Human Resources Specialists in Illinois. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median wage for Human Resources Specialists in Illinois was $72,350 in 2024, about 1.7% above the national median of $71,137. That gap is modest. Illinois is not a standout state for this occupation the way it is for some finance or tech roles, but it is slightly ahead.
The spread tells a more interesting story. The bottom 10% of HR Specialists in Illinois earned $47,140, while the top 10% earned $113,900. That is roughly 2.4 times more at the top than at the bottom. The jump from the 25th to the 75th percentile alone is about $34,600. In practice, that spread reflects how different the job can look from one employer to the next: an HR coordinator at a mid-size manufacturer versus an HR business partner at a large corporation are both counted here.
Illinois has a cost-of-living index of 99.5, nearly identical to the national baseline of 100. That means the nominal wage premium carries through almost entirely in real terms. A dollar earned here buys roughly what a dollar earns at the national average. There is no meaningful haircut to apply.
BLS projects employment for Human Resources Specialists to grow 6.2% between 2024 and 2034, a pace BLS classifies as faster than average. Illinois has 32,600 people working in the occupation, one of the larger state-level counts in the country. That base matters because a healthy employment pool usually means more movement between roles and more competition for senior positions, both factors that compress wages at the top and expand opportunity at the entry level.
The mean wage of $76,880 sits about $4,500 above the median. A subset of senior specialists and HR managers counted in this category pull the average up, which is worth keeping in mind when comparing offers.
Salary distribution
Where Illinois human resources specialists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $60,750 and $98,580, with a median of $76,820.
Human Resources Specialists in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 30 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $72,500. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 9 | $50,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 10 | $67,677 |
| Level III — experienced | 5 | $117,520 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 6 | $148,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Human Resources Specialists in Illinois. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | Human Resources Specialists - KBGFJG178366-7 | 4 | $203,832 |
| CLARITY BUSINESS SOLUTIONS | SENIOR PRACTICE MANAGER | 2 | $111,103 |
| Datadog, Inc. | Tech Recruiter II | 2 | $148,000 |
| ZLLIUS INC | Human Resource Specialist | 2 | $65,000 |
| Akuna Capital, LLC | Immigration Specialist | 1 | $65,354 |
| Antra, Inc | Technical Recruiter | 1 | $50,000 |
| Artech, LLC | Service Delivery Manager | 1 | $75,000 |
| Ascendion, Inc. (Formerly known as Collabera, Inc.) | Technical Talent Specialist | 1 | $90,000 |
| Avesena, Inc. | Human Resources Specialist | 1 | $55,000 |
| Bitwise Inc. | Lead Recruiter | 1 | $117,520 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- SENIOR PRACTICE MANAGER at CLARITY BUSINESS SOLUTIONS$92,206CHICAGOWage Level IVDecided Mar 25, 2026I-203-26078-714167
- Recruitment Coordinator at VIVA USA INC.$94,000Rolling MeadowsWage Level IVDecided Feb 17, 2026I-200-26040-627325
- Global Legal Recruitment Specialist at Smokeball, Inc$78,770ChicagoWage Level IIIDecided Dec 29, 2025I-203-25353-499165
- Immigration Specialist at Akuna Capital, LLC$65,354ChicagoWage Level IIDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-491995
- Manager, Performance Management at Clyde & Co US,LLP$120,000ChicagoWage Level IIDecided Dec 9, 2025I-203-25336-450348
- Lead Recruiter at Bitwise Inc.$117,520SchaumburgWage Level IIIDecided Oct 1, 2025I-200-25267-330434
- Principal Consultant at Saragossa Consulting Inc$70,000ChicagoWage Level IIDecided Aug 25, 2025I-203-25230-247715
- Talent and Culture Manager at Superhost Hospitality Management LLC$61,963NapervilleWage Level IIDecided Jun 23, 2025I-200-25164-090122
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Human Resources Specialists pay by experience level in Illinois
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Human Resources Specialists in Illinois, by industry
Median offered wage across 29 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $125,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 10 | $125,000 |
| Technology and software | Datadog, Inc. | 10 | $84,385 |
| Healthcare | Avesena, Inc. | 3 | $57,034 |
| Retail and wholesale | FreedomRoads, LLC | 2 | $50,905 |
| Transportation and logistics | Cainiao Supply Chain U.S. Inc. | 2 | $49,109 |
| Education | University of Illinois | 1 | $57,500 |
| Finance and insurance | Akuna Capital, LLC | 1 | $65,354 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Illinois over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.6 / 5
Personnel and Human Resources
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Speaking
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 3.9 / 5
Administrative
Knowledge
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.
- 02
Hire employees and process hiring-related paperwork.
- 03
Administer employee benefit plans.
- 04
Maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- 05
Schedule or administer skill, intelligence, psychological, or drug tests for current or prospective employees.
- 06
Prepare or maintain employment records related to events, such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions, using human resources management system software.
- 07
Address employee relations issues, such as harassment allegations, work complaints, or other employee concerns.
- 08
Conduct reference or background checks on job applicants.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+6.2%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for human resources specialists in major Illinois metropolitan areas.
- Chicago$78,210
Compare Human Resources Specialists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Illinois with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Human Resources Specialists in Illinois?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Human Resources Specialists in Illinois is $76,820.
- How does Illinois compare to the national median for Human Resources Specialists?
- The Illinois median is +3.2% versus the BLS national figure of $74,452.
- What is the salary range for Human Resources Specialists in Illinois?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $48,980 and the 90th-percentile at $123,940, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Human Resources Specialists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 6.2% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Human Resources Specialists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.