Human Resources Specialist Salary in Baltimore, MD
Human Resources Specialists in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area earn a median $82,380 a year — 8% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $63,235 take-home, or $5,270 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median human resources specialist salary in Baltimore, MD. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,294
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,108
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,195
- Maryland income tax$3,549
- Take-home pay$63,235
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.75% state
Living in Baltimore City? City residents also pay Baltimore City’s city income tax — about $2,427 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $60,808 ($5,067 a month). Choose “Baltimore City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Human Resources Specialist pay by experience in Baltimore, MD
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $53,820 | $25.88 | $43,232 | $3,603 |
| 25th percentile | $64,140 | $30.84 | $51,033 | $4,253 |
| Median (50th) | $82,380 | $39.61 | $63,235 | $5,270 |
| 75th percentile | $108,950 | $52.38 | $80,659 | $6,722 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $132,620 | $63.76 | $95,908 | $7,992 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Maryland resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $82,380 buys in Baltimore, MD
Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.18× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median human resources specialist's $63,235 take-home pay has the buying power of $60,519 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Human Resources Specialist jobs are about as common in Baltimore, MD as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.00).
Best-paying cities for human resources specialists, adjusted for cost of living
Baltimore, MD ranks #25 of 62 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $112,140 | $80,063 | $72,506 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $100,830 | $74,162 | $68,111 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $92,770 | $74,094 | $66,671 |
| 4 | Durham, NC | $81,100 | $63,157 | $64,728 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $103,140 | $74,686 | $64,600 |
| 6 | Kansas City, MO | $75,190 | $59,130 | $63,894 |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | $72,930 | $60,136 | $63,491 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $75,440 | $60,610 | $63,486 |
| 25 | Baltimore, MD | $82,380 | $63,235 | $60,519 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 62 metros →
About the job: human resources specialists
Recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +6.4% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a human resources specialist make in Baltimore, MD?
The median human resources specialist salary in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area is $82,380 a year, or about $39.61 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $64,140 and $108,950.
What is a human resources specialist’s take-home pay in Baltimore, MD?
On the median $82,380 salary, a single filer living in Maryland takes home about $63,235 a year ($5,270 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,549 in Maryland taxes in 2026.
Is Baltimore, MD a good place to work as a human resources specialist?
Pay here is 8% above the national median of $75,940. Local prices are 4.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $60,519 would in a typical U.S. city. Baltimore, MD ranks #25 of 62 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a human resources specialist afford rent in Baltimore, MD?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Baltimore, MD is $1,511 a month ($1,857 for two bedrooms) — 29% of a median human resources specialist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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