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Boston Career Explorer

Business and Financial Operations

Human Resources Specialists

Recruit, screen, interview, or place individuals within an organization. May perform other activities in multiple human resources areas.

Also called: Corporate Recruiter, Employment Representative, HR Analyst (Human Resources Analyst), HR Coordinator (Human Resources Coordinator), HR Generalist (Human Resources Generalist), Human Resources Representative (HR Rep)

Median pay in Greater Boston
$90,270
$43.40/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
21,770
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+5.4%
2,160 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$58,280$68,650$90,270$121,700$146,660

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Interpret and explain human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.
  • Hire employees and process hiring-related paperwork.
  • Maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
  • Prepare or maintain employment records related to events, such as hiring, termination, leaves, transfers, or promotions, using human resources management system software.
  • Address employee relations issues, such as harassment allegations, work complaints, or other employee concerns.
  • Review employment applications and job orders to match applicants with job requirements.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure93 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 93
  • Language-model AIOE 96
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 91

Observed AI use today: Substantial (Anthropic Economic Index)

HR specialists have higher AI exposure, and AI tools are already used in this work in a substantial way. Tools can help with paperwork, hiring records, and explaining policies. Handling employee complaints and harassment concerns, and applying laws such as the ADA with good judgment, still depends on people.

Likely to change

  • Processing hiring paperwork and records
  • Answering routine policy and procedure questions

Still relies on people

  • Handling harassment and employee complaints with care
  • Judging how EEO and ADA rules apply

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Compliance Officers

    Your knowledge of employment laws and regulations carries over. This job offers a higher Boston median pay ($103,940) and some on-the-job training.

    Pay difference
    +$13,670 median
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    Bachelor's degree

  • Administrative Services Managers

    Your skills with records, reports, and organizing office work carry over. This move offers higher pay ($120,670) and lower AI exposure.

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  • Project Management Specialists

    Working with stakeholders and solving people problems carries over. This job offers higher Boston median pay ($114,990) and lower AI exposure.

    Pay difference
    +$24,720 median
    AI exposure
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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

57 programs near Boston (plus 37 graduate)

Related occupations

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