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Human resources generalist salary
Average human resources generalist salary
$56,159
Understanding Human Resources Generalist Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Human Resources Generalist in the United States is approximately $56,159 per year, which translates to about $27 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific industry.
In regions with a higher cost of living, salaries may be substantially higher. For example, states like California and New York often feature elevated compensation levels. Additionally, those with advanced experience or specialized skills in HR management can command higher salaries.
Salary Insights by Experience Level
Entry-level Human Resources Generalists typically earn less than their more experienced counterparts. As professionals gain experience, they can expect their salaries to increase. For instance, those with five to ten years in the field often see salaries rise to $65,000 or more.
Exploring Job Opportunities
For those considering a career as a Human Resources Generalist, understanding the salary landscape is crucial. It not only aids in realistic salary expectations but also informs job seekers about potential negotiation points when applying for positions.
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Where can a Human Resources Generalist earn more?
Human resources generalist salaries by experience level
Human resources generalist salary estimates from across the web
Average human resources generalist salary by state
The average human resources generalist salary in New York, Washington, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average human resources generalist salary states are Hawaii, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for human resources generalists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $70,551 | $33.92 |
| 2 | Washington | $63,461 | $30.51 |
| 3 | New York | $64,053 | $30.79 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $60,476 | $29.07 |
| 5 | Delaware | $57,698 | $27.74 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $60,695 | $29.18 |
| 7 | Virginia | $60,742 | $29.20 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $55,408 | $26.64 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $56,349 | $27.09 |
| 10 | California | $61,413 | $29.53 |
| 11 | Oregon | $56,786 | $27.30 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $56,153 | $27.00 |
| 13 | Alaska | $57,783 | $27.78 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $61,805 | $29.71 |
| 15 | Illinois | $53,907 | $25.92 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $53,617 | $25.78 |
| 17 | Ohio | $51,893 | $24.95 |
| 18 | Colorado | $56,296 | $27.07 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $52,498 | $25.24 |
| 20 | Maryland | $59,648 | $28.68 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $51,580 | $24.80 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $51,495 | $24.76 |
| 23 | Alabama | $53,138 | $25.55 |
| 24 | Michigan | $51,039 | $24.54 |
| 25 | Indiana | $51,686 | $24.85 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $51,492 | $24.76 |
| 27 | Texas | $52,407 | $25.20 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $51,140 | $24.59 |
| 29 | Vermont | $49,242 | $23.67 |
| 30 | Maine | $49,863 | $23.97 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $49,439 | $23.77 |
| 32 | Kansas | $49,016 | $23.57 |
| 33 | Arizona | $48,598 | $23.36 |
| 34 | Idaho | $51,066 | $24.55 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $47,315 | $22.75 |
| 36 | Montana | $47,025 | $22.61 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $46,737 | $22.47 |
| 38 | Nevada | $47,209 | $22.70 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $48,254 | $23.20 |
| 40 | Iowa | $47,750 | $22.96 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $48,373 | $23.26 |
| 42 | Utah | $47,750 | $22.96 |
| 43 | Missouri | $49,057 | $23.59 |
| 44 | Georgia | $47,790 | $22.98 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $46,315 | $22.27 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $48,270 | $23.21 |
| 47 | Florida | $46,781 | $22.49 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $41,779 | $20.09 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $42,669 | $20.51 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $44,985 | $21.63 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $40,746 | $19.59 |
Highest paying cities for human resources generalists
The highest-paying cities for human resources generalists are Washington, DC, Richmond, CA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $70,619 | $33.95 |
| 2 | Richmond, CA | $65,618 | $31.55 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $64,404 | $30.96 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $63,856 | $30.70 |
| 5 | Richmond, VA | $60,685 | $29.18 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $60,293 | $28.99 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $59,804 | $28.75 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $56,672 | $27.25 |
| 9 | Rochester, MN | $56,430 | $27.13 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $56,322 | $27.08 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $55,669 | $26.76 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $54,159 | $26.04 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $52,870 | $25.42 |
| 14 | Fort Worth, TX | $52,435 | $25.21 |
| 15 | Milwaukee, WI | $51,753 | $24.88 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $51,505 | $24.76 |
| 17 | Charlotte, NC | $50,688 | $24.37 |
| 18 | Grand Rapids, MI | $50,505 | $24.28 |
| 19 | Portland, ME | $50,264 | $24.17 |
| 20 | Memphis, TN | $49,119 | $23.61 |
Human Resources Generalists are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Human resources generalist salary details
A human resources generalist's salary ranges from $41,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $76,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a human resources generalist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| 75th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| Average | $56,159 | $4,680 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
Highest paying human resources generalist jobs
The highest paying types of human resources generalists are senior human resources manager, human resources lead, and regional human resources manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Administration Manager | $76,637 | $6,386 | $36.84 | 47,008 |
| Regional Human Resources Manager | $88,466 | $7,372 | $42.53 | 63,987 |
| Human Resources Recruiter/Manager | $78,339 | $6,528 | $37.66 | 75,365 |
| Human Resources Coordinator | $44,074 | $3,673 | $21.19 | 53,322 |
| Human Resources Business Partner | $86,363 | $7,197 | $41.52 | 103,520 |
| Human Resources Consultant | $71,882 | $5,990 | $34.56 | 52,761 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for human resources generalists, 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 human resources generalists now:
Which companies pay human resources generalists the most?
Human resources generalist salaries at Microsoft and Amazon are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average human resources generalist salary at companies like Abiomed and Entegris are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $102,997 | $49.52 |
| 2 | Amazon | $98,528 | $47.37 |
| 3 | Abiomed | $96,395 | $46.34 |
| 4 | Entegris | $94,671 | $45.51 |
| 5 | Invesco | $93,741 | $45.07 |
| 6 | Yahoo | $93,009 | $44.72 |
| 7 | Adobe | $92,836 | $44.63 |
| 8 | Citi | $91,650 | $44.06 |
| 9 | General Atlantic | $89,762 | $43.15 |
| 10 | 8x8 | $89,139 | $42.86 |
| 11 | Avid | $87,712 | $42.17 |
| 12 | Visa | $86,566 | $41.62 |
| 13 | Yelp | $84,441 | $40.60 |
| 14 | Amphenol | $84,184 | $40.47 |
| 15 | HSBC Bank | $83,746 | $40.26 |
| 16 | Activision Blizzard | $83,002 | $39.90 |
| 17 | MSCI | $82,935 | $39.87 |
| 18 | HP | $82,488 | $39.66 |
| 19 | Fortinet | $82,418 | $39.62 |
| 20 | Earthjustice | $81,968 | $39.41 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Human Resources Generalist salary by industry
The average human resources generalist salary varies across industries:
- The average human resources generalist salary in the technology industry is $61,994, the highest of any industry.
- The average human resources generalist salary in the finance industry is $60,767.
- Human resources generalists in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $55,832, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for human resources generalists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $61,994 | $29.80 |
| 2 | Finance | $60,767 | $29.21 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $60,161 | $28.92 |
| 4 | Retail | $59,004 | $28.37 |
| 5 | Health Care | $58,856 | $28.30 |
| 6 | Professional | $58,627 | $28.19 |
| 7 | Hospitality | $55,832 | $26.84 |
High paying human resources generalist jobs
Human resources generalist salary trends
The average human resources generalist salary has risen by $7,434 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average human resources generalist earned $48,725 annually, but today, they earn $56,159 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for human resources generalists over the last decade.
Compare human resources generalist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average human resources generalist salary over time
Compare human resources generalist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Human resources generalist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $56,200 | $27.00 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $54,800 | $26.33 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $53,900 | $25.89 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | $53,400 | $25.66 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $52,300 | $25.17 | +1.4% |
Recently added human resources generalist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDEX | HR Generalist | Denver, CO | 06/30/2025 | $65,700 |
| Polaris Industries | HR Generalist-Global Engineering | Wyoming | 06/30/2025 | $64,000 |
| C.H. Guenther & Son | Human Resources Generalist, 11Am-8Pm | Denton, TX | 06/30/2025 | $70,127 |
| C.H. Guenther & Son | Human Resources Generalist | Prosperity, SC | 06/30/2025 | $70,127 |
| Jeppesen | Experienced Human Resources Generalist | Mesa, AZ | 06/30/2025 | $81,600 |
| Morgan, Lewis & Bockius | HR Generalist | Philadelphia, PA | 06/30/2025 | $84,200 |
| Smithfieldfoods | Human Resources Generalist | Saint James, MN | 06/30/2025 | $55,000 |
| Solectron Corp | HR Generalist | Buffalo Grove, IL | 06/30/2025 | $79,800 |
| Jackson Laboratory | Human Resources Generalist | Sacramento, CA | 06/30/2025 | $65,018 |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | Human Resources Generalist and Deputy Title IX Coordinator | North Adams, MA | 06/30/2025 | $62,000 |
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