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An Equal Opportunity Specialist plays a crucial role in fostering a workplace environment that values diversity and equitable treatment. As of October 2025, the average salary for these specialists stands at $60,556 per year. Salaries can vary significantly depending on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
For example, states like California and New York typically offer higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. Entry-level positions may start around $45,000, while experienced specialists can earn upwards of $80,000. This field not only provides competitive compensation but also opportunities for career advancement as organizations place greater emphasis on compliance and equity initiatives.
Experience greatly impacts salary potential. Entry-level professionals can expect to earn around $45,000, while those with 5-10 years of experience may see salaries rise to $65,000. Senior roles in management can exceed $80,000, particularly in larger organizations or government agencies.
As the focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion intensifies, the demand for Equal Opportunity Specialists is expected to grow. This field presents a unique opportunity for those interested in advocacy, compliance, and human resources.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level equal opportunity specialist | $41,300 | $19.87 |
| Mid-level equal opportunity specialist | $62,800 | $30.17 |
| Senior-level equal opportunity specialist | $104,000 | $49.93 |
The highest-paying states for equal opportunity specialists are Alaska, New Jersey, and California. The lowest average equal opportunity specialist salary states are Colorado, Minnesota, and North Carolina.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $95,336 | $45.83 |
| 2 | Alaska | $92,336 | $44.39 |
| 3 | Delaware | $76,647 | $36.85 |
| 4 | Nevada | $74,149 | $35.65 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $76,683 | $36.87 |
| 6 | Maryland | $75,817 | $36.45 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $73,729 | $35.45 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $80,955 | $38.92 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $75,449 | $36.27 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $68,300 | $32.84 |
| 11 | New York | $70,395 | $33.84 |
| 12 | Michigan | $68,778 | $33.07 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $77,247 | $37.14 |
| 14 | California | $80,665 | $38.78 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $61,118 | $29.38 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $66,842 | $32.14 |
| 17 | Ohio | $68,519 | $32.94 |
| 18 | Maine | $71,066 | $34.17 |
| 19 | Vermont | $70,605 | $33.94 |
| 20 | Indiana | $63,991 | $30.76 |
| 21 | Texas | $57,680 | $27.73 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $58,846 | $28.29 |
| 23 | Illinois | $65,638 | $31.56 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $56,403 | $27.12 |
| 25 | Idaho | $57,850 | $27.81 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $60,050 | $28.87 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $58,233 | $28.00 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $53,081 | $25.52 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $53,124 | $25.54 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $58,277 | $28.02 |
| 31 | Arizona | $54,035 | $25.98 |
| 32 | Virginia | $55,446 | $26.66 |
| 33 | Kansas | $54,105 | $26.01 |
| 34 | Utah | $54,363 | $26.14 |
| 35 | Montana | $53,980 | $25.95 |
| 36 | Iowa | $58,859 | $28.30 |
| 37 | Oregon | $52,445 | $25.21 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $51,901 | $24.95 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $50,106 | $24.09 |
| 40 | Missouri | $54,236 | $26.07 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $54,296 | $26.10 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $46,667 | $22.44 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $50,305 | $24.19 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $53,899 | $25.91 |
| 45 | Georgia | $50,553 | $24.30 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $37,607 | $18.08 |
| 47 | Florida | $40,398 | $19.42 |
| 48 | Washington | $51,501 | $24.76 |
| 49 | Colorado | $50,081 | $24.08 |
| 50 | Minnesota | $46,830 | $22.51 |
| 51 | Alabama | $39,832 | $19.15 |
The highest-paying cities for equal opportunity specialists are Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, and Jersey City, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $96,179 | $46.24 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $85,569 | $41.14 |
| 3 | Jersey City, NJ | $81,145 | $39.01 |
| 4 | Providence, RI | $76,606 | $36.83 |
| 5 | Enfield, CT | $76,514 | $36.79 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $75,239 | $36.17 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $70,592 | $33.94 |
| 8 | Burlington, VT | $69,716 | $33.52 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $67,572 | $32.49 |
| 10 | Milwaukee, WI | $67,319 | $32.36 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $66,490 | $31.97 |
| 12 | Holland, MI | $65,639 | $31.56 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $63,214 | $30.39 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $59,237 | $28.48 |
| 15 | Houston, TX | $58,129 | $27.95 |
| 16 | Ames, IA | $58,041 | $27.90 |
| 17 | Arlington, VA | $57,925 | $27.85 |
| 18 | Florence, SC | $56,675 | $27.25 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $55,462 | $26.66 |
| 20 | Phoenix, AZ | $54,046 | $25.98 |
An equal opportunity specialist's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $118,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| 75th Percentile | $86,000 | $7,167 | $41 |
| Average | $60,556 | $5,046 | $29 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
The highest paying types of equal opportunity specialists are equal opportunity counselor, complaint investigations officer, and specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human Rights Investigator | $50,039 | $4,170 | $24.06 | 43,389 |
Top companies hiring equal opportunity specialists now:
Equal opportunity specialist salaries at Apple and The Joint Commission are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average equal opportunity specialist salary at companies like Claxton Hepburn and IQNavigator Inc are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $146,590 | $70.48 |
| 2 | The Joint Commission | $117,234 | $56.36 |
| 3 | Claxton Hepburn | $115,960 | $55.75 |
| 4 | IQNavigator Inc | $97,249 | $46.75 |
| 5 | DoorDash | $93,582 | $44.99 |
| 6 | Great Falls Clinic | $89,010 | $42.79 |
| 7 | Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group | $88,376 | $42.49 |
| 8 | ASRC Federal | $84,940 | $40.84 |
| 9 | Vista Equity Partners | $84,850 | $40.79 |
| 10 | PMA Companies | $83,736 | $40.26 |
| 11 | TCR² Therapeutics | $81,892 | $39.37 |
| 12 | Enterprise Bank | $81,622 | $39.24 |
| 13 | First Federal Lakewood | $81,288 | $39.08 |
| 14 | Donegal Insurance Group | $80,774 | $38.83 |
| 15 | Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice | $80,556 | $38.73 |
| 16 | Harsco | $79,887 | $38.41 |
| 17 | Maxim Healthcare Group | $78,798 | $37.88 |
| 18 | ComputronixUSA | $78,734 | $37.85 |
| 19 | AEG | $78,437 | $37.71 |
| 20 | Schemmer | $75,059 | $36.09 |
The average equal opportunity specialist salary has risen by $8,824 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average equal opportunity specialist earned $51,732 annually, but today, they earn $60,556 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for equal opportunity specialists over the last decade.
Compare equal opportunity specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare equal opportunity specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $60,600 | $29.11 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $58,800 | $28.27 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $58,600 | $28.20 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $57,800 | $27.79 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $56,700 | $27.25 | +1.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Eye Group | EL Paso, TX Area-Excellent OD Opportunity | El Paso, TX | 06/29/2025 | $120,000 |
| Amergis | Tele Opportunity | Cleveland, OH | 06/28/2025 | $146,142 |
| The Eye Group | Western, MA-Excellent OD Opportunity | Stockbridge, MA | 06/27/2025 | $100,000 |
| Public School of North Carolina | Tchr-Opportunity Culture-EIT-3 GR | Greensboro, NC | 06/25/2025 | $57,900 |
| The Eye Group | OD Opportunity In The Buffalo, NY Area#6324 | Buffalo, NY | 06/15/2025 | $100,000 |
| State of New York | Equal Opportunity Specialist 1 | Albany, NY | 06/13/2025 | $72,391 |
| The Eye Group | OD Opportunity-Northeast Iowa-Excellent Opportunity | New Hampton, IA | 06/10/2025 | $100,000 |
| The Eye Group | Lucrative OD Opportunity In Springfield Area | Springfield, IL | 06/10/2025 | $100,000 |
| The Eye Group | Albuquerque, NM-Excellent OD Opportunity | Albuquerque, NM | 06/10/2025 | $100,000 |
| Sterling Employment Services | Bcaba-Immediate Opportunities | Kissimmee, FL | 06/10/2025 | $66,784 |
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