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Department specialist salary
Average department specialist salary
$49,764
Understanding the Department Specialist Salary
A Department Specialist plays a vital role in ensuring operational efficiency and support across various business functions. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position is approximately $49,764 per year. However, salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, industry, and years of experience.
Salary Variance by State
For example, states like California and New York tend to offer higher salaries for Department Specialists due to the higher cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. In contrast, states with a lower cost of living may present lower salary averages.
Opportunities for Advancement
Department Specialists can find lucrative opportunities in sectors such as healthcare, technology, and finance. Professionals with experience and specialized skills may command higher salaries, and pursuing relevant certifications can enhance earning potential. By understanding these dynamics, job seekers can strategically navigate their career paths to maximize their salary and advancement opportunities.
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Where can a Department Specialist earn more?
Department specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average department specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for department specialists are Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The lowest average department specialist salary states are New Mexico, Georgia, and Utah.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for department specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $74,553 | $35.84 |
| 2 | Maine | $58,496 | $28.12 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $58,924 | $28.33 |
| 4 | Vermont | $58,498 | $28.12 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $60,190 | $28.94 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $61,275 | $29.46 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $53,946 | $25.94 |
| 8 | Alaska | $58,468 | $28.11 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $62,661 | $30.13 |
| 10 | Nevada | $53,696 | $25.82 |
| 11 | Oregon | $56,955 | $27.38 |
| 12 | Montana | $52,304 | $25.15 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $51,918 | $24.96 |
| 14 | New York | $59,304 | $28.51 |
| 15 | Washington | $58,066 | $27.92 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $70,453 | $33.87 |
| 17 | Idaho | $51,980 | $24.99 |
| 18 | Ohio | $50,954 | $24.50 |
| 19 | Delaware | $51,298 | $24.66 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $48,786 | $23.45 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $49,378 | $23.74 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $49,562 | $23.83 |
| 23 | Iowa | $47,747 | $22.96 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $51,311 | $24.67 |
| 25 | Michigan | $48,043 | $23.10 |
| 26 | California | $57,510 | $27.65 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $48,827 | $23.47 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $51,445 | $24.73 |
| 29 | Indiana | $48,542 | $23.34 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $47,413 | $22.79 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $48,102 | $23.13 |
| 32 | Maryland | $49,368 | $23.73 |
| 33 | Colorado | $49,544 | $23.82 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $47,437 | $22.81 |
| 35 | Illinois | $48,513 | $23.32 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $47,638 | $22.90 |
| 37 | Arizona | $45,776 | $22.01 |
| 38 | Alabama | $44,391 | $21.34 |
| 39 | Kansas | $47,580 | $22.88 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $43,843 | $21.08 |
| 41 | Virginia | $47,993 | $23.07 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $45,482 | $21.87 |
| 43 | Georgia | $42,858 | $20.60 |
| 44 | Florida | $40,906 | $19.67 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $43,619 | $20.97 |
| 46 | Texas | $43,802 | $21.06 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $37,431 | $18.00 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $43,415 | $20.87 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $44,557 | $21.42 |
| 50 | Utah | $42,535 | $20.45 |
| 51 | Missouri | $42,508 | $20.44 |
Highest paying cities for department specialists
The highest-paying cities for department specialists are Urban Honolulu, HI, San Francisco, CA, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $74,543 | $35.84 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $60,267 | $28.97 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $56,810 | $27.31 |
| 4 | Rochester, NY | $56,614 | $27.22 |
| 5 | Las Vegas, NV | $53,564 | $25.75 |
| 6 | Billings, MT | $51,780 | $24.89 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $51,570 | $24.79 |
| 8 | Durham, NC | $50,838 | $24.44 |
| 9 | Fort Collins, CO | $49,537 | $23.82 |
| 10 | Omaha, NE | $49,114 | $23.61 |
| 11 | Naperville, IL | $48,454 | $23.30 |
| 12 | Fayetteville, AR | $47,474 | $22.82 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $45,832 | $22.03 |
| 14 | Dallas, TX | $42,882 | $20.62 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $42,411 | $20.39 |
Department specialist salary details
A department specialist's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $70,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a department specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| Average | $49,764 | $4,147 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying department specialist jobs
The highest paying types of department specialists are staff specialist, associate, and assistant department head.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Person | $42,010 | $3,501 | $20.20 | 378,132 |
| Sales Clerk | $25,739 | $2,145 | $12.37 | 372,651 |
| Department Secretary | $35,473 | $2,956 | $17.05 | 80,303 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for department specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Del Ross
Chief Revenue Officer, Hotel Effectiveness
Top companies hiring department specialists now:
Which companies pay department specialists the most?
Department specialist salaries at Springs Charter Schools and University of California, Berkeley are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average department specialist salary at companies like General Atomics and VIVA USA are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springs Charter Schools | $66,138 | $31.80 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | $64,490 | $31.00 |
| 3 | General Atomics | $64,207 | $30.87 |
| 4 | VIVA USA | $63,431 | $30.50 |
| 5 | University of California | $59,999 | $28.85 |
| 6 | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $58,756 | $28.25 |
| 7 | Montgomery County Public Schools | $58,628 | $28.19 |
| 8 | UC Santa Barbara | $58,423 | $28.09 |
| 9 | Choice Translating | $57,438 | $27.61 |
| 10 | Save Mart Supermarkets | $56,103 | $26.97 |
| 11 | Johns Hopkins Medicine | $55,289 | $26.58 |
| 12 | Beacon Credit Union | $54,602 | $26.25 |
| 13 | CoreTechs Personnel | $54,354 | $26.13 |
| 14 | United Natural Foods | $53,866 | $25.90 |
| 15 | Edina Public Schools | $51,845 | $24.93 |
| 16 | First Foundation | $51,187 | $24.61 |
| 17 | University of Rochester | $50,231 | $24.15 |
| 18 | Larimer County | $49,868 | $23.98 |
| 19 | Friday Health Plans | $48,910 | $23.51 |
| 20 | Medical University of South Carolina | $47,553 | $22.86 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Department Specialist salary by industry
The average department specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average department specialist salary in the government industry is $61,257, the highest of any industry.
- The average department specialist salary in the finance industry is $57,027.
- Department specialists in the retail industry earn an average salary of $36,317, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for department specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $61,257 | $29.45 |
| 2 | Health Care | $57,027 | $27.42 |
| 3 | Finance | $55,952 | $26.90 |
| 4 | Automotive | $44,715 | $21.50 |
| 5 | Retail | $36,317 | $17.46 |
High paying department specialist jobs
Department specialist salary trends
The average department specialist salary has risen by $11,155 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average department specialist earned $38,609 annually, but today, they earn $49,764 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for department specialists over the last decade.
Compare department specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average department specialist salary over time
Compare department specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Department specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49,800 | $23.92 | +6.8% |
| 2024 | $46,400 | $22.31 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $44,500 | $21.38 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $42,700 | $20.51 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $41,700 | $20.04 | +4.0% |
Recently added department specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Hardware | Garden Center Department Specialist-Store 139 | Fairdealing, MO | 06/29/2025 | $29,218 |
| Ace Hardware | Department Specialist | Glendale, CA | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Albertsons | Department Specialist | Fullerton, CA | 06/28/2025 | $48,168 |
| Albertsons Company Inc. | Department Specialist | Brea, CA | 06/28/2025 | $48,168 |
| Pima County | Department Personnel Specialist I-Sheriff's Department | Tucson, AZ | 06/27/2025 | $43,472 |
| Save Mart Supermarkets | Department Specialist Bakery (Cake Decorator)-659 E. Nees, Fresno, CA 93720 | Fresno, CA | 06/26/2025 | $34,957 |
| Westlake Hardware | Department Specialist | South Pasadena, CA | 06/25/2025 | $36,523 |
| Westlake Hardware | Garden Center Department Specialist-Store 139 | Parkville, MO | 06/21/2025 | $29,218 |
| Alief Independent School District | Multi-Lingual Department Specialist (ESL Specialist) @ Boone Elementary | Houston, TX | 06/18/2025 | $64,100 |
| Ace Hardware | Department Specialist | Austin, TX | 06/10/2025 | $33,392 |
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