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Job outlook for human factors specialists in the United States
Are human factors specialist jobs in demand?
Human factors specialist job and salary trends over time
Human factors specialist jobs over time
Human factors specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 266 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 233 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 228 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 213 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 199 | 0.00% |
Average human factors specialist salary over time
Human factors specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $80,877 | $38.88 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | $78,877 | $37.92 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $77,553 | $37.28 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | $76,877 | $36.96 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $75,387 | $36.24 | +1.4% |
Human factors specialist jobs by state
Most common states for human factors specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 226 | 33% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 145 | 15% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 87 | 14% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 95 | 13% |
| 5 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 73 | 13% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 829 | 12% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 161 | 12% |
| 8 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 349 | 11% |
| 9 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 208 | 11% |
| 10 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 863 | 10% |
| 11 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 576 | 10% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 550 | 10% |
| 13 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 404 | 10% |
| 14 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 100 | 10% |
| 15 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 85 | 10% |
| 16 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 887 | 9% |
| 17 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 687 | 9% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 519 | 9% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 98 | 9% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 71 | 9% |
Most common cities for human factors specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington | 1 | 3% | $96,160 |
| 2 | Washington | 4 | 1% | $102,029 |
| 3 | Huntsville | 1 | 1% | $69,873 |
| 4 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $82,100 |
| 5 | San Antonio | 1 | 0% | $75,526 |
Human Factors Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of human factors specialist experts
Coastal Carolina University
George Mason University
Rowan University
Binghamton University, SUNY
North Carolina Central University
Hotel Effectiveness
Forsyth County, Georgia
Rollins College
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
What will help Human Factors Specialists increase their earning potential?
Leann Mischel PhD: The soft skills will always be important. Communication, teamwork, and leadership skills should always be honed. In addition to those, it is important to keep up with technology and AI. It is no surprise that both of these are changing at lightning speed. Graduates need to keep in mind that these will make their jobs easier, not take their jobs from them. Utilize them to increase the quality and quantity of your performance and increase your efficiency.
William Helton Ph.D.
ProfessorGeorge Mason University
Department of Psychology
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Human Factors Specialist job market given the pandemic?
William Helton Ph.D.: The pandemic only accelerated the need for organizations to consider the human factor or the user experience for all products and services. Usability, user experiences (UX) and human factors were already on a massive growth trajectory. The pandemic basically throw gasoline on the fire. The demand in the market way outstrips the supply. Getting a degree in Human Factors from a place with a good reputation, like George Mason University, is one of the savviest investments a student can make.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Human Factors Specialists?
William Helton Ph.D.: I think employers want graduates from an established and well-respected institution. Word of mouth and an established network enables employees being able to attract the attention of quality employers. Everyone in the education community is jumping on the usability/user experience/human factors bandwagon and to be really credible it helps to have an established reputation. In regard to specific skills acquired in courses, it helps to have solid foundation in data analysis and user research methods, task analysis, courses in usability and product design, etc.
How have salaries changed over time for Human Factors Specialists?
William Helton Ph.D.: They have gotten extremely high. I believe human factors or user experience researcher/designer is now considered one of the best jobs out there (also often with data analyst - which is not entirely unrelated). I know I'm often shocked at the salaries and packages our graduates get offered; I often wonder why I'm still in academia.
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorRowan University
Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural education
How would you rate the starting salaries for Human Factors Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.: Educators are not paid nearly enough. However, working in a state with strong teachers' unions helps to ensure a starting salary that recent graduates can live off of and growth opportunities, albeit modest, over their careers.
Matthew McConn
Associate Professor of English Education, Department ChairBinghamton University, SUNY
Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership
How would you rate the starting salaries for Human Factors Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Matthew McConn: Here, in the state of New York, I think the salaries are competitive, depending on where you live.
Elisha Blankson
Program Director NCCU, Assistant ProfessorNorth Carolina Central University
Communication Disorders Department
What type of skills will young Human Factors Specialists need?
Elisha Blankson: Graduates will need a skill set about the field in which they received training and additional skills useful to the job market. For example, with the changing demographics in the United States, extra skills in information technology and foreign languages will be a plus when entering the job market.
What general advice would you give to a Human Factors Specialist?
Del Ross: Embrace change. The only certainty about the future is that tomorrow's world will look much different than today's. This applies to the hotel and travel industries and to pretty much everything else. Guest expectations will change. Technology will change. The employer and employee experiences will vary - this may prove difficult, but much of it will be for the better. If you expect to change, you will be better prepared to handle it when it happens.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Human Factors Specialists to find work opportunities?
Donna Kukarola: This one, not so sure of, the southeast continues to see options as well as mid-western states.
What Human Factors Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Claire Strom Ph.D.: Gaining more facility with computers will always be beneficial-as we have all found out during the pandemic. Generally, however, I encourage students to use a gap year to have adventures and do things out-of-the-ordinary. Students are focused on their trajectory for all their lives and a gap year provides an unusual opportunity to do something different. In my experience, such adventures always prove fruitful and helpful, although it is never clear how until they are over. Thus, I would suggest AmeriCorps, VISTA, teaching abroad, and other related activities.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Human Factors Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sarah DeArmond Ph.D.: Before the pandemic, starting salary prospects were quite positive in human resource management. I expect to see salaries down a bit. Generally, companies have a slight edge now in salary negotiations, as there is more available talent than may have been the case before the pandemic. However, there have not been as significant of job losses in human resource management as has been the case in some other fields (e.g., hospitality management).