SOC 13-1071 · Wilmington, NC metro

Human Resources Specialists Salary in Wilmington, NC

The average salary for human resources specialists in Wilmington, North Carolina is $69,910 a year ($33.61 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $64,440: half of the 850 people in this job in the Wilmington, NC metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 15% less than the U.S. average for this job ($81,990).

$69,910average per year

$33.61 / hourMedian $64,440Take-home ≈ $55,731

  • $41K10th
  • $50K25th
  • $64KMedian
  • $81K75th
  • $108K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

850people in this job
-15%vs U.S. average
#13 of 15North Carolina metros
96cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Human Resources Specialists pay range in Wilmington

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,150 a year or less, while the top 10% make $108,180 or more. The middle half of human resources specialists in Wilmington earn between $49,740 and $81,220.

  • $41K10th
  • $50K25th
  • $64KMedian
  • $81K75th
  • $108K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$69,910$5,826$33.61
Median$64,440$5,370$30.98
Entry level (25th percentile)$49,740$4,145$23.91
Experienced (75th percentile)$81,220$6,768$39.05

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Human Resources Specialists pay in Wilmington vs. North Carolina and the U.S.

Human resources specialists in Wilmington earn 12% less than the North Carolina average ($79,450) and 15% less than the U.S. average ($81,990). At the median the gap is -15% against the U.S. median of $75,940.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Wilmington$69,910$64,440$41,150$108,180850
North Carolina$79,450$73,070$46,760$126,00031,140
United States$81,990$75,940$47,180$128,720912,430

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Human Resources Specialists salary after taxes in Wilmington

On the average salary of $69,910, a single filer in Wilmington takes home about $55,731 a year, or $4,644 a month and $2,144 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

North Carolina paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Wilmington a good place for human resources specialists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Wilmington area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.4), so the average $69,910 buys what about $72,504 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Wilmington ($45,800). A typical home costs $446,210, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $69,910 is worth in another city

Human Resources Specialists salary in other North Carolina cities

Wilmington ranks 13th of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Durham pays the most ($88,260).

All Human Resources Specialists salaries in North Carolina

Highest-paying cities for human resources specialists

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($122,290).

Human Resources Specialists salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Human Resources Specialists in Wilmington, NC.

Human Resources Specialists salary in Wilmington: questions

How much do human resources specialists make an hour in Wilmington?

$33.61 an hour on average, and $30.98 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level human resources specialists salary in Wilmington?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,150 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,740, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the human resources specialists take-home pay in Wilmington?

About $55,731 a year ($4,644 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $69,910.

Do human resources specialists earn more in Wilmington than elsewhere?

The average here is 15% less than the U.S. average for this job ($81,990).

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 Wilmington, NC (48900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • 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).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.76, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.76).

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