LocalSalaryHub Salary Report
Human Resources Specialists in San Diego, CA · Generated August 13, 2026
Human Resources Specialists Salary in San Diego, CA $81,300/yr
$81,300
Mean: $91,760
~$63,414 est. take-home
$39.09
Based on 2,080 hrs/yr
100
100 = national avg
Very affordable
Affordability score: 100/100
$2,761/mo
52%
Salary Distribution
Where the median falls between the 25th and 75th percentile.
25th %
$65,710
Median
$81,300
75th %
$107,800
Median is in the 37th percentile of the typical range
Human Resources Specialists in other CA cities
Compare the same occupation across cities in CA.
About Human Resources Specialists salaries in San Diego, CA
Human Resources Specialists in San Diego, CA earn a median of $81,300 per year, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. The mean salary is $91,760, which tends to skew higher because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Most human resources specialists in this area earn between $65,710 and $107,800. Where you land depends on experience, employer type, and whether you have in-demand specializations.
That works out to roughly $39.09 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year. Actual hourly pay may differ for part-time or contract roles.
Career Outlook
8% growth. Recruiting is harder than ever, benefits are more complex, and employees expect more from HR departments. Specialists who can run ATS platforms, analyze retention data, and manage DEI programs are the ones getting hired.
Worth knowing: SHRM-CP or HRCI certifications plus basic data analytics skills (Excel pivot tables at minimum, SQL preferred) will put you above the median. The gap between certified and uncertified HR specialists keeps widening.
Human Resources Specialists Jobs in San Diego, CA
Median: $81,300/yr — browse openings that fit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary for a human resources specialists in San Diego?▾
The median — where half earn more and half earn less — is $81,300. The average (mean) is $91,760, which is higher because top earners pull it up.
How much does a human resources specialists make per hour in San Diego?▾
About $39.09/hour, based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. Part-time or overtime hours will change the actual rate.
What is the salary range for human resources specialists in San Diego?▾
The middle 50% earn between $65,710 and $107,800. Below $65,710 is typically entry-level; above $107,800 usually means significant experience or specialized skills.
Salary Conversion Table
How does $81,300 per year break down across different time periods?
| Period | Gross | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly | $81,300 | $63,414 |
| Monthly | $6,775 | $5,285 |
| Biweekly | $3,127 | $2,439 |
| Weekly | $1,563 | $1,220 |
| Hourly (40h/wk) | $39.09 | $30.49 |
| Hourly (35h/wk) | $44.67 | $34.84 |
| Hourly (30h/wk) | $52.12 | $40.65 |
| Daily (8h) | $313 | $244 |
Take-home estimates use an effective tax rate of 22%. Actual amounts vary by filing status, deductions, and state tax.
Human Resources Specialists: Highest-Paying Cities in the U.S.
Top 10 cities nationwide for human resources specialists, based on BLS median salary data.
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See more salary data
More pages tied to this occupation and region.
- Human Resources Specialists salaries nationwide — the national median and the highest-paying metros for human resources specialists across all states.
- All CA salary data — every occupation we cover in CA, ranked by median pay, plus the cities that pay the most.
- Human Resources Specialists in San Jose, CA — the top-paying city for human resources specialists in our dataset, in case you are weighing a move out of San Diego.
- Project Management Specialists salary overview — a closely related role (same SOC major group) with a national median of $93,644.