Metro Area | Annual Mean Salary | Employment |
---|---|---|
California-Lexington Park, MD | $85,990 | 160 |
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82,380 | 22,600 |
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $81,070 | 12,040 |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $76,740 | 5,110 |
Kennewick-Richland, WA | $72,680 | 380 |

Metro Area | Annual Mean Salary | Employment |
---|---|---|
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $157,090 | 1,840 |
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $148,720 | 3,820 |
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $146,330 | 4,410 |
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | $144,250 | 280 |
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | $140,860 | 870 |

What are some HR specialties?
A number of HR specialists exist. These are very specific areas of human resources that people work in to provide the company with support for managing its employees. There is a range of specialists based on the tasks they finish. Some of those include training and development specialists, human resource information systems analysts, compensation and benefits managers, and employment, recruitment, and placement specialists.
An employee assistance plan manager is another example of an HR specialist. This person typically handles employee-focused efforts. This may include counseling services, flex-time programs, food service, recreational activities, medical examinations, and other tasks related to the employee-employer work arrangement.
A person working as a human resource information system analyst may coordinate and communicate changes to information systems within the human resource department. Their work may include managing tasks related to information systems, including software related to the human resource management of the company.
A person working in a compensation and benefits manager position may work to design, implement, and then manage the organization’s benefits programs. This may also include the company’s procedures and policies. They may play a role in managing areas of salary and compensation, benefits programs, employee rewards programs, and health care programs. They may also play a role in pensions, retirement plans, and other services provided to the employee.
How do you decide whether to be an HR generalist or an HR specialist?
Like any educational path, choosing between an HR generalist and an HR specialist comes down to knowing what you wish to do on a day-to-day basis. For those that enjoy working with people and who wish to manage the hiring process, working as an HR specialist may be more in line with your goals and expectations. Those who wish to work in more of a versatile position where they handle various types of jobs may find an HR generalist role to be a fit for their needs.
A human generalist spends more time with staffing and recruitment, employee relations, personnel policies and procedures, workplace safety and security, and employee training and development. Their skills are more versatile and fit with more areas of the field.
Others may be more interested in working in a specific area of human resource management. This may include working as an HR development specialist, risk management specialist, or global human resource specialist. The work these individuals do tends to be highly coordinated in areas important to the company.
To determine the fit for your needs, consider what areas of human resources interest you. If you’re not sure one stands out over the other, a generalist position may be the route to take.
This is an offer for educational opportunities that may lead to employment and not an offer for nor a guarantee of employment. Students should consult with a representative from the school they select to learn more about career opportunities in that field. Program outcomes vary according to each institution’s specific program curriculum.