Human Resources Specialists pay range in Washington
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,940 a year or less, while the top 10% make $158,940 or more. The middle half of human resources specialists in Washington earn between $76,070 and $131,510.
- $61K10th
- $76K25th
- $101KMedian
- $132K75th
- $159K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $105,580 | $8,798 | $50.76 |
| Median | $100,830 | $8,402 | $48.48 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $76,070 | $6,339 | $36.57 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $131,510 | $10,959 | $63.23 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Human Resources Specialists salary after taxes in Washington
On the average salary of $105,580, a single filer in Washington takes home about $77,100 a year, or $6,425 a month and $2,965 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WV | $79,159 | $6,597 |
| Working in MD | $78,297 | $6,525 |
| Working in VA | $77,849 | $6,487 |
| Working in DC | $77,100 | $6,425 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Washington a good place for human resources specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Washington area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.9), so the average $105,580 buys what about $96,966 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Washington ($71,060). A typical home costs $583,013, or 5.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Human Resources Specialists salary in nearby metro areas
- Hagerstown, MD$85,620
- Baltimore, MD$89,890
- Winchester, VA$84,600
- Lexington Park, MD$104,240
- Gettysburg, PA$68,560
- Chambersburg, PA$75,030
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 Washington: questions
How much do human resources specialists make an hour in Washington?
$50.76 an hour on average, and $48.48 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level human resources specialists salary in Washington?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,940 a year and the 25th percentile is $76,070, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the human resources specialists take-home pay in Washington?
About $77,100 a year ($6,425 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $105,580.
Do human resources specialists earn more in Washington than elsewhere?
The average here is 27% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (47900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
- 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 1.33, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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