What the numbers say
The median wage for Human Resources Specialists in Washington was $83,230 in 2024, about 17% above the US median of $71,137. That is one of the larger state premiums we see for this occupation.
The spread between the bottom and top of the range is worth noting. At the 10th percentile, HR Specialists here earned $55,640. At the 90th, they earned $136,660. Top earners make roughly 2.5 times what those starting out do, which tells us experience, sub-specialty, and the kind of employer matter a lot in this field. Someone moving from a small regional company into a tech firm's HR department, for example, can cross a significant wage threshold without changing job titles at all.
Washington's cost-of-living index sits at 108.9, about 9% above the national baseline. After adjusting for what the money actually buys, the real premium over the national median narrows from 17% to roughly 7%. Still meaningful, but the headline gap overstates it somewhat.
BLS projects employment for HR Specialists to grow 6.2% between 2024 and 2034, which falls in the faster-than-average category. Washington's 25,110 employed specialists in this occupation reflects a state with a large private-sector workforce spread across technology, aerospace, and healthcare, all of which run substantial HR functions. Growth projections here track the national outlook rather than a Washington-specific trend, so readers outside the state will see similar numbers.
Salary distribution
Where Washington 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 $66,160 and $110,200, with a median of $83,230.
Human Resources Specialists in Washington: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 54 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $112,179. 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 | $68,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 15 | $94,535 |
| Level III — experienced | 16 | $130,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 11 | $130,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Human Resources Specialists in Washington. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Services LLC | HR Specialist III | 21 | $125,800 |
| BYTEDANCE INC. | Talent Acquisition Partner | 4 | $130,000 |
| Microsoft Corporation | HR Generalist | 4 | $127,900 |
| Compass Health | People Support Services Generalist | 3 | $68,097 |
| Databricks, Inc. | Global Mobility Operations Manager | 2 | $130,071 |
| People Tech Group, Inc | HR Specialist | 2 | $62,400 |
| ByteDance Inc. | Recruitment Specialist (HR & Management) | 2 | $104,040 |
| AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC | HRBP III (CORP) | 2 | $117,000 |
| HCL AMERICA INC | Talent Segment Training Lead | 1 | $98,758 |
| Anthropic, PBC | Recruiter | 1 | $98,758 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Talent Acquisition Partner at BYTEDANCE INC.$127,000BellevueDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25354-499829
- Talent Segment Training Lead at HCL AMERICA INC$98,758RedmondDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-481552
- Sourcing Recruiter II at Amazon.com Services LLC$82,800BellevueDecided Dec 8, 2025I-200-25335-444766
- Recruiter at Anthropic, PBC$98,758SeattleWage Level IIIDecided Sep 30, 2025I-200-25266-329663
- Human Resources Specialist at Pius Kitchen & Bath, Inc.$80,579SeattleWage Level IIDecided Sep 18, 2025I-200-25254-303485
- Global Mobility Operations Manager at Databricks, Inc.$134,742BellevueWage Level IVDecided Sep 5, 2025I-200-25240-274234
- HR Specialist III at Amazon.com Services LLC$80,579SeattleWage Level IIDecided Aug 28, 2025I-200-25233-257449
- Recruiting BP III at Amazon.com Services LLC$98,758SeattleWage Level IIIDecided Aug 6, 2025I-200-25211-209079
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 Washington
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 Washington
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 27 certified offers. The most common variant is HR Generalist at a median of $127,900.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Generalist | Microsoft Corporation | 8 | $127,900 |
| HR Specialist | Amazon.com Services LLC | 7 | $80,579 |
| HRBP III (Corp) | Amazon.com Services LLC | 6 | $130,000 |
| Talent Acquisition Partner | BYTEDANCE INC. | 3 | $127,000 |
| Sourcing Recruiter | Amazon.com Services LLC | 3 | $82,900 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Human Resources Specialists in Washington, by industry
Median offered wage across 53 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Retail and wholesale leads with a median of $125,800.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 25 | $125,800 |
| Technology and software | BYTEDANCE INC. | 19 | $126,000 |
| Professional services | Anthropic, PBC | 3 | $98,758 |
| Healthcare | Compass Health | 3 | $68,097 |
| Education | Waldorf School Association of Seattle | 1 | $68,000 |
| Nonprofit and civic | API Chaya | 1 | $76,780 |
| Manufacturing | Power Mobile Life, LLC | 1 | $85,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Washington 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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Metro-level salary data for human resources specialists in major Washington metropolitan areas.
- Seattle$88,050
Compare Human Resources Specialists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Human Resources Specialists in Washington?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Human Resources Specialists in Washington is $83,230.
- How does Washington compare to the national median for Human Resources Specialists?
- The Washington median is +17.0% versus the BLS national figure of $71,137.
- What is the salary range for Human Resources Specialists in Washington?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $55,640 and the 90th-percentile at $136,660, 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.