How Much Can I Expect to Make in the Field of Human Resources?

Individuals considering a career in human resources often wonder how much they can expect to make in the field of human resources. While money isn’t everything, it’s often a driving factor when choosing a career. The wages for human resources jobs can vary depending on what human resources position the individual chooses because there are various options available. Here are a few of the most popular human resource positions as well as human resources salary information.

See our list of 20 Great Value Online Colleges for a Human Resources Degree (Bachelor’s).

Human Resource Positions

Human resources is the department in an organization that deals with the recruiting, interviewing, hiring and firing of employees. It’s safe to say that almost anything employee-related has its way through the human resources department. There are several positions and employee levels in an HR department. For the purpose of this article, we’re going to focus on the human resource manager, human resource specialist, and human resource assistant.

Human resource managers and human resource specialists usually have bachelor’s degrees, but human resource assistant positions can be found with an associate’s degree or less. While the educational requirements may be similar, the human resources salaries for these positions are not. The human resources salary information below is based on May 2017 reports by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Human Resources Manager

The median annual wage for human resources managers was $65,040 at the low end and $197,220 at the high end. The average yearly wage was $123,500. The average hourly wage was $59.38. Factors such as degree level, work experience, employer and geographic location all play a role in determining wages. In addition to needing at least a bachelor’s degree, applicants for human resources manager jobs should have at least five years of work experience in the this field, according to the BLS. Below are the top-paying states for human resources managers.

  • New Jersey
  • Rhode Island
  • District of Columbia
  • New York
  • California

Human Resources Specialist

The median annual wage for human resources specialists was $35,810 at the low end and $103,570 at the high end with the average annual wage at $66,220. The average hourly wage was $31.84. The same factors, such as degree level, work experience, employer and geographic location go into determining wages. While aspiring human resources specialists need a bachelor’s degree, they are typically not required to have any work experience in that field. Below are the top-paying states for human resources specialists.

  • District of Columbia
  • New York
  • Massachusetts
  • California
  • Maryland

Human Resources Assistant

The median annual wage for human resources assistants was $26,690 at the low end and $57,020 at the high end with the average annual wage at $40,700. The average hourly wage was $19.57. Although work experience is not required to be hired as a human resources assistant, it can be helpful in getting the best possible wage. The same can be said for employer and location. Below are the top-paying states for human resources assistants.

  • District of Columbia
  • Alaska
  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
  • Washington

Regardless of what position an individual chooses in the HR department, he or she will have the opportunity to help employees have the best possible work environment. Candidates interested in working with others and making good wages often choose to work in human resources. With some education and work experience, they can expect to earn some good wages working in the field of human resources.