Post job

What is an equal opportunity specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

Equal opportunity specialists are valuable members of the human resources department. They are responsible for making sure that applicants and employees receive the same opportunities to advance and be valued regardless of their race, gender, age, nationality, religion, or any other factors that might give a reason for discrimination.

You will be there to create an equal opportunity program for employees at your firm. You will collect and analyze data related to similar opportunity factors such as hiring, promotions, salaries, and many more. You will write reports on procedures to government agencies and internal management. You will conduct surveys and recommend corrective measures in areas you find do not live up to the company's equal opportunities policies.

Excellent communication and problem-solving skills are essential to have in this position. You will need an in-depth understanding of equal opportunity employment regulations, and you will need to keep up to date on its eventual changes. A degree in human resources, business management, or a related field is often a requirement, and experience on the job will be relevant too.

ScoreEqual Opportunity SpecialistUS Average
Salary
4.7

Avg. Salary $60,556

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.6

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.82%

Asian 7.85%

Black or African American 12.63%

Hispanic or Latino 14.72%

Unknown 4.43%

White 59.54%

Gender

female 55.77%

male 44.23%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.1

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.4

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Equal opportunity specialist career paths

Key steps to become an equal opportunity specialist

  1. Explore equal opportunity specialist education requirements

    Most common equal opportunity specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    58.9 %

    Master's

    18.4 %

    Associate

    10.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific equal opportunity specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Compliance Reviews13.93%
    Complaint Investigations9.96%
    Rehabilitation9.30%
    Discrimination Complaints8.90%
    Investigative Reports6.62%
  3. Complete relevant equal opportunity specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New equal opportunity specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an equal opportunity specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real equal opportunity specialist resumes.
  4. Research equal opportunity specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Manage on site AAP & EEO reporting.
    • Recruit, manage and motivate volunteers in public education, professional education, service and rehabilitation and tobacco control programs.
    • Mediate cases for informal resolution, whenever possible.
    • Create and run the EOL academy in Iraq.
  5. Prepare your equal opportunity specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your equal opportunity specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an equal opportunity specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable equal opportunity specialist resume templates

    Build a professional equal opportunity specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your equal opportunity specialist resume.
    Equal Opportunity Specialist Resume
    Equal Opportunity Specialist Resume
    Equal Opportunity Specialist Resume
    Equal Opportunity Specialist Resume
    Equal Opportunity Specialist Resume
    Equal Opportunity Specialist Resume
    Equal Opportunity Specialist Resume
    Equal Opportunity Specialist Resume
    Equal Opportunity Specialist Resume
  6. Apply for equal opportunity specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an equal opportunity specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first equal opportunity specialist job

Zippi

Are you an equal opportunity specialist?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average equal opportunity specialist salary

The average equal opportunity specialist salary in the United States is $60,556 per year or $29 per hour. Equal opportunity specialist salaries range between $30,000 and $118,000 per year.

Average equal opportunity specialist salary
$60,556 Yearly
$29.11 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do equal opportunity specialists rate their job?

Working as an equal opportunity specialist? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse business and financial jobs