Human Resources Specialists Salary
In Burlington-South Burlington, VT, human resources specialists earn $78,920 at the median, or about $37.94 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.95), that's roughly $78,177 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,140/month, about 41.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $79K get you in Burlington-South Burlington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Burlington-South Burlington’s Regional Price Parity (100.95). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About human resources specialists
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What this looks like in Burlington-South Burlington
Human resources specialists pay in Burlington-South Burlington tracks closely to the national median, $79K locally vs. $76K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,140/month, which is 42% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.95) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for human resources specialists in metros near Burlington-South Burlington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $90K | $80K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $90K | $83K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $77K | $77K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $75K | $78K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Burlington-South Burlington, VT
Entry-level human resources specialists (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Human Resources Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Human Resources Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111K | +46% | 6,910 |
| Massachusetts | $86K | +13% | 27,300 |
| Washington | $85K | +11% | 22,770 |
| New York | $84K | +11% | 54,610 |
| Maryland | $84K | +10% | 15,530 |
| California | $84K | +10% | 104,000 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +9% | 9,010 |
| Virginia | $82K | +8% | 28,540 |
| Colorado | $81K | +6% | 19,450 |
| New Jersey | $81K | +6% | 21,690 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +4% | 17,240 |
| Oregon | $78K | +3% | 10,620 |
| Vermont | $78K | +2% | 1,270 |
| Delaware | $78K | +2% | 2,720 |
| Rhode Island | $78K | +2% | 3,320 |
| Alaska | $77K | +1% | 1,420 |
| Illinois | $77K | +1% | 35,430 |
| North Dakota | $76K | -0% | 1,710 |
| Hawaii | $74K | -3% | 2,570 |
| North Carolina | $73K | -4% | 31,140 |
| Utah | $72K | -6% | 9,900 |
| Maine | $72K | -6% | 3,020 |
| Nevada | $72K | -6% | 6,520 |
| Arizona | $71K | -6% | 20,230 |
| Kansas | $71K | -7% | 7,560 |
| New Hampshire | $71K | -7% | 4,270 |
| Georgia | $71K | -7% | 32,110 |
| Wisconsin | $71K | -7% | 17,360 |
| Pennsylvania | $70K | -7% | 36,960 |
| Ohio | $70K | -8% | 33,500 |
| Michigan | $70K | -8% | 25,520 |
| Kentucky | $69K | -9% | 10,900 |
| Texas | $69K | -9% | 84,930 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -10% | 4,090 |
| South Dakota | $68K | -11% | 1,340 |
| Tennessee | $67K | -11% | 21,460 |
| Missouri | $67K | -12% | 17,650 |
| Wyoming | $67K | -12% | 1,000 |
| West Virginia | $67K | -12% | 3,130 |
| Iowa | $67K | -12% | 7,930 |
| Florida | $66K | -13% | 62,730 |
| Indiana | $66K | -14% | 17,110 |
| South Carolina | $65K | -14% | 13,720 |
| Idaho | $65K | -14% | 3,930 |
| Alabama | $65K | -14% | 11,080 |
| Montana | $64K | -16% | 2,340 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -18% | 7,220 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -19% | 9,370 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -19% | 7,240 |
| Mississippi | $60K | -21% | 4,850 |
| Arkansas | $55K | -28% | 6,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track human resources specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Burlington-South Burlington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a human resources specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Burlington-South Burlington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 42% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,140/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for human resources specialists in Burlington-South Burlington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new human resources specialists typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,505/month. At HUD’s $2,140/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is human resources specialist a high-paying job in Burlington-South Burlington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $76K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Burlington-South Burlington compare to the national average for human resources specialists?
Burlington-South Burlington pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.95), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do human resources specialists make in Burlington-South Burlington, VT?
The median is $78,920 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,410, and experienced human resources specialists can clear $111,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Burlington-South Burlington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,095/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,140/month, which eats 42% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a human resources specialists salary go in Burlington-South Burlington?
Burlington-South Burlington has a Regional Price Parity of 100.95 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median human resources specialists salary is worth about $78,177 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do human resources specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
