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Employment specialist salary
Average employment specialist salary
$39,530
Understanding Employment Specialist Salaries
The average Employment Specialist earns around $39,530 per year or about $19 per hour. Salaries for this role can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one works. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Salary Breakdown by Experience
Entry-level Employment Specialists typically earn lower salaries, while those with several years of experience can command significantly higher wages. It's crucial to consider how your background, certifications, and additional skills can enhance your earning potential.
Job Opportunities
Employment Specialists can find positions in various sectors including government, education, and private industry. Each sector may offer different pay scales and benefits, making it essential to research thoroughly.
Salary Estimates
Salary estimates from various sources can provide a broader perspective on potential earnings. Websites dedicated to job analysis can offer valuable insights into current salary trends and job openings. This data is particularly useful for those looking to enter the field or seeking advancement.
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Where can an Employment Specialist earn more?
Employment specialist salaries by experience level
Employment specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average employment specialist salary by state
The average employment specialist salary in Hawaii, California, and Virginia are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average employment specialist salary states are Idaho, Missouri, and Utah.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for employment specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $61,417 | $29.53 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $50,659 | $24.36 |
| 3 | Delaware | $43,745 | $21.03 |
| 4 | Alaska | $45,408 | $21.83 |
| 5 | New York | $44,829 | $21.55 |
| 6 | Oregon | $42,747 | $20.55 |
| 7 | Georgia | $41,908 | $20.15 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $42,351 | $20.36 |
| 9 | Virginia | $45,821 | $22.03 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $43,673 | $21.00 |
| 11 | Arizona | $39,471 | $18.98 |
| 12 | Michigan | $39,429 | $18.96 |
| 13 | California | $46,477 | $22.34 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $37,747 | $18.15 |
| 15 | Texas | $40,998 | $19.71 |
| 16 | Alabama | $39,636 | $19.06 |
| 17 | Maryland | $42,035 | $20.21 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $44,278 | $21.29 |
| 19 | Washington | $42,710 | $20.53 |
| 20 | Illinois | $40,690 | $19.56 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $37,975 | $18.26 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $38,593 | $18.55 |
| 23 | Vermont | $38,017 | $18.28 |
| 24 | Iowa | $35,932 | $17.27 |
| 25 | Maine | $37,730 | $18.14 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $35,716 | $17.17 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $37,361 | $17.96 |
| 28 | Florida | $37,544 | $18.05 |
| 29 | Nevada | $36,641 | $17.62 |
| 30 | Colorado | $40,176 | $19.32 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $36,041 | $17.33 |
| 32 | Connecticut | $39,565 | $19.02 |
| 33 | Ohio | $36,030 | $17.32 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $34,559 | $16.61 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $36,722 | $17.65 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $34,731 | $16.70 |
| 37 | Indiana | $35,144 | $16.90 |
| 38 | Kansas | $34,790 | $16.73 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $34,392 | $16.53 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $36,319 | $17.46 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $33,953 | $16.32 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $33,692 | $16.20 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $34,633 | $16.65 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $32,027 | $15.40 |
| 45 | Montana | $31,251 | $15.02 |
| 46 | Idaho | $33,272 | $16.00 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $33,741 | $16.22 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $33,394 | $16.05 |
| 49 | Utah | $32,629 | $15.69 |
| 50 | Missouri | $32,646 | $15.70 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $32,388 | $15.57 |
Highest paying cities for employment specialists
The highest-paying cities for employment specialists are Washington, DC, San Luis Obispo, CA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $61,414 | $29.53 |
| 2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $47,496 | $22.83 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $45,126 | $21.70 |
| 4 | Vancouver, WA | $43,833 | $21.07 |
| 5 | Roanoke, VA | $43,355 | $20.84 |
| 6 | Albany, OR | $42,993 | $20.67 |
| 7 | Brockton, MA | $42,697 | $20.53 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $42,231 | $20.30 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $41,741 | $20.07 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $40,789 | $19.61 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $40,195 | $19.32 |
| 12 | New Haven, CT | $39,723 | $19.10 |
| 13 | Miami, FL | $38,714 | $18.61 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $37,821 | $18.18 |
| 15 | Madison, WI | $37,725 | $18.14 |
| 16 | Cleveland, OH | $36,847 | $17.71 |
| 17 | Des Moines, IA | $36,004 | $17.31 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $35,117 | $16.88 |
| 19 | Rochester, MN | $34,642 | $16.65 |
| 20 | Shreveport, LA | $33,959 | $16.33 |
Employment specialist salary details
An employment specialist's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $52,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an employment specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| Average | $39,530 | $3,294 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying employment specialist jobs
The highest paying types of employment specialists are senior technical recruiter, senior recruiter, and senior human resources specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staffing Coordinator | $44,302 | $3,692 | $21.30 | 29,520 |
| Human Resources Coordinator | $44,074 | $3,673 | $21.19 | 53,322 |
| Recruiting Coordinator | $45,459 | $3,788 | $21.86 | 56,602 |
| Recruiter | $51,374 | $4,281 | $24.70 | 37,954 |
| Technical Recruiter | $62,499 | $5,208 | $30.05 | 96,164 |
| Self-Employed | $34,734 | $2,895 | $16.70 | 6,215 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for employment specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sarah DeArmond Ph.D.
Management and Human Resources Department Chair, Professor of Human Resource Management, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Top companies hiring employment specialists now:
Which companies pay employment specialists the most?
Employment specialist salaries at University of California, Berkeley and University of California are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average employment specialist salary at companies like Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc and Catholic Health East are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $49,588 | $23.84 |
| 2 | University of California | $49,179 | $23.64 |
| 3 | Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc | $49,138 | $23.62 |
| 4 | Catholic Health East | $48,480 | $23.31 |
| 5 | MUFG EMEA | $47,048 | $22.62 |
| 6 | New River Community College | $46,800 | $22.50 |
| 7 | Archdiocese Of San Antonio | $46,393 | $22.30 |
| 8 | Salem State University | $46,136 | $22.18 |
| 9 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | $45,747 | $21.99 |
| 10 | Spectrum Comm | $45,459 | $21.86 |
| 11 | Triangle Services | $45,392 | $21.82 |
| 12 | New York State Restaurant Association | $45,321 | $21.79 |
| 13 | Helen Keller International | $45,090 | $21.68 |
| 14 | Southwest Key Programs | $45,051 | $21.66 |
| 15 | University of Colorado Boulder | $44,971 | $21.62 |
| 16 | Telecare | $44,946 | $21.61 |
| 17 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $44,799 | $21.54 |
| 18 | Syracuse University | $44,789 | $21.53 |
| 19 | Washington State University | $44,395 | $21.34 |
| 20 | Downtown Streets Team | $44,352 | $21.32 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Employment Specialist salary by industry
The average employment specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average employment specialist salary in the professional industry is $40,645, the highest of any industry.
- The average employment specialist salary in the finance industry is $40,510.
- Employment specialists in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $37,412, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for employment specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $40,645 | $19.54 |
| 2 | Government | $40,510 | $19.48 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $39,884 | $19.18 |
| 4 | Health Care | $38,402 | $18.46 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $37,412 | $17.99 |
High paying employment specialist jobs
Employment specialist salary trends
The average employment specialist salary has risen by $5,232 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average employment specialist earned $34,298 annually, but today, they earn $39,530 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for employment specialists over the last decade.
Compare employment specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average employment specialist salary over time
Compare employment specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Employment specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,500 | $19.00 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $38,600 | $18.53 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $37,900 | $18.22 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | $37,600 | $18.06 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $36,800 | $17.71 | +1.4% |
Recently added employment specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodwill | Employment/Accommodation Specialist | Sterling, IL | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Hourchildren.org | Employment Specialist | Islandia, NY | 06/28/2025 | $58,350 |
| University of Memphis | Employer Engagement Specialist | Memphis, TN | 06/28/2025 | $50,000 |
| 365 Health Services | Employment Specialist (Intellectual Disabilities) | Norristown, PA | 06/28/2025 | $45,000 |
| Access: Supports for Living | Employment Specialist | Poughkeepsie, NY | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Pacific Clinics | Employment Specialist III | Los Angeles, CA | 06/27/2025 | $44,745 |
| Inalliance | Employment Specialist | Sacramento, CA | 06/27/2025 | $45,914 |
| Project Genesis Inc. | Job Coach, Employment Specialist | Hartford, CT | 06/27/2025 | $39,653 |
| Challenge Enterprises of North Florida | Supported Employment Specialist | Orange Park, FL | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| New Jersey Reentry Corporation | Employment Specialist | Elizabeth, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $45,000 |
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