysis and headcount reports
- SHRM-CP or PHR certification, preferred by many employers
- Sound judgement with sensitive, confidential cases
- Clear writing for policies, letters and guides
- Even-handed manner with managers and staff alike
Education and Training
Entry to the field without a bachelor's degree might be possible, but candidates with a degree in human resources or business will have the advantage over other applicants. Experience as an HR assistant could lead to a specialist post. To reach the senior grades, in many organizations you will want a SHRM-CP or PHR credential to qualify for the step up.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $58,610 - $99,380 per year, with a median of $75,940.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Human Resources Specialists.
According to BLS, growth for human resources specialists is projected at about 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 73,700 openings a year. In fact, so many parts of HR need expert handling that many specialists opt to focus on pay, benefits or academic appointments. Some become HR managers.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Human resources specialists.
Human Resources Specialist Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $47,180 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $58,610 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $75,940 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $99,380 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $128,720 |
Highest-Paying States for Human Resources Specialists
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($110,970), Massachusetts ($85,630), Washington ($84,550), New York ($84,380), Maryland ($83,910). Pay is lowest in Louisiana ($61,300), Mississippi ($60,300), Arkansas ($55,010).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $64,940 |
| Alaska | $76,990 |
| Arizona | $71,390 |
| Arkansas | $55,010 |
| California | $83,500 |
| Colorado | $80,840 |
| Connecticut | $82,890 |
| Delaware | $77,700 |
| District of Columbia | $110,970 |
| Florida | $66,410 |
| Georgia | $70,570 |
| Hawaii | $73,750 |
| Idaho | $64,990 |
| Illinois | $76,820 |
| Indiana | $65,600 |
| Iowa | $66,710 |
| Kansas | $70,870 |
| Kentucky | $69,010 |
| Louisiana | $61,300 |
| Maine | $71,630 |
| Maryland | $83,910 |
| Massachusetts | $85,630 |
| Michigan | $69,520 |
| Minnesota | $78,760 |
| Mississippi | $60,300 |
| Missouri | $66,990 |
| Montana | $63,790 |
| Nebraska | $61,930 |
| Nevada | $71,610 |
| New Hampshire | $70,840 |
| New Jersey | $80,690 |
| New Mexico | $68,050 |
| New York | $84,380 |
| North Carolina | $73,070 |
| North Dakota | $75,630 |
| Ohio | $70,180 |
| Oklahoma | $61,630 |
| Oregon | $78,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,450 |
| Rhode Island | $77,560 |
| South Carolina | $65,370 |
| South Dakota | $67,590 |
| Tennessee | $67,370 |
| Texas | $68,920 |
| Utah | $71,750 |
| Vermont | $77,800 |
| Virginia | $82,090 |
| Washington | $84,550 |
| West Virginia | $66,860 |
| Wisconsin | $70,540 |
| Wyoming | $66,970 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as human resources specialists about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% are on the phone every day
- 100% use email every day
- 97% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 91% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 84% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 71% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 62% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 47% |
| High school diploma or GED | 14% |
| Associate's degree | 7% |
Tools and Software Human Resources Specialists Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy leading, persuading and making business decisions as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness.
Knowledge areas used most: Personnel and Human Resources, Administrative, Administration and Management, English Language, Customer and Personal Service.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 4 of 5, which means considerable preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for a Human Resources Specialist Job
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 13-1071.00 (Human Resources Specialists). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.