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Salary comparison

Human Resources Specialists vs. Business Operations Specialists, All Other: Who Earns More?

Business Operations Specialists, All Other out-earn Human Resources Specialists by $7K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Human Resources Specialists land at $75,940 and Business Operations Specialists, All Other at $83,050. The education gap is real: human resources specialist programs typically require bachelor's degree, while business operations specialists, all other programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Human Resources Specialists is District of Columbia ($110,970); for Business Operations Specialists, All Other it's District of Columbia ($108,160).

Human Resources Specialists
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
Median salary
$75,940
$83,050
Hourly rate
$36.51/hr
$39.93/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$47,180
$47,880
Senior level (90th %)
$128,720
$150,010
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
912,430
1,087,090
Job growth (10-year)
6.2%
3%
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
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
District of Columbia
$110,970
$108,160
Massachusetts
$85,630
$93,270
Washington
$84,550
$100,360
Maryland
$83,910
$101,500
California
$83,500
$87,570
Connecticut
$82,890
$85,530
Colorado
$80,840
$92,520
New Jersey
$80,690
$91,060
Delaware
$77,700
$95,040
Rhode Island
$77,560
$88,130
Alaska
$76,990
$94,740
Hawaii
$73,750
$92,620
South Dakota
$67,590
$85,340
Alabama
$64,940
$100,240
Oklahoma
$61,630
$93,640

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Human Resources Specialists or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Business Operations Specialists, All Other earn more nationally. The median is $75,940 for Human Resources Specialists versus $83,050 for Business Operations Specialists, All Other, a difference of $7K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Human Resources Specialists or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Human Resources Specialists has the better 10-year outlook at 6.2% projected growth, compared to 3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Human Resources Specialists or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Human Resources Specialists typically requires bachelor's degree. Business Operations Specialists, All Other 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. Business Operations Specialists, All Other pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Human Resources Specialists earn $110,970 vs. $108,160 for Business Operations Specialists, All Other. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Human Resources Specialists salary breakdownView →Full Business Operations Specialists, All Other salary breakdownView →Best cities for Human Resources Specialists by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Business Operations Specialists, All Other by take-home payExplore →How to become a human resources specialistsGuide →How to become a business operations specialists, all otherGuide →