HR Specialist Salary in Illinois

HR Specialists in Illinois have a median annual salary of $76,820, which works out to about $36.93 per hour, with a typical 25th–75th percentile range of $60,750 to $98,580, based on the latest BLS OEWS data.

13-1071 · Human Resources Specialists

HR Specialist pay in Illinois at a glance

Median annual salary

$76,820

Median hourly wage

$36.93/hr

Average annual salary

$81,480

Average hourly wage

$39.18/hr

25th percentile

$60,750

75th percentile

$98,580

10th percentile

$48,980

90th percentile

$123,940

People employed

35,430

Salary distribution

Reported wage points from the lowest to the highest paid HR specialist roles in Illinois.

10th percentile
$48,980
25th percentile
$60,750
Median percentile
$76,820
75th percentile
$98,580
90th percentile
$123,940

Illinois vs U.S. salary

The median salary for HR specialist roles in Illinois is about 1.2% above the U.S. median of $75,940 for the same occupation.

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How much does a HR specialist make in Illinois?

Half of HR specialist roles in Illinois report earning more than $76,820 a year and half report earning less — that is the median. The mean (average) of $81,480 is pulled up or down by the highest and lowest earners, which is why the median is usually the better benchmark.

Salary range

A quarter of reported salaries fall below $60,750 and a quarter are above $98,580, so most HR specialist pay sits between those two figures. These percentiles describe how pay is spread across all reported roles — they are not a direct measure of years of experience.

What can affect HR specialist pay?

  • Years of experience and level of responsibility
  • Employer type and size
  • Specialization within the occupation
  • Certifications and licensing
  • Industry
  • Hours worked, shift patterns and overtime
  • The local labor market where the job is based

HR Specialist pay in other states

Related jobs in Illinois

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Methodology · Data sources

Salary figures are benchmarks and can vary by employer, experience, specialization, hours worked and other factors.