How much does a Department Specialist make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Department Specialist in the United States is $58,272 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $28.
However, a Department Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $68,958
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $51,877 to $63,866
Key Factors That Influence Department Specialist Salaries
A Department Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Department Specialist Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Department Specialist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Department Specialist Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Department Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $64,519.
California: $64,274.
Massachusetts: $63,418.
District of Columbia$64,519
California$64,274
Massachusetts$63,418
Washington$63,185
New Jersey$63,161
Alaska$63,080
Connecticut$62,276
New York$61,949
Hawaii$60,906
Rhode Island$60,417
Maryland$60,085
Minnesota$59,630
Colorado$59,455
Illinois$59,397
Oregon$59,176
Delaware$59,012
New Hampshire$58,910
Virginia$58,680
Pennsylvania$58,010
Nevada$57,672
North Dakota$57,561
Michigan$57,387
Wisconsin$57,323
Vermont$57,194
Texas$56,839
Maine$56,816
Arizona$56,781
Ohio$56,740
Georgia$56,204
Indiana$55,936
Wyoming$55,883
Utah$55,802
Iowa$55,767
Kansas$55,487
Louisiana$55,405
North Carolina$55,376
Missouri$55,365
Florida$55,137
Montana$55,015
Nebraska$54,898
Kentucky$54,834
South Carolina$54,601
Tennessee$54,456
Idaho$54,397
New Mexico$53,972
Oklahoma$53,879
Alabama$53,535
South Dakota$52,958
Arkansas$52,643
West Virginia$52,474
Mississippi$51,967
Top Paying Cities for Department Specialists
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $73,499
San Francisco: $72,694
Oakland: $71,162
San Jose, CA$73,499
San Francisco, CA$72,694
Oakland, CA$71,162
New York, NY$67,094
Paramus, NJ$66,278
Queens Village, NY$66,276
Passaic, NJ$66,220
Bergenfield, NJ$66,215
Stamford, CT$66,087
Huntington, NY$66,063
Newark, NJ$65,632
Bridgeport, CT$65,509
Vallejo, CA$65,393
New Brunswick, NJ$65,370
Petaluma, CA$65,335
Middlesex, NJ$65,224
Somerset, NJ$65,184
Santa Cruz, CA$65,108
Boston, MA$64,752
Monterey, CA$64,548
Seattle, WA$64,414
Santa Rosa, CA$64,403
Los Angeles, CA$64,385
Juneau, AK$64,234
Washington, DC$64,170
Orange, CA$63,962
Santa Ana, CA$63,808
Long Beach, CA$63,750
Anaheim, CA$63,738
Anchorage, AK$63,709
Santa Maria, CA$63,534
Everett, WA$63,523
Danbury, CT$63,318
Bremerton, WA$63,237
Tacoma, WA$63,027
New Suffolk, NY$63,026
Sacramento, CA$63,010
Santa Barbara, CA$62,946
Trenton, NJ$62,882
San Diego, CA$62,882
Brockton, MA$62,818
Fairbanks, AK$62,675
Lompoc, CA$62,526
Lowell, MA$62,479
Ventura, CA$62,468
Nashua, NH$62,456
Stockton, CA$62,451
Modesto, CA$62,025
Poughkeepsie, NY$61,897
Olympia, WA$61,786
Kennewick, WA$61,786
New Haven, CT$61,763
Lawrence, MA$61,553
Hartford, CT$61,495
Riverside, CA$61,483
New Bedford, MA$61,425
Richland, WA$61,425
Bakersfield, CA$61,343
San Bernardino, CA$61,320
New Britain, CT$61,314
Atlantic City, NJ$61,314
New London, CT$61,291
Norwich, CT$61,273
Portsmouth, NH$61,262
Boulder, CO$61,138
Portland, OR$61,058
Worcester, MA$61,052
Minneapolis, MN$60,871
Philadelphia, PA$60,790
Honolulu, HI$60,597
Saint Paul, MN$60,569
Vineland, NJ$60,557
Providence, RI$60,388
Chicago, IL$60,219
Bellingham, WA$60,149
Springfield, MA$60,102
Baltimore, MD$60,085
Chico, CA$59,939
Pittsfield, MA$59,782
Manchester, NH$59,671
Spokane, WA$59,415
Denver, CO$59,409
Albany, NY$59,135
Troy, NY$59,112
Nassau, NY$59,049
Schenectady, NY$58,989
Wilmington, DE$58,943
Burlington, VT$58,861
Salem, OR$58,838
Portland, ME$58,657
Yakima, WA$58,599
Rochester, MN$58,418
Reno, NV$58,389
Fresno, CA$58,389
Milwaukee, WI$58,336
Detroit, MI$58,278
Ann Arbor, MI$58,268
Allentown, PA$58,261
Colorado Springs, CO$58,162
Syracuse, NY$58,133
Carson City, NV$58,133
Houston, TX$58,051
Eugene, OR$58,022
Gary, IN$57,952
Springfield, OR$57,905
Bismarck, ND$57,894
Galveston, TX$57,853
Medford, OR$57,765
Fort Collins, CO$57,742
Concord, NH$57,713
Austin, TX$57,696
Mesa, AZ$57,573
Reading, PA$57,567
Phoenix, AZ$57,561
Dallas, TX$57,544
Saint Cloud, MN$57,488
Madison, WI$57,410
Utica, NY$57,253
Rochester, NY$57,159
Des Moines, IA$57,154
Raleigh, NC$57,148
Atlanta, GA$57,060
Battle Creek, MI$57,043
Salt Lake City, UT$57,025
Lancaster, PA$56,938
Harrisburg, PA$56,856
Kansas City, MO$56,798
Champaign, IL$56,786
Kansas City, KS$56,786
Fort Worth, TX$56,781
Columbus, OH$56,771
Boca Raton, FL$56,757
Pittsburgh, PA$56,734
Richmond, VA$56,711
Indianapolis, IN$56,699
Cleveland, OH$56,693
Las Vegas, NV$56,623
Cincinnati, OH$56,623
Petersburg, VA$56,536
Huntsville, AL$56,448
Lansing, MI$56,409
Lebanon, PA$56,402
Pueblo, CO$56,396
Appleton, WI$56,379
Buffalo, NY$56,355
Dayton, OH$56,338
Racine, WI$56,326
Charlotte, NC$56,320
Saint Louis, MO$56,303
York, PA$56,268
Elkhart, IN$56,268
Gastonia, NC$56,257
Billings, MT$56,243
Beaumont, TX$56,227
Lorain, OH$56,215
Benton Harbor, MI$56,204
Toledo, OH$56,192
Binghamton, NY$56,163
Rock Hill, SC$56,157
Rockford, IL$56,128
Springfield, IL$56,105
Elyria, OH$56,099
Fargo, ND$56,099
Flagstaff, AZ$56,058
Fort Lauderdale, FL$56,023
Duluth, MN$55,988
Miami, FL$55,988
Cheyenne, WY$55,947
Grand Forks, ND$55,947
Bangor, ME$55,819
Cedar Rapids, IA$55,755
Durham, NC$55,731
Louisville, KY$55,726
Grand Rapids, MI$55,714
Hialeah, FL$55,708
Casper, WY$55,627
Scranton, PA$55,557
New Orleans, LA$55,539
Virginia Beach, VA$55,534
Akron, OH$55,504
Peoria, IL$55,429
Sarasota, FL$55,417
Nashville, TN$55,376
Omaha, NE$55,376
Green Bay, WI$55,376
Baton Rouge, LA$55,347
Charleston, SC$55,335
Jamestown, NY$55,306
Davenport, IA$55,306
Tucson, AZ$55,277
Saint Petersburg, FL$55,242
Tampa, FL$55,231
Evansville, IN$55,196
Port Arthur, TX$55,196
Bradenton, FL$55,172
Santa Fe, NM$55,067
Orlando, FL$54,963
Clearwater, FL$54,945
Canton, OH$54,823
La Crosse, WI$54,823
Albuquerque, NM$54,788
Newport News, VA$54,782
High Point, NC$54,764
Ogden, UT$54,741
Corpus Christi, TX$54,694
Norfolk, VA$54,660
Laramie, WY$54,660
Rock Island, IL$54,625
Saginaw, MI$54,613
Jacksonville, FL$54,607
Salisbury, NC$54,595
Boise, ID$54,584
Moline, IL$54,555
Fort Myers, FL$54,537
Memphis, TN$54,525
Tulsa, OK$54,496
Waterloo, IA$54,461
Spartanburg, SC$54,403
Lincoln, NE$54,374
Fort Wayne, IN$54,362
Provo, UT$54,356
Cedar Falls, IA$54,287
San Antonio, TX$54,263
Greensboro, NC$54,240
South Bend, IN$54,234
Savannah, GA$54,170
Muskegon, MI$54,147
Birmingham, AL$54,141
Winston Salem, NC$54,112
Lake Charles, LA$53,972
Anderson, IN$53,960
Lexington, KY$53,943
Augusta, GA$53,925
Greenville, SC$53,925
Lima, OH$53,879
Wichita, KS$53,873
Tuscaloosa, AL$53,873
Columbia, SC$53,820
Springfield, OH$53,809
Asheville, NC$53,715
Bloomington, IN$53,675
Knoxville, TN$53,465
Shreveport, LA$53,459
Wilmington, NC$53,383
Roanoke, VA$53,383
Topeka, KS$53,278
Frankfort, KY$53,272
Oklahoma City, OK$53,232
Chillicothe, OH$53,209
Longview, TX$53,203
Melbourne, FL$53,197
Sioux Falls, SD$53,104
Mobile, AL$53,098
Terre Haute, IN$53,075
Altoona, PA$53,040
Amarillo, TX$52,999
Killeen, TX$52,981
Fayetteville, AR$52,935
Chattanooga, TN$52,917
Sioux City, IA$52,865
Idaho Falls, ID$52,853
Lynchburg, VA$52,806
Gainesville, FL$52,731
Portsmouth, OH$52,702
Little Rock, AR$52,690
Lafayette, LA$52,667
Youngstown, OH$52,667
Daytona Beach, FL$52,632
Clarksville, TN$52,626
Pensacola, FL$52,620
Temple, TX$52,616
Hopkinsville, KY$52,445
Erie, PA$52,434
Florence, SC$52,410
Charleston, WV$52,317
Great Falls, MT$52,288
Macon, GA$52,206
Tallahassee, FL$52,200
Fayetteville, NC$52,189
Waco, TX$52,177
Helena, MT$52,136
Pine Bluff, AR$52,114
Vincennes, IN$52,043
Lubbock, TX$52,020
Alamogordo, NM$51,985
Twin Falls, ID$51,932
Rapid City, SD$51,915
Jackson, MS$51,810
Huntington, WV$51,806
Greenville, MS$51,804
Parkersburg, WV$51,745
Montgomery, AL$51,734
Wichita Falls, TX$51,676
Springfield, MO$51,676
Biloxi, MS$51,647
Monroe, LA$51,589
Johnstown, PA$51,548
Sumter, SC$51,524
Columbus, GA$51,519
Pascagoula, MS$51,408
Abilene, TX$51,408
Kingsport, TN$51,256
Albany, GA$51,256
Gulfport, MS$51,239
Alexandria, LA$51,047
Fort Smith, AR$50,901
El Paso, TX$50,744
Las Cruces, NM$50,481
Harlingen, TX$50,333
Pocatello, ID$50,324
Florence, AL$50,248
Brownsville, TX$50,237
Mcallen, TX$50,114
Dothan, AL$50,033
Columbus, MS$49,687
Altus, OK$49,415
Lawton, OK$49,304
Pierre, SD$49,094
What Skills Can Increase a Department Specialist's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 17.54% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Internal Control (Mentioned in 2.27% Job Postings): Internal control, as defined by accounting and auditing, is a process for assuring of an organization's objectives in operational effectiveness and efficiency, reliable financial reporting, and compliance with laws, regulations and policies.
Vault Operations (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): Vault Cash Operations means the vault cash or other arrangements pursuant to which various financial institutions fund the cash requirements of automated teller machines and cash access facilities operated by the Company and its Subsidiaries
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Department Specialist's salary.
Business Development: Can increase your salary by up to 37%.
Credit Reports: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
Department Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Department Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 70% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Financial Services and Insurance
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average.
In contrast, Department Specialist positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Department Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Department Specialist
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services
$81,581
$39.0
40%
Insurance
$69,927
$34.0
20%
Department Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Department Specialist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$51,877
Average$58,272/year
$63,866
$4,323
Average$4,856/month
$5,322
$998
Average$1,121/week
$1,228
$25
Average$28/hour
$31
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$63,866
$5,322
$1,228
$31
Average
$58,272
$4,856
$1,121
$28
25th Percentile
$51,877
$4,323
$998
$25
Salaries of Jobs related to Department Specialist
Department Director$110,416
Department Specialist III$97,058
Department Chair$75,919
Department Assistant$75,281
Department Administrator$67,665
Department Supervisor$65,978
Marketing Department$64,985
Department Head$59,709
Department Coordinator$52,707
Department Manager$47,206
Head Of Department$46,650
Salary Trends for Department Specialist
Salaries for a Department Specialist can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $68,045 in 2023
to around $68,362 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Department Specialist salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Department Specialist Over Time
$???
$68,045
$68,567
$68,362
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$68,045
2024
$68,567
2025
$68,362
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Department Specialist
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Department Specialist
Here are companies hiring for Department Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.
K$114,295/per year
Kpmg Us LLPBusiness Servicesthe United States
W$114,096/per year
Warner Bros DiscoveryBusiness Servicesthe United States
D$111,927/per year
Dentsu International LtdBusiness Servicesthe United States
G$111,873/per year
GroupM Worldwide IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
C$111,651/per year
CoWorx StaffingBusiness Servicesthe United States
C$110,194/per year
Contemporary Services CorpBusiness Servicesthe United States
S$107,128/per year
Showcase CinemasBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$106,429/per year
Amentum Services IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$106,199/per year
Allied Universal Security Services LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
S$106,104/per year
Sodexo USABusiness Servicesthe United States
J$105,192/per year
JLL TechnologiesBusiness Servicesthe United States
I$104,478/per year
Intact Insurance Group USA LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
N$101,619/per year
NielsenIQBusiness Servicesthe United States
T$101,470/per year
The Leading Edge AllianceBusiness Servicesthe United States
H$101,308/per year
Honeywell UOPBusiness Servicesthe United States
R$97,720/per year
Reeve & AssociatesBusiness Servicesthe United States
M$97,584/per year
ManpowerGroup Global IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
F$95,980/per year
Financial Sys NcoBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$95,314/per year
Arrow Global LtdBusiness Servicesthe United States
C$94,777/per year
CarMax Enterprise Services LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
D$94,479/per year
DZConneXBusiness Servicesthe United States
A$93,802/per year
Adecco Staffing, USABusiness Servicesthe United States
R$92,937/per year
Resource MFGBusiness Servicesthe United States
Z$92,774/per year
Zachry Brands IncBusiness Servicesthe United States
G$88,138/per year
Greystar Worldwide LLCBusiness Servicesthe United States
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FAQ about Department Specialist
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Department Specialist?
The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Department Specialist roles,
with salaries approximately 40% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
