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What Is a Human Resources (HR) Manager's Salary?

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Median Annual HR Salary

The annual median salary for an HR manager with a bachelor's degree is $130,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Human Resources Managers

National data

Median Salary: $130,000

Projected job growth: 5.2%

10th Percentile: $76,610

25th Percentile: $98,230

75th Percentile: $171,170

90th Percentile: $224,360

Projected job growth: 5.2%

State data

State Median Salary Bottom 10% Top 10%
Alabama $99,600 $56,430 $163,760
Alaska $107,760 $74,480 $165,810
Arizona $125,150 $75,670 $202,920
Arkansas $93,830 $52,130 $174,140
California $155,790 $84,150 N/A
Colorado $147,500 $96,610 $238,000
Connecticut $132,820 $78,190 $227,600
Delaware $144,570 $67,250 N/A
District of Columbia $165,530 $103,730 N/A
Florida $113,710 $74,430 $204,820
Georgia $124,400 $70,010 $212,440
Hawaii $107,590 $74,090 $167,540
Idaho $102,330 $68,330 $161,960
Illinois $128,330 $79,120 $216,230
Indiana $115,410 $74,590 $188,880
Iowa $108,850 $72,550 $178,650
Kansas $119,200 $79,720 $177,630
Kentucky $106,090 $69,330 $166,090
Louisiana $96,690 $64,700 $161,290
Maine $129,830 $87,100 $205,830
Maryland $130,150 $84,600 $210,430
Massachusetts $161,400 $91,370 N/A
Michigan $113,930 $72,410 $198,810
Minnesota $132,900 $79,640 $214,100
Mississippi $88,790 $58,860 $165,840
Missouri $121,730 $66,610 $182,870
Montana $101,140 $60,920 $157,390
Nebraska $108,780 $71,860 $174,450
Nevada $81,520 $54,870 $157,950
New Hampshire $126,730 $77,500 $212,930
New Jersey $167,890 $107,360 N/A
New Mexico $105,870 $67,140 $170,800
New York $169,800 $99,460 N/A
North Carolina $123,770 $76,620 $209,960
North Dakota $112,980 $75,220 $191,910
Ohio $120,050 $77,020 $213,050
Oklahoma $103,180 $63,970 $176,950
Oregon $122,330 $75,080 $174,980
Pennsylvania $121,500 $72,680 $199,700
Rhode Island $138,800 $84,980 N/A
South Carolina $100,890 $60,630 $164,970
South Dakota $102,390 $74,500 $160,350
Tennessee $104,180 $64,250 $179,040
Texas $125,160 $69,440 $217,590
Utah $110,040 $68,590 $197,140
Vermont $105,710 $73,160 N/A
Virginia $145,720 $87,370 $230,300
Washington $147,300 $103,220 N/A
West Virginia $102,720 $68,230 $172,200
Wisconsin $124,650 $87,160 $200,640
Wyoming $93,350 $72,000 $142,250

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2022 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

In this Article

A Range of Human Resource Salaries

The role and responsibilities of a human resources manager vary greatly by employer. For example, larger organizations may have more HR professionals working in specialized areas, while smaller organizations have fewer managers who handle multiple areas as the need arises. These factors, along with geographic location, education, and experience affect what HR managers earn.

The BLS reports that HR managers in the top 25% of earners make $171,170, while those in the lowest 10% earn $76,610.

How Much Do HR Managers Make in the Top Metro Areas

Many of the highest-paying metro areas for HR managers in the U.S. are on the coasts. Here are the top 10, according to BLS data.

Metro Area Median Annual Salary
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $188,110
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA $177,600
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA $173,620
Ithaca, NY $166,160
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH $166,000
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $163,130
Boulder, CO $162,000
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $160,190
Trenton, NJ $154,790
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO $154,220

More Factors that Influence Salary

There are other factors that can influence the salary of an HR manager. Here are some to consider when you think about how much you'd like to earn in this role.

Education

While you can land a job with an associate degree in human resource management, an HR manager typically has a bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field. The knowledge, skills, and critical thinking experience you gain from your education are essential for a managerial role, which involves planning, managing, and decision making.

Rue Dooley, SHRM-SCP, the HR knowledge advisor for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), says a growing number of HR professionals have master's degrees, so you may want to consider earning a graduate degree after you're grounded in your career and know which direction you want to take it. "The more formal education a student can get, the better," says Dooley.

Experience

An HR manager typically needs two to three years of experience before they're qualified to manage others. Entry-level positions such as HR specialist are likely to offer lower salaries because you don't have practical experience yet. But with some experience, you can increase your opportunities and earning potential.

Entry-level positions such as HR specialist are likely to offer lower salaries because you don't have on-the-job experience yet. But you can increase your opportunities and earning potential with experience from your first roles.

Certification

Professional certifications can also increase your earning power. A certification demonstrates to others that you've mastered specific knowledge and skills beyond what you learned in your degree program.

The SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), granted by the Society for Human Resource Management, is one such credential for HR Managers.

Workplace

Human resources managers work in all types of industries, large and small organizations, and public and private enterprises.

According to the BLS, these are the median annual salaries for some of the top workplaces for HR managers.

IndustrySalary
Research and Development Services$192,960
Management of Companies and Enterprises$163,760
Employment Services$112,350
Local Government$119,910
Office Administrative Services$138,480

Specialty

While many HR managers are generalists who manage a department, you may have the opportunity to manage one or more specialties, such as recruiting and hiring, in a larger organization if you have the right experience.

Specializing in a particular industry can also make you more valuable to prospective employers. For example, working as an HR manager in healthcare can allow you to develop expertise specific to that field and the challenges of working with employees in that industry.

Job Outlook for HR

Jobs for HR managers are expected to grow by 5.2% through 2032, according to the BLS. That's slightly faster than the projected growth for all occupations.

The BLS reports that professional, scientific, and technical services employ the most HR managers.

If you're wondering about the opportunities in your geographic area, consider the size of your state population. As you might expect, states with higher populations have the most jobs for HR managers. From the BLS 2022 data:

States with the Most HR Managers

StateEmployment
California26,190
Texas16,280
Illinois12,750
New York12,090
Florida8,570

HR Manager Salaries Compared to Similar Roles

If you're passionate about human resources but curious about your earning potential in comparison to similar roles, here's a look at BLS salaries for HR managers and occupations that require similar education and experience.

Career Median Annual Salary
Human Resources Managers $130,000
Administrative Services and Facilities Managers $101,870
Computer and Information Systems Managers $164,070
Financial Managers $139,790

anna giorgi

Written and reported by:

Anna Giorgi

Contributing Writer

rue dooley

With professional insight from:

Rue Dooley, SHRM-SCP

HR Knowledge Advisor, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

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