What the numbers say
The median wage for Human Resources Specialists in New York was $81,140 in 2024, about 14% above the national median of $71,137. That gap is real, but the cost of living here narrows it. New York's price index sits at 116.4 against a national baseline of 100, so after adjusting for what the money actually buys, the effective purchasing advantage over the typical US HR Specialist is closer to 2% than 14%.
The spread between low and high earners is wide. The 10th percentile came in at $51,780 in 2024. The 90th came in at $142,880. Top earners make roughly 2.8 times what bottom earners make, a gap larger than what you see in most mid-skill professional occupations. That range reflects how differently this role is defined across employers. An HR Specialist at a small nonprofit handles everything from onboarding to benefits disputes. One at a large financial services firm may own a single function, like recruiting or labor relations, and be paid accordingly.
The mean wage of $91,490 runs about $10,000 above the median. A smaller group of high earners pulls the average up, so the median is the better reference point for anyone sizing up a typical offer.
BLS projects employment for Human Resources Specialists to grow 6.2% nationally between 2024 and 2034, which it classifies as faster than average. New York employed 53,030 people in this occupation in 2024, one of the larger state totals in the country.
Salary distribution
Where New York 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 $62,400 and $107,760, with a median of $81,140.
Human Resources Specialists in New York: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 136 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $88,637. 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 | 36 | $59,100 |
| Level II — qualified | 37 | $82,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 22 | $96,500 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 22 | $140,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Human Resources Specialists in New York. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | Human Resources Specialists - KBGFJG329753-1 | 5 | $145,000 |
| Oliver James Associates LLC | Senior Vice President | 4 | $105,380 |
| True Capital Partners, LLC | Associate | 3 | $100,000 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Sourcing Recruiter II | 3 | $76,232 |
| Macquarie Global Services (USA) LLC | Reward Advisor | 3 | $125,000 |
| Citibank, N.A. | HR Advisor Senior Lead | 3 | $145,500 |
| TOT Payments, LLC | HR Specialist | 3 | $74,500 |
| Bank of China | Associate (Human Resources Department) | 3 | $82,000 |
| BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. | Director | 3 | $120,000 |
| Cummins Inc. | People Support Advisor | 2 | $66,602 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Lead Human Resources Business Partner (U.S.) at LingoAce Academy Inc$239,200Great NeckDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-496439
- People Support Advisor at Cummins Inc.$73,819LakewoodDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25353-496302
- HR Analyst at University Settlement Society of New York$87,560New YorkDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-490747
- Supervisor, HR Technology at Columbus McKinnon Corporation$102,153GetzvilleDecided Dec 10, 2025I-200-25338-456198
- Senior Vice President “ Executive Search, Legal at Phaidon International U.S., Inc.$80,000New YorkDecided Dec 9, 2025I-203-25336-450893
- Associate at True Capital Partners, LLC$100,000New YorkDecided Dec 1, 2025I-200-25325-430166
- DIRECTOR, LEGAL SEARCH at GPS ADVISORY US CORP$100,000NEW YORKDecided Nov 26, 2025I-203-25323-422118
- Human Resources Specialists - KBGFJG394157-1 at Ernst & Young U.S. LLP$165,000New YorkDecided Nov 26, 2025I-203-25323-420731
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.
Human Resources Specialists pay by experience level in New York
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 specialties in New York
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 44 certified offers. The most common variant is Human Resources Specialist at a median of $61,500.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Specialist | LIVE AUCTIONEERS LLC | 12 | $61,500 |
| Recruiter | Anthropic, PBC | 6 | $84,261 |
| Senior Vice President | Oliver James Associates LLC | 6 | $111,380 |
| Human Resources Specialists - KBGFJG329753-1 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 5 | $145,000 |
| HR Specialist | TOT Payments, LLC | 5 | $74,194 |
| Senior Manager | Stott and May Inc. | 4 | $95,250 |
| Director | GPS ADVISORY US CORP | 3 | $146,998 |
| Human Resource Specialist | Zenmo Group Inc | 3 | $58,200 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Human Resources Specialists in New York, by industry
Median offered wage across 131 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $95,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 48 | $95,000 |
| Technology and software | HUDSON DATA LLC | 19 | $80,500 |
| Finance and insurance | Citibank, N.A. | 19 | $105,677 |
| Healthcare | RN Express Staffing Registry, LLC | 14 | $66,924 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 10 | $72,097 |
| Manufacturing | Cummins Inc. | 7 | $95,499 |
| Education | LingoAce Academy Inc | 5 | $80,000 |
| Nonprofit and civic | International Rescue Committee, Inc. | 4 | $84,706 |
| Real estate | Safehold Inc. | 2 | $92,150 |
| Media and entertainment | Crunch, LLC | 1 | $55,910 |
| Transportation and logistics | Societe Air France | 1 | $120,371 |
| Government and public sector | Motivated Care LLC | 1 | $96,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in New York over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 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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Explore coursesTop metros in New York
Metro-level salary data for human resources specialists in major New York metropolitan areas.
- New York City$83,060
- Buffalo$70,640
Compare Human Resources Specialists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Human Resources Specialists in New York?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Human Resources Specialists in New York is $81,140.
- How does New York compare to the national median for Human Resources Specialists?
- The New York median is +14.1% versus the BLS national figure of $71,137.
- What is the salary range for Human Resources Specialists in New York?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $51,780 and the 90th-percentile at $142,880, 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.