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Job outlook for staff specialists in the United States
Staff specialist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected staff specialist job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 83,100 new jobs for staff specialists are projected over the next decade.
Staff specialist salaries have increased 9% for staff specialists in the last 5 years.
There are over 30,941 staff specialists currently employed in the United States.
There are 132,417 active staff specialist job openings in the US.
The average staff specialist salary is $84,247.
Are staff specialist jobs in demand?
Staff specialist job and salary trends over time
Staff specialist jobs over time
Staff specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 30,941 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 10,111 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 9,902 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 31,850 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 30,073 | 0.01% |
Average staff specialist salary over time
Staff specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $84,247 | $40.50 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $81,040 | $38.96 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $79,141 | $38.05 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | $78,558 | $37.77 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $77,469 | $37.24 | +1.3% |
Staff specialist jobs by state
Most common states for staff specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 544 | 78% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,207 | 32% |
| 3 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 169 | 29% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 293 | 28% |
| 5 | Vermont | 623,657 | 176 | 28% |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 283 | 27% |
| 7 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 350 | 26% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 246 | 26% |
| 9 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 196 | 26% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 730 | 24% |
| 11 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 470 | 24% |
| 12 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 406 | 24% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 327 | 24% |
| 14 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,952 | 23% |
| 15 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,420 | 23% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,865 | 22% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,230 | 22% |
| 18 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 923 | 22% |
| 19 | Alaska | 739,795 | 166 | 22% |
| 20 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 654 | 21% |
Most common cities for staff specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridge | 2 | 2% | $94,395 |
| 2 | Stratford | 1 | 2% | $92,844 |
| 3 | Minneapolis | 3 | 1% | $64,516 |
| 4 | Oceanside | 1 | 1% | $90,799 |
| 5 | Salt Lake City | 1 | 1% | $59,189 |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $92,541 |
| 7 | Bakersfield | 1 | 0% | $94,808 |
| 8 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $75,831 |
| 9 | Birmingham | 1 | 0% | $59,520 |
| 10 | El Paso | 1 | 0% | $88,273 |
| 11 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $64,438 |
| 12 | Saint Paul | 1 | 0% | $64,666 |
Staff Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of staff specialist experts
Carolina University
The Citadel
Marymount Manhattan College
New Mexico State University
Baylor University
Concordia University Irvine
Southern Oregon University
Concordia University Irvine
Whatcom Community College
Thomas Jones
Distinguished Professor of BusinessCarolina University
Patterson School of Business
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Staff Specialists?
Thomas Jones: The enduring impact for employment opportunities created by the COVID crisis may be felt across many academic disciplines, particularly at the undergraduate level. Students with undergraduate and graduate STEM degrees will not face challenges, it appears. In fact, there seems to be increasing demand across the board for STEM graduates at starting salaries similar to recent past years. The demand for business, business related economics, computer technology and information systems, and accounting graduates at both the graduate and undergraduate levels remains strong, particularly at the graduate level. Liberal arts, education, health and exercise science, and religion graduates (to identify a few) at both the undergraduate and graduate levels are facing a completely different reality, it appears. Because of declining job demand for these graduates, many will find job placement difficult and, in many cases will need to seek temporary employment in jobs not requiring college educations.
No one really knows what the long-term impact of working from home will be. And the timing for large numbers of students returning to large classrooms is also an unknown. Both of these events may have significant ramifications. For instance, if large numbers of employees do not return to the downtown office, the economic impact could be massive. Commercial real estate, transportation related industries, restaurants, office equipment manufacturing and sales, city tax bases, and a host of other issues will come into play. We are already seeing cities such as New York attempting to tax the earnings of employees at home in other states. If learning online becomes the norm for some portion of the K-12 experience or in higher education, there will be similar upheavals that will be devastating for some players in the academic world. How this plays out across time is anyone's guess. But for the current graduate without a STEM, computer, or business related degree, the market may remain tight for some time to come. Another, rarely addressed issue, is learning to communicate with other age groups. Coming from liberal arts and non-professional education is creating, for many, a significant inability to effectively communicate with other age groups. This has been a topic addressed by top executives and major consulting firms for several years. This is a factor, not related to COVID, that lessens job opportunities for many current college graduates.
This also points out the critical importance of mastering computer technology for all graduates. Working from home carries with it an implicit ability with computer technology. An understanding of windows, Power Pont, some kind of spread-sheet ability, and an understanding of Zoom or similar technologies (along with key-board skills right now), is the base requirement to work from home. Technology is moving in the direction of language translation so key-board skills may become a thing of the past but not for today's graduate. Lower skill level jobs are rarely doable from home and this creates another set of issues, not related to the challenges being faced by graduates from today's institutions of higher education.
Dr. Todd Wittman Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorThe Citadel
Department of Mathematical Sciences
What skills stand out on Staff Specialist resumes?
Dr. Todd Wittman Ph.D.: I would strongly recommend any mathematics major to get a good background in statistics and computer programming, even if that is not going to be their primary field of study. You can still concentrate on the topics that interest you, but it is important to diversify your skill set.
Getting involved in a research project tells a prospective employer that you have done work beyond the classroom. It shows that you can tackle a difficult problem that does not have an answer in the back of the textbook. At most colleges and universities, faculty are eager to work with bright undergraduate students on projects. Students are often intimidated by their faculty, but it does not hurt to ask. It might result in an interesting research experience, internship, or even a lead on a job after graduation.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Staff Specialists in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Vandana Rao Ph.D.: Software related to operations management, big data analysis for planning and forecasting, software for virtual collaboration -- all of these will be in high demand. There will be rapid development of more sophisticated tools - and all professionals will need to keep pace with the latest in tech.
Argie Hernandez
Division AdvisorNew Mexico State University
Business & Public Services
What type of skills will young Staff Specialists need?
Argie Hernandez: -Problem Solving
-Computer skills
-Writing and Communication
-Critical Thinking
-Team Player (very important)
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Staff Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Sara Perry Ph.D.: More opportunities for remote work will be available than ever before, even after the pandemic. Even for new hires/new grads. Remote recruitment is another huge trend right now that will likely continue in some form. New types of job opportunities right now in the booming areas (e.g., covid-related jobs but also amazon and Home Depot, to name a few).
What experience really stands out on Staff Specialist resumes?
Dr. Drew Wolf: Leadership - Illustrating the experience in taking the lead on a project or successfully managing others is one attribute that stands out on a resume in the business world today. Along those lines, resume bullet points can include accomplishments as a leader in business. Don't just tell the employee where they worked and illustrate why you were valuable to the company.
How do you envision technology impacting Staff Specialists in the next 5 years?
Dr. Drew Wolf: The impact of technology is one of the reasons leadership is significant to a resume. As more business is conducted away from the office and via virtual meetings, companies look for candidates independent of constant supervision; an applicant who shows initiative and the ability to prioritize and get things done is a valuable employee in today's technology-fueled business world.
Katie Pittman Ph.D.
Division Director, Associate ProfessorSouthern Oregon University
School of Business
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Staff Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Katie Pittman Ph.D.: I think that the most significant trend we'll see in the job market, coming from the pandemic, is a greater willingness and acceptance of remote work and flexible working arrangements. We've already seen announcements from several of the major tech companies, and I expect that many other organizations will follow suit, at least in terms of allowing for more flexible work arrangements for many segments of administrative and tech/info systems workers -- regardless of industry.
Kim Chatani
Assistant ProfessorConcordia University Irvine
School of Business & Economics
How would you rate the starting salaries for Staff Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Kim Chatani: Starting salaries will continue to increase but will be more dictated by supply and demand for the skill sets that graduates will provide. The current COVID 19 pandemic has put traditional thinking on its head. Employers will be evaluating employee skills in a multi-dimensional plane, competency, mobility, and transferability.
What type of skills will young Staff Specialists need?
Jim Drinkwine: Employers consistently say they want graduates with strong people skills. While technical skills are good, being able to work effectively in group settings is more important. I hear from students all the time about how much they dislike group projects for several reasons. However, the topic of the group project isn't as crucial as the teamwork skills you develop as a part of this type of learning. Take every opportunity you can to develop strong skills in interpersonal communication, collaboration, and problem-solving.