Human Resources Managers Salary: $140,030 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 215,520 human resources managers work nationally, and $140,030 is the BLS national median annual wage. Projections imply about 8.7% annual growth; much hiring sits in professional, scientific, and technical services.
Human Resources Managers: what the data shows
Common questions about human resources managers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a human resources managers?
Human Resources Managers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 11-3121.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 215,520 workers.
What does a human resources managers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others, Staffing Organizational Units, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Getting Information, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a human resources managers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $140,030 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $202,537 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $99,430 |
| 25th percentile | $129,874 |
| Median (50th) | $172,276 |
| 75th percentile | $229,253 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Management of Personnel Resources, Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Judgment and Decision Making, Writing, and knowledge areas including Personnel and Human Resources, Administration and Management, English Language, Law and Government. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is human resources managers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 8.7% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 51.9%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 130.7%.
Current U.S. headcount: 215,520.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do human resources managerss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 215,520 | 18.4% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 187,590 | 16.0% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 33,790 | 2.9% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 33,790 | 2.9% |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 31,650 | 2.7% |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 31,650 | 2.7% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Human Resources Managers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | 92,580 | $49,440 |
| Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | 26,830 | $33,880 |
| Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers | 4,590 | $34,530 |
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 11,430 | $84,290 |
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | 16,570 | $53,990 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | 424,220 | $45,120 |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | 156,260 | $51,500 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Human Resources Managers workforce.
Employment Over Time
215,520 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Human Resources Managers grew from 33,380 in 2011 to 107,600 in 2025 (222.3%).
Historical employment for Human Resources Managers from the California OEWS series, 2011–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$140,030 Median pay (BLS national)
Human Resources Managers earn $140,030 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Human Resources Managers.
Salary distribution for Human Resources Managers.
Employment Growth Projections
8.7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
163,439 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 51.9%
248,257 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 130.7%
This occupation is projected to grow at 8.7% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Human Resources Managers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Human Resources Managers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Human Resources Managers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Human Resources Managers.
Wage Trends by Industry
-1.5% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Human Resources Managers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Human Resources Managers.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 27,680 employees, $198,850 avg wage
- NY: 16,720 employees, $192,040 avg wage
- IL: 13,700 employees, $151,940 avg wage
- FL: 10,960 employees, $139,050 avg wage
- PA: 7,970 employees, $147,290 avg wage
- GA: 7,080 employees, $168,980 avg wage
- OH: 7,000 employees, $141,690 avg wage
- MA: 6,730 employees, $195,340 avg wage
- NC: 6,520 employees, $150,520 avg wage
- NJ: 6,470 employees, $179,340 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Human Resources Managers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 17,240 employees, $199,270 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 10,990 employees, $156,290 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 8,890 employees, $184,150 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 7,650 employees, $149,340 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 6,570 employees, $181,520 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 5,890 employees, $214,610 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 5,700 employees, $199,020 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 5,140 employees, $180,070 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 4,220 employees, $160,130 avg wage
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 3,670 employees, $201,040 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Human Resources Managers.
Diversity
Demographic information on Human Resources Managers in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Human Resources Managers is about 215,520 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Human Resources Managers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Human Resources Managers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Human Resources Managers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Human Resources Managers in 2023 were Business Administration, Psychology, Management.
Common majors for Human Resources Managers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Human Resources Managers workers.
Education level distribution for Human Resources Managers.
Skills
Human Resources Managers need many skills, but most especially Management of Personnel Resources, Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Judgment and Decision Making.
Required skills for Human Resources Managers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Human Resources Managers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Human Resources Managers include Personnel and Human Resources, Administration and Management, English Language, Law and Government, Education and Training.
Knowledge areas required for Human Resources Managers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Human Resources Managers include Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension, Written Comprehension, Written Expression, Deductive Reasoning.
Required abilities for Human Resources Managers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Human Resources Managers.
Daily Activities
Human Resources Managers spend their time on activities such as Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others, Staffing Organizational Units, Making Decisions and Solving Problems.
Most important work activities for Human Resources Managers.
About
Human Resources Managers
Human Resources Managers earn $140,030 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
11-3121 - Human Resources Managers
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Human Resources Managers reports an average salary of $202,537, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 215,520 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 8.7%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.