Business and Finance · Career brief

Human Resources Specialists

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Human Resources Specialists at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$75,940

Above the middle on pay

2025 national median. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

6.4%

Steady projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Top quarter for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

73,700

Exceptional hiring volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top 10% for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree is typically expected

Bachelor's degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Persuasive / leading

Influence, decisions, and results matter

Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.

ChooseField take

The strongest national signals are growth and opening volume; each ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if persuasive or leadership-oriented work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a bachelor's-degree path. Main tradeoff: Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.

Before choosing, compare:Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Human Resources Specialists with another field Explore rankings in Business and Finance Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$75,940

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

6.4%employment growth73,700openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Bachelor's degree

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

939,700

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Human resources specialists (13-1071).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.
Hire employees and process hiring-related paperwork.
Maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Inform job applicants of details such as duties and responsibilities, compensation, benefits, schedules, working conditions, or promotion opportunities.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.7
Working with Computers4.6
Documenting/Recording Information4.4
Performing Administrative Activities4.4
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.3

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Enterprising5.7
Conventional5.5
Social3.8
Investigative2.5
Artistic1.4
Realistic1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Personnel and Human Resources Law and Government Computers and Electronics

Software and tools named in job postings

Workday software Applicant tracking software Oracle HRIS

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Work through a realistic case with incomplete information: make a recommendation, show the numbers behind it, and defend the tradeoffs.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Human resources specialists nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include Workday software, Applicant tracking software, Oracle HRIS; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options