Human Resources Specialists Salary in Washington
The median for human resources specialists in Washington is $84,550 a year, somewhat above the national $75,940 (+11%); the state ranks 3rd of 51 states by median. Human Resources Specialists earn 34% more than the median across all occupations in Washington ($62,990). Washington pays more than every neighbouring state: Oregon and Idaho range from $64,990 in Idaho to $78,060 in Oregon. Washington employs 22,770 human resources specialists, 6.41 per 1,000 jobs, the 13th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.09 is close to the national share.
Washington vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $27.42 | $33.27 | $40.65 | $53.15 | $65.42 | $45.19 | 22,770 | 6.41 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $57,030 | $69,200 | $84,550 | $110,550 | $136,070 | $94,000 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.69 | $28.18 | $36.51 | $47.78 | $61.89 | $39.42 | 912,430 | – | – |
| Annual | $47,180 | $58,610 | $75,940 | $99,380 | $128,720 | $81,990 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 3rd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 13th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.09
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.41
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Washington's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Washington
13 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching Washington publish a row for human resources specialists, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $44.60 | $92,770 | $58,610 | $153,960 | 14,120 | 6.77 | 1.15 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $43.41 | $90,290 | $59,880 | $138,170 | 710 | 7.53 | 1.28 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $41.68 | $86,700 | $59,620 | $114,560 | 1,410 | 10.86 | 1.85 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $39.08 | $81,290 | $54,110 | $134,140 | 620 | 4.79 | 0.82 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $38.81 | $80,730 | $56,310 | $125,850 | 120 | 4.77 | 0.81 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $38.51 | $80,100 | $54,780 | $133,570 | 7,610 | 6.29 | 1.07 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $37.88 | $78,800 | $55,900 | $123,060 | 230 | 4.46 | 0.76 |
| Bellingham, WA | $37.58 | $78,160 | $55,040 | $123,070 | 430 | 4.68 | 0.80 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $37.46 | $77,920 | $52,950 | $118,350 | 240 | 4.69 | 0.80 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $36.45 | $75,810 | $47,390 | $125,700 | 190 | 4.74 | 0.81 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $35.79 | $74,430 | $49,280 | $116,780 | 1,370 | 5.34 | 0.91 |
| Yakima, WA | $34.70 | $72,180 | $49,950 | $106,760 | 390 | 4.03 | 0.69 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | $31.73 | $66,000 | $45,040 | $104,740 | 110 | 3.78 | 0.64 |
| Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $37.27 | $77,520 | $55,750 | $120,660 | 430 | 3.92 | 0.67 |
| Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $37.17 | $77,320 | $53,380 | $114,510 | 550 | 4.21 | 0.72 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Human Resources Specialists (every state ranked) and the Washington wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Washington estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.