Human Resources Specialists Salary
In Madison, WI, human resources specialists earn $76,660 at the median, or about $36.86 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $78,795 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,168/month, or 23.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $77K get you in Madison?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). 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 Madison
Human resources specialists pay in Madison tracks closely to the national median, $77K locally vs. $76K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,168/month, 23.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) 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 Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $75K | $77K |
| Green Bay | $73K | $78K |
| Appleton | $64K | $69K |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $69K | $74K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level human resources specialists (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $55K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a human resources specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 23.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for human resources specialists in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new human resources specialists typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,079/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Madison?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $77K locally vs. $76K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Madison compare to the national average for human resources specialists?
Madison pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do human resources specialists make in Madison, WI?
The median is $76,660 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,320, and experienced human resources specialists can clear $106,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,942/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 23.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a human resources specialists salary go in Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median human resources specialists salary is worth about $78,795 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.