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The differences between human factors specialists and human resource specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a human factors specialist and a human resource specialist. Additionally, a human factors specialist has an average salary of $80,877, which is higher than the $53,143 average annual salary of a human resource specialist.
The top three skills for a human factors specialist include user research, user interface and industrial design. The most important skills for a human resource specialist are data entry, oversight, and life insurance.
| Human Factors Specialist | Human Resource Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $80,877 | $53,143 |
| Hourly rate | $38.88 | $25.55 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 40,805 | 50,511 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A human factors specialist may also be known as an ergonomist. They work with organizations that train staff, as well as with aeronautical engineers and civil aviation regulators. They are responsible for conducting studies, carrying out evaluations and tests, and researching important information about a product or service. They must be skilled in the art of studying human behavior in different contexts and apply that skill to design objects and facilities that better human well-being and overall system performance.
A human resources specialist is responsible for assisting in the recruitment and staffing process. Duties of a human resources specialist include updating the requirements and qualifications of a job post, handling employees' inquiries regarding compensation and benefits, maintaining employees' records, updating the status of new joiners, tracking performance reviews, and generating reports as business requires. A human resource specialist must be detail-oriented, as well as excellent in organizational and communication skills. Additionally, a human resource specialist must have a broad knowledge of the recruitment process and structure.
Human factors specialists and human resource specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Human Factors Specialist | Human Resource Specialist | |
| Average salary | $80,877 | $53,143 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $116,000 | Between $36,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Government |
There are a few differences between a human factors specialist and a human resource specialist in terms of educational background:
| Human Factors Specialist | Human Resource Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between human factors specialists' and human resource specialists' demographics:
| Human Factors Specialist | Human Resource Specialist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.9% Female, 57.1% | Male, 26.9% Female, 73.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 9.1% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 7.6% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |