Human Resources Specialists pay in California
$95,180avg. a year
$45.76 an hour · 104,000 employed
Human Resources Specialists in California earn an average of $95,180 a year. That is $13,190 (16%) more than the U.S. average of $81,990. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $122,290.
$83,500Median pay
$45.76Average hourly
+20%Avg. pay since 2020
#3Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for human resources specialists by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
17,970 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$122,290
$58.79 an hour
216,420 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$113,530
$54.58 an hour
3450 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$93,190
$44.80 an hour
4650 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$92,480
$44.46 an hour
5870 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$91,880
$44.17 an hour
69,110 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$91,760
$44.12 an hour
7310 jobs
Napa, CA
$91,260
$43.87 an hour
81,710 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$90,570
$43.55 an hour
936,850 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$89,780
$43.16 an hour
105,360 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$89,450
$43.00 an hour
11630 jobs
Salinas, CA
$88,270
$42.44 an hour
12920 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$87,650
$42.14 an hour
13610 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$85,650
$41.18 an hour
141,160 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$82,920
$39.86 an hour
15280 jobs
Merced, CA
$81,980
$39.41 an hour
167,210 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$81,920
$39.39 an hour
171,240 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$81,730
$39.29 an hour
18730 jobs
Modesto, CA
$80,480
$38.69 an hour
19110 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$80,170
$38.54 an hour
20580 jobs
Visalia, CA
$78,850
$37.91 an hour
21180 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$78,830
$37.90 an hour
221,770 jobs
Fresno, CA
$78,480
$37.73 an hour
23310 jobs
Chico, CA
$78,400
$37.69 an hour
24250 jobs
Redding, CA
$77,480
$37.25 an hour
25220 jobs
El Centro, CA
$75,850
$36.47 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Human Resources Specialists pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California human resources specialists work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $74k$74k–$77k$77k–$84k$84k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $81,990 | $39.42 |
| California | $95,180 | $45.76 |
| Oregon | $84,550 | $40.65 |
| Nevada | $79,260 | $38.11 |
| Arizona | $76,500 | $36.78 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do human resources specialists make in California?
The average is $95,180 a year, and the median is $83,500. That is $13,190 (16%) more than the U.S. average of $81,990.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$45.76 an hour on average; the median is $40.14.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($122,290), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($113,530). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is El Centro, CA ($75,850).
How does California rank?
California ranks #3 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 13-1071. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national human resources specialists page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.