Human Resources Specialists pay range in Boston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $58,280 a year or less, while the top 10% make $146,660 or more. The middle half of human resources specialists in Boston earn between $68,650 and $121,700.
- $58K10th
- $69K25th
- $90KMedian
- $122K75th
- $147K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $96,840 | $8,070 | $46.56 |
| Median | $90,270 | $7,522 | $43.40 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $68,650 | $5,721 | $33.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $121,700 | $10,142 | $58.51 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Human Resources Specialists salary after taxes in Boston
On the average salary of $96,840, a single filer in Boston takes home about $72,435 a year, or $6,036 a month and $2,786 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in NH | $76,957 | $6,413 |
| Working in MA | $72,435 | $6,036 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Is Boston a good place for human resources specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boston area are 8% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.3), so the average $96,840 buys what about $89,446 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Boston ($66,620). A typical home costs $741,868, or 7.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Human Resources Specialists salary in other Massachusetts cities
Boston ranks 1st of 6 Massachusetts metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Boston$96,840
- Amherst$87,070
- Worcester$86,180
- Barnstable$85,590
- Springfield$82,160
- Pittsfield$80,320
Highest-paying cities for human resources specialists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($122,290).
- San Jose, CA$122,290
- San Francisco, CA$113,530
- Washington, DC$105,580
- Lexington Park, MD$104,240
- Boulder, CO$99,420
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Human Resources Specialists salary in Boston: questions
How much do human resources specialists make an hour in Boston?
$46.56 an hour on average, and $43.40 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level human resources specialists salary in Boston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $58,280 a year and the 25th percentile is $68,650, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the human resources specialists take-home pay in Boston?
About $72,435 a year ($6,036 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $96,840. Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Do human resources specialists earn more in Boston than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($82,959).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 13-1071; area Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (14460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.0%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.37, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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