Human Resources Specialists in Washington. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
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 $69,200 and $110,550, with a median of $84,550.
Human Resources Specialists in Washington: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 60 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 | 17 | $85,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 20 | $128,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 14 | $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 |
| Microsoft Corporation | HR Generalist | 5 | $127,900 |
| BYTEDANCE INC. | Talent Acquisition Partner | 4 | $130,000 |
| AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC | BUSINESS ANALYST II | 2 | $117,000 |
| Ascendion, Inc. (Formerly known as Collabera, Inc.) | Technical Talent Specialist | 2 | $107,100 |
| ByteDance Inc. | Recruitment Specialist (HR & Management) | 2 | $104,040 |
| Compass Health | People Support Services Specialist | 2 | $68,097 |
| Databricks, Inc. | Global Mobility Operations Manager | 2 | $130,071 |
| People Tech Group, Inc | HR Specialist | 2 | $62,400 |
| TT Commerce & Global Services LLC | Human Resources Partner | 2 | $99,509 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Talent Management at Microsoft Corporation$162,228RedmondWage Level IIIDecided Mar 9, 2026I-200-26061-672268
- Leadership Recruiter at Meta Platforms, Inc$207,666SeattleWage Level IVDecided Feb 23, 2026I-200-26044-638823
- Technical Talent Specialist at Ascendion, Inc. (Formerly known as Collabera, Inc.)$107,100RedmondWage Level IIIDecided Feb 20, 2026I-200-26043-636135
- Recruitment Specialist (HR & Management) at TT Commerce & Global Services LLC$82,080BellevueWage Level IIDecided Jan 29, 2026I-200-26022-579367
- Human Resources Partner at TT Commerce & Global Services LLC$116,938BellevueWage Level IVDecided Jan 26, 2026I-200-26016-568023
- HUMAN RESOURCE SPECIALIST at CANARY TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING, LLC$80,579BELLEVUEWage Level IIDecided Jan 6, 2026I-200-25363-514857
- Talent Acquisition Partner at BYTEDANCE INC.$127,000BellevueWage Level IVDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25354-499829
- Talent Segment Training Lead at HCL AMERICA INC$98,758RedmondWage Level IIIDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-481552
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.
Where do you stand?
Get an instant percentile reading. Anonymous, no signup.
Aggregate unlocks once 5 readers have shared a salary for this role and state.
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 | Amazon.com Services LLC | 8 | $127,900 |
| HR Specialist | Amazon.com Services LLC | 7 | $80,579 |
| HRBP III (Corp) | Amazon.com Services LLC | 6 | $130,000 |
| Sourcing Recruiter | Amazon.com Services LLC | 3 | $82,900 |
| Talent Acquisition Partner | BYTEDANCE INC. | 3 | $127,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Human Resources Specialists in Washington, by industry
Median offered wage across 59 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $121,169.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Microsoft Corporation | 26 | $121,169 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 25 | $125,800 |
| Professional services | Anthropic, PBC | 3 | $98,758 |
| Healthcare | Compass Health | 2 | $68,097 |
| Nonprofit and civic | API Chaya | 1 | $76,780 |
| Manufacturing | Power Mobile Life, LLC | 1 | $85,000 |
| Education | Waldorf School Association of Seattle | 1 | $68,000 |
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 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.
Sponsored
Build the skills employers list for Human Resources Specialists
Online courses from licensed providers. We may earn a commission when you enroll. The commission does not influence our rankings or wage data.
Explore coursesTop metros in Washington
Metro-level salary data for human resources specialists in major Washington metropolitan areas.
- Seattle$92,770
Compare Human Resources Specialists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Washington with another state
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 $84,550.
- How does Washington compare to the national median for Human Resources Specialists?
- The Washington median is +13.6% versus the BLS national figure of $74,452.
- What is the salary range for Human Resources Specialists in Washington?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $57,030 and the 90th-percentile at $136,070, 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.