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Salary comparison

Human Resources Specialists vs. Accountants and Auditors: Who Earns More?

Accountants and Auditors out-earn Human Resources Specialists by $8K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Human Resources Specialists land at $75,940 and Accountants and Auditors at $83,680. The education gap is real: human resources specialist programs typically require bachelor's degree, while accountants and auditor programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Human Resources Specialists is District of Columbia ($110,970); for Accountants and Auditors it's District of Columbia ($111,530).

Human Resources Specialists
Accountants and Auditors
Median salary
$75,940
$83,680
Hourly rate
$36.51/hr
$40.23/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$47,180
$56,020
Senior level (90th %)
$128,720
$144,090
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
912,430
1,449,500
Job growth (10-year)
6.2%
4.6%
Category
Business & Finance
Business & Finance
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Human Resources Specialists median pay.

State
Human Resources Specialists
Accountants and Auditors
District of Columbia
$110,970
$111,530
Massachusetts
$85,630
$99,460
Washington
$84,550
$96,550
New York
$84,380
$102,640
Maryland
$83,910
$89,370
California
$83,500
$97,050
Connecticut
$82,890
$97,550
Virginia
$82,090
$93,290
Colorado
$80,840
$97,030
New Jersey
$80,690
$100,830
Oregon
$78,060
$85,800
Delaware
$77,700
$95,020
Rhode Island
$77,560
$95,820
Alaska
$76,990
$83,460
New Hampshire
$70,840
$83,470

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Human Resources Specialists or Accountants and Auditors?

Accountants and Auditors earn more nationally. The median is $75,940 for Human Resources Specialists versus $83,680 for Accountants and Auditors, a difference of $8K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Human Resources Specialists or Accountants and Auditors?

Human Resources Specialists has the better 10-year outlook at 6.2% projected growth, compared to 4.6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Human Resources Specialists or Accountants and Auditors?

Human Resources Specialists typically requires bachelor's degree. Accountants and Auditors requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Human Resources Specialists get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Human Resources Specialists at $110,970/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Human Resources Specialists vs. Accountants and Auditors pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Human Resources Specialists earn $110,970 vs. $111,530 for Accountants and Auditors. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Human Resources Specialists salary breakdownView →Full Accountants and Auditors salary breakdownView →Best cities for Human Resources Specialists by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Accountants and Auditors by take-home payExplore →How to become a human resources specialistsGuide →How to become a accountants and auditorsGuide →