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Specialist salary
Average specialist salary
$58,013
Understanding Specialist Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for specialists is $58,013 annually. This figure represents a broad range of roles, from healthcare to IT, each with unique salary scales. For instance, specialists in the tech industry often command higher salaries compared to those in non-profit sectors. Salary variations also depend on geographical location; areas with a higher cost of living typically offer more competitive salaries.
To maximize earning potential, specialists should consider factors like years of experience and additional certifications. For example, those with advanced degrees or specialized training may see significant increases in their salary. Furthermore, networking and gaining experience in high-demand fields can enhance career prospects.
Job seekers can explore various opportunities on Zippia, where they can find a comprehensive list of specialist positions tailored to their skills and aspirations.
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Where can a Specialist earn more?
Specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for specialists are New Jersey, New York, and Delaware. The lowest average specialist salary states are Idaho, Nebraska, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $69,975 | $33.64 |
| 2 | Delaware | $70,439 | $33.86 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $62,747 | $30.17 |
| 4 | New York | $71,852 | $34.54 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $73,913 | $35.54 |
| 6 | California | $66,682 | $32.06 |
| 7 | Virginia | $62,248 | $29.93 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $65,019 | $31.26 |
| 9 | Illinois | $59,163 | $28.44 |
| 10 | Texas | $63,714 | $30.63 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $56,880 | $27.35 |
| 12 | Maryland | $55,047 | $26.46 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $65,192 | $31.34 |
| 14 | Michigan | $56,047 | $26.95 |
| 15 | Arizona | $49,064 | $23.59 |
| 16 | Nevada | $50,000 | $24.04 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $54,650 | $26.27 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $53,246 | $25.60 |
| 19 | Georgia | $51,834 | $24.92 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $49,320 | $23.71 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $49,649 | $23.87 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $47,466 | $22.82 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $47,467 | $22.82 |
| 24 | Ohio | $49,864 | $23.97 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $47,655 | $22.91 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $43,519 | $20.92 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $47,763 | $22.96 |
| 28 | Washington | $48,267 | $23.21 |
| 29 | Florida | $44,652 | $21.47 |
| 30 | Alaska | $43,100 | $20.72 |
| 31 | Indiana | $46,242 | $22.23 |
| 32 | Alabama | $46,539 | $22.37 |
| 33 | Vermont | $41,900 | $20.14 |
| 34 | Oregon | $44,265 | $21.28 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $43,561 | $20.94 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $39,933 | $19.20 |
| 37 | Utah | $41,092 | $19.76 |
| 38 | Iowa | $41,281 | $19.85 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $42,650 | $20.50 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $43,469 | $20.90 |
| 41 | Idaho | $40,604 | $19.52 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $42,203 | $20.29 |
| 43 | Montana | $38,852 | $18.68 |
| 44 | Colorado | $42,406 | $20.39 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $43,592 | $20.96 |
| 46 | Missouri | $42,565 | $20.46 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $40,044 | $19.25 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $39,757 | $19.11 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $42,400 | $20.38 |
| 50 | Maine | $38,829 | $18.67 |
| 51 | Kansas | $41,039 | $19.73 |
Highest paying cities for specialists
The highest-paying cities for specialists are Jersey City, NJ, New York, NY, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jersey City, NJ | $73,692 | $35.43 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $72,662 | $34.93 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $69,935 | $33.62 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $68,663 | $33.01 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $65,879 | $31.67 |
| 6 | San Antonio, TX | $64,886 | $31.20 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $62,221 | $29.91 |
| 8 | Richmond, VA | $62,022 | $29.82 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $59,759 | $28.73 |
| 10 | Jacksonville, NC | $58,632 | $28.19 |
| 11 | Baltimore, MD | $55,221 | $26.55 |
| 12 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $53,265 | $25.61 |
| 13 | Albany, GA | $52,012 | $25.01 |
| 14 | Las Vegas, NV | $49,917 | $24.00 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $49,165 | $23.64 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $49,074 | $23.59 |
| 17 | Des Moines, WA | $48,690 | $23.41 |
| 18 | Saint Paul, MN | $47,570 | $22.87 |
| 19 | Madison, MS | $47,470 | $22.82 |
| 20 | Madison, WI | $47,006 | $22.60 |
Specialists are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Specialist salary details
A specialist's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $104,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| 75th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| Average | $58,013 | $4,834 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Del Ross
Chief Revenue Officer, Hotel Effectiveness
Top companies hiring specialists now:
Which companies pay specialists the most?
Specialist salaries at The Citadel and McKinsey & Company Inc are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average specialist salary at companies like Morgan Lewis and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Citadel | $154,587 | $74.32 |
| 2 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $152,793 | $73.46 |
| 3 | Morgan Lewis | $149,201 | $71.73 |
| 4 | Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati | $141,444 | $68.00 |
| 5 | BP America Inc | $136,019 | $65.39 |
| 6 | Chevron | $132,370 | $63.64 |
| 7 | Meta | $130,773 | $62.87 |
| 8 | PayPal | $129,315 | $62.17 |
| 9 | $128,223 | $61.65 | |
| 10 | NVIDIA | $127,958 | $61.52 |
| 11 | Boston Consulting Group | $125,847 | $60.50 |
| 12 | Publicis Sapient | $125,669 | $60.42 |
| 13 | Exxon Mobil | $125,519 | $60.35 |
| 14 | Microsoft | $124,717 | $59.96 |
| 15 | AstraZeneca | $124,694 | $59.95 |
| 16 | Venable | $122,978 | $59.12 |
| 17 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $122,285 | $58.79 |
| 18 | RAND | $121,348 | $58.34 |
| 19 | Cloudflare | $119,659 | $57.53 |
| 20 | CITGO Petroleum | $119,531 | $57.47 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Specialist salary trends
The average specialist salary has risen by $8,865 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average specialist earned $49,148 annually, but today, they earn $58,013 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for specialists over the last decade.
Compare specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average specialist salary over time
Compare specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $58,000 | $27.89 | +3.3% |
| 2025 | $56,100 | $26.97 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $54,800 | $26.36 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $54,000 | $25.96 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $53,100 | $25.54 | +1.6% |
Recently added specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hormel Foods Corp | Sanitation Specialist | Papillion, NE | 06/30/2025 | $44,349 |
| Service Corporation International | Transfer Specialist | Columbia, MD | 06/30/2025 | $35,479 |
| Service Corporation International | Transfer Specialist | Seattle, WA | 06/30/2025 | $48,001 |
| Service Corporation International | Transfer Specialist | Greeley, CO | 06/30/2025 | $31,305 |
| Service Corporation International | Transfer Specialist | Kahului, HI | 06/30/2025 | $41,740 |
| Innovative Services | Precertification Specialist | Ione, OR | 06/30/2025 | $45,914 |
| Medtronic | Affera Mapping Specialist-CAS, Northeast | Providence, RI | 06/30/2025 | $120,000 |
| Medtronic | Affera Mapping Specialist | Dover, DE | 06/30/2025 | $120,000 |
| Serco | Cognitive Performance Specialist | Schofield Barracks, HI | 06/30/2025 | $57,526 |
| U-Haul | Diagnostic Specialist | Placentia, CA | 06/30/2025 | $37,566 |
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