Human resources managers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $88,200 | $42.40 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $149,280 | $71.77 |
| Mean (average) | $164,230 | $78.96 |
| 90th percentile | $267,810 | $128.76 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Human resources managers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $113,210 | $70,520 | $195,570 | 2,160 | 0.72 |
| Alaska | $129,570 | $79,020 | $196,700 | 610 | 1.32 |
| Arizona | $139,820 | $88,410 | $225,500 | 3,950 | 0.86 |
| Arkansas | $108,580 | $62,370 | $218,830 | 1,290 | 0.7 |
| California | $170,080 | $96,430 | $307,600 | 27,450 | 1.06 |
| Colorado | $166,400 | $103,580 | $276,380 | 3,620 | 0.89 |
| Connecticut | $165,930 | $102,530 | $295,480 | 3,020 | 1.25 |
| Delaware | $153,890 | $85,760 | $273,790 | 580 | 0.84 |
| District of Columbia | $184,350 | $113,300 | $275,000 | 2,250 | 2.26 |
| Florida | $137,790 | $79,420 | $232,760 | 11,570 | 0.82 |
| Georgia | $150,700 | $89,790 | $271,170 | 7,270 | 1.05 |
| Guam | $77,180 | $51,490 | $119,910 | 80 | 0.86 |
| Hawaii | $128,910 | $84,030 | $200,010 | 710 | 0.8 |
| Idaho | $119,990 | $82,250 | $200,480 | 1,040 | 0.86 |
| Illinois | $151,370 | $90,820 | $267,520 | 13,520 | 1.56 |
| Indiana | $130,340 | $85,230 | $213,640 | 3,030 | 0.67 |
| Iowa | $126,370 | $86,190 | $206,900 | 1,620 | 0.73 |
| Kansas | $134,470 | $91,990 | $219,980 | 1,290 | 0.63 |
| Kentucky | $121,460 | $76,520 | $194,280 | 1,960 | 0.69 |
| Louisiana | $107,880 | $75,690 | $177,870 | 1,390 | 0.5 |
| Maine | $129,720 | $74,150 | $207,160 | 700 | 0.76 |
| Maryland | $152,770 | $92,630 | $236,830 | 3,820 | 0.97 |
| Massachusetts | $181,780 | $99,990 | $315,700 | 7,540 | 1.46 |
| Michigan | $138,930 | $88,990 | $224,880 | 5,890 | 0.94 |
| Minnesota | $153,770 | $97,840 | $230,980 | 4,370 | 1.04 |
| Mississippi | $106,100 | $73,320 | $193,370 | 720 | 0.43 |
| Missouri | $130,680 | $81,730 | $225,160 | 3,510 | 0.84 |
| Montana | $115,280 | $81,330 | $186,460 | 530 | 0.74 |
| Nebraska | $129,460 | $81,990 | $205,180 | 1,660 | 1.14 |
| Nevada | $128,550 | $77,230 | $257,400 | 1,520 | 0.69 |
| New Hampshire | $135,000 | $79,120 | $221,970 | 1,150 | 1.19 |
| New Jersey | $172,440 | $108,040 | $294,570 | 6,400 | 1.05 |
| New Mexico | $118,070 | $78,000 | $198,230 | 820 | 0.66 |
| New York | $176,650 | $105,380 | $321,880 | 17,920 | 1.3 |
| North Carolina | $142,990 | $90,390 | $260,610 | 6,480 | 0.92 |
| North Dakota | $139,050 | $89,990 | $223,390 | 290 | 0.47 |
| Ohio | $130,480 | $81,940 | $218,740 | 8,040 | 1.02 |
| Oklahoma | $116,080 | $73,590 | $200,250 | 1,750 | 0.72 |
| Oregon | $140,570 | $92,900 | $238,590 | 2,810 | 1.01 |
| Pennsylvania | $133,060 | $80,940 | $222,690 | 8,230 | 0.96 |
| Puerto Rico | $78,370 | $49,710 | $156,120 | 860 | 0.64 |
| Rhode Island | $167,110 | $106,480 | $268,040 | 530 | 0.74 |
| South Carolina | $124,290 | $70,840 | $209,380 | 2,400 | 0.73 |
| South Dakota | $117,930 | $83,780 | $176,930 | 420 | 0.65 |
| Tennessee | $131,760 | $85,160 | $218,300 | 4,310 | 0.93 |
| Texas | $136,500 | $83,200 | $226,050 | 23,220 | 1.16 |
| Utah | $131,380 | $80,460 | $216,880 | 2,240 | 0.91 |
| Vermont | $132,050 | $91,650 | $214,350 | 360 | 0.84 |
| Virgin Islands | $77,490 | $67,070 | $108,730 | 70 | 1.47 |
| Virginia | $165,980 | $105,130 | $272,070 | 5,770 | 0.99 |
| Washington | $165,530 | $108,830 | $271,380 | 4,560 | 0.9 |
| West Virginia | $120,020 | $76,720 | $214,920 | 510 | 0.52 |
| Wisconsin | $133,490 | $91,520 | $215,620 | 3,730 | 0.89 |
| Wyoming | $127,520 | $87,750 | $200,070 | 140 | 0.34 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for human resources managers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 16,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for human resources managers
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Organizational Communication, General CIP 09.0901
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology CIP 42.2804
- Business Administration and Management, General CIP 52.0201
- Organizational Leadership CIP 52.0213
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General CIP 52.1001
- Labor and Industrial Relations CIP 52.1002
- Organizational Behavior Studies CIP 52.1003
- Labor Studies CIP 52.1004
- Executive/Career Coaching CIP 52.1006
Licenses and certifications
Professional in Human Resources
HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
SHRM Certified Professional
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions, interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems.
- Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations.
- Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures.
- Represent organization at personnel-related hearings and investigations.
- Negotiate bargaining agreements and help interpret labor contracts.
- Advise managers on organizational policy matters, such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment, and recommend needed changes.
- Plan and conduct new employee orientation to foster positive attitude toward organizational objectives.
- Analyze and modify compensation and benefits policies to establish competitive programs and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Workday software (in demand)
- Applicant tracking software (in demand)
- Oracle HRIS (in demand)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Kronos Workforce Timekeeper (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Management of Personnel Resources, Coordination, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management.
Common job titles: Employee Relations Manager, HR Admin Director (Human Resources Administration Director), HR Director (Human Resources Director), HR Manager (Human Resources Manager), HR Ops Manager (Human Resources Operations Manager), HR VP (Human Resources Vice President), Recruitment Director.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do human resources managers make?
The national median annual wage for human resources managers was $149,280 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $88,200 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $267,810. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do human resources managers need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with 5 years or more of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is human resources managers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of human resources managers to change +5.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 16,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay human resources managers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($184,350), Massachusetts ($181,780), New York ($176,650). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.