SOC 11-3121.00Bright outlook

    Human Resources Managers

    Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.

    Median pay
    $149,280
    Growth
    +5.5%
    Faster than average
    Openings a year
    16,800
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $88,200
    Median
    $149,280
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $267,810
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    220,660 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Human Resources Managers plan and direct personnel activities for organizations, earning a median annual salary of $149,280. They oversee staff, manage employee relations, and ensure compliance with workplace standards.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What human resources managers do

    Job Zone 4: Considerable preparation

    Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.

    Most need a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.

    What the work is like

    Human Resources Managers guide the personnel operations of an organization. Day-to-day work involves staffing units, building teams, and resolving workplace conflicts. These managers spend significant time communicating with supervisors and subordinates, establishing strong interpersonal relationships, and coaching others. They evaluate internal information to ensure the organization complies with legal and safety standards, while also providing consultation to company leadership.

    To succeed in this role, individuals need an enterprising interest area, meaning they enjoy leading projects and making decisions. Key skills include active listening, personnel management, critical thinking, and complex problem solving. Managers must draw on knowledge of human resources principles, administration, psychology, law, and English. Because they handle sensitive employee issues, they must demonstrate strong work styles such as integrity, dependability, empathy, self-control, and stress tolerance.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires a bachelor's degree along with several years of related work experience. Students preparing for this path often major in human resources management and services, business administration, management and operations, public relations, or applied psychology.

    While not always mandatory, professionals can earn various industry credentials to advance their careers. Available certifications include the Associate Professional in Human Resources - International, Certified Personnel Consultant, and Certified Relocation Professional. There are also specialized credentials like the Certified Compensation Professional, Certified Executive Compensation Professional, and Certified Sales Compensation Professional. Some states also list a license for this type of work.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for human resources managers was $149,280. Earnings vary based on experience and the employing organization, with the lowest 10% earning less than $88,200 and the highest 10% earning more than $267,810. With 220,660 people employed in this field, the occupation is projected to grow by 5.5% from 2025 to 2035, which is faster than average. This growth and normal turnover are expected to result in 16,800 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    4 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    22 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    8 / 100
    Social (S)
    48 / 100
    Enterprising (E) · strongest
    100 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    76 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code ECS. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    93
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    93
    Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
    93
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    91
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    90
    Developing and Building Teams
    86
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    86
    Coaching and Developing Others
    83
    Providing Consultation and Advice to Others
    82
    Staffing Organizational Units
    81
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Management of Personnel Resources
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Coordination
    • Writing
    • Active Learning
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Critical Thinking
    • Judgment and Decision Making

    Knowledge

    • Personnel and Human Resources
    • English Language
    • Administration and Management
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Education and Training
    • Law and Government
    • Psychology
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Communications and Media

    Abilities

    • Oral Expression
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Written Comprehension
    • Speech Clarity
    • Written Expression
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Near Vision
    • Speech Recognition
    • Problem Sensitivity

    Work styles

    • Integrity
    • Dependability
    • Leadership Orientation
    • Social Orientation
    • Cooperation
    • Empathy
    • Attention to Detail
    • Self-Control
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Perseverance

    Also called

    Diversity and Inclusion Director · Diversity Manager · Efficiency Manager · Employee Relations Manager · Employee Welfare Manager · Employment Manager · HR Admin Director (Human Resources Administration Director) · HR Coordinator (Human Resources Coordinator) · HR Department Supervisor (Human Resources Department Supervisor) · HR Director (Human Resources Director)

    Career pathway

    From your interests to human resources managers

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Human Resources Managers$149,280 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Carnegie Mellon University logo
      Carnegie Mellon University

      Pittsburgh, PA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $97,419
      4 yrs after
      $160,783
      Median debt
      $19,000
    2. 2University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus logo
      University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus

      Ann Arbor, MI · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $96,806
      4 yrs after
      $144,654
      Median debt
      $19,500
    3. 3University of California-Berkeley CAL logo
      University of California-Berkeley CAL

      Berkeley, CA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $94,811
      4 yrs after
      $144,599
      Median debt
      $10,656
    4. 4University of Pennsylvania UPENN logo
      University of Pennsylvania UPENN

      Philadelphia, PA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $108,743
      4 yrs after
      $136,806
      Median debt
      $19,250
    5. 5Emory University-Main Campus logo
      Emory University-Main Campus

      Atlanta, GA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $87,830
      4 yrs after
      $136,731
      Median debt
      $15,000
    6. 6University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus logo
      University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus

      Chapel Hill, NC · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $88,182
      4 yrs after
      $135,874
      Median debt
      $9,250
    7. 7Boston College logo
      Boston College

      Chestnut Hill, MA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $75,464
      4 yrs after
      $123,144
      Median debt
      $18,625
    8. 8Bismarck State College logo
      Bismarck State College

      Bismarck, ND · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $113,408
      4 yrs after
      $122,948
      Median debt
      $14,482

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What human resources managers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Business Administration and Management, General
    • Executive/Career Coaching
    • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General
    • Industrial and Organizational Psychology
    • Labor and Industrial Relations
    • Labor Studies
    • Organizational Behavior Studies
    • Organizational Communication, General
    • Organizational Leadership

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    10 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about human resources managers

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    People in this field are also called Diversity and Inclusion Directors, Employee Relations Managers, HR Directors, and HR Coordinators.

    What college majors are most relevant for becoming a human resources manager?

    Common majors include Human Resources Management and Services, Business Administration, Management and Operations, Clinical or Counseling Psychology, and Public Relations.

    Are there specific certifications available for this occupation?

    Yes, professionals can pursue certifications such as the Associate Professional in Human Resources - International, Certified Personnel Consultant, and specialized compensation credentials like the Certified Compensation Professional.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.