Pay & Salary
Human resource managers provide guidance to teams of human resource professionals when educating employees and planning compensation and benefits. Human resource managers receive varying levels of compensation depending on where they live and how much experience they have. If you are interested in becoming a human resource manager, you may want to learn more about how much they make and what they do. In this article, we discuss what human resource managers do, how much they make in each state, the requirements to become one and the job outlook.
Related: Your Guide to a Career in Human Resource Management
What do human resource managers do?
Human resource managers are the individuals that oversee and direct daily human resource operations. Other human resource experts report back to the human resource manager. These are some responsibilities that human resource managers perform daily:
Educate employees about policies and programs: To ensure every team member understands and abides by company policies and can take advantage of company programs, the human resource manager distributes information and leads presentations explaining new policies and programs.
Ensure compliance with professional standards: The human resource manager might manage any issues regarding behavior, dress code or other conduct in a professional setting. They address conflict and maintain positive interactions in the workplace.
Manage compensation and benefits plans: The human resource manager may collaborate with other administrations to determine how much each position within the company should earn. They determine salaries that attract and fairly compensate talent and plan and provide benefits packages.
Organize and plan training and onboarding: When new employees join a company, there are procedures they follow to properly integrate themselves into the workplace, including paperwork and orientation. The human resource manager may not perform the training or onboarding personally, but they help to organize and plan the procedures.
Perform recruitment to find the best talent: When a position opens at a company, the human resource manager may lead the effort to find a suitable replacement. This may include reaching out to candidates or assembling a recruiting and hiring team to find the right fit.
Plan and manage human resource programs: Human resource managers create and provide programs like employee team-building, events and summer Fridays to keep staff engaged and happy. The manager may work with their team to develop ideas and organize the programs.
Related: What Can I Do With a Human Resource Management Degree?
How much do human resource managers make?
The national average salary for a human resource manager in the United States is $69,370 per year. Many human resource managers can earn $5,000 or more in bonuses. Human resource managers with over 10 years of experience make $74,585 per year on average, and New York City and Chicago are two of the highest paying cities in the United States for human resource managers. This is how much human resource managers make in each state:
- Alabama: $83,436 per year
- Alaska: $64,428 per year
- Arizona: $61,129 per year
- Arkansas: $60,383 per year
- California: $76,433 per year
- Colorado: $74,690 per year
- Connecticut: $74,812 per year
- Delaware: $74,591 per year
- Florida: $62,295 per year
- Georgia: $67,209 per year
- Hawaii: $74,788 per year
- Idaho: $56,033 per year
- Illinois: $77,547 per year
- Indiana: $67,187 per year
- Iowa: $74,371 per year
- Kansas: $63,048 per year
- Kentucky: $64,338 per year
- Louisiana: $64,321 per year
- Maine: $64,669 per year
- Maryland: $72,315 per year
- Massachusetts: $74,082 per year
- Michigan: $66,283 per year
- Minnesota: $66,731 per year
- Mississippi: $58,741 per year
- Missouri: $65,840 per year
- Montana: $61,422 per year
- Nebraska: $65,195 per year
- Nevada: $59,222 per year
- New Hampshire: $68,873 per year
- New Jersey: $68,127 per year
- New Mexico: $59,706 per year
- New York: $76,302 per year
- North Carolina: $67,873 per year
- North Dakota: $72,038 per year
- Ohio: $66,326 per year
- Oklahoma: $73,321 per year
- Oregon: $63,153 per year
- Pennsylvania: $64,679 per year
- Rhode Island: $57,564 per year
- South Carolina: $66,541 per year
- South Dakota: $61,542 per year
- Tennessee: $65,617 per year
- Texas: $62,937 per year
- Utah: $65,588 per year
- Vermont: $60,780 per year
- Virginia: $63,493 per year
- Washington: $81,482 per year
- West Virginia: $74,584 per year
- Wisconsin: $72,660 per year
- Wyoming: $61,467 per year
Related: 10 Careers in Human Resource Management
What are the requirements to be a human resource manager?
Depending on where you plan to be a human resource manager, you may need varying levels of education and experience. These are some requirements to become a human resource manager:
Experience
When you first begin your career in human resources, you most likely won't start as a manager. Gaining experience in the field is one of the most important steps in becoming a human resource manager. By working with a team you can learn human resource duties and strategies and build your relationships and leadership abilities.
Licensure and certification
Depending on the industry you work in, you can get additional licensing and certifications. Certain business and accounting certifications may be beneficial to your success. These are some licenses or certifications you may want to obtain:
- Associate Professional in Human Resources (APHR)
- Associate Professional in Talent Development Credential (APTD)
- Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP)
- International Associate Professional in Human Resources (IAPHR)
- Professional in Human Resources
- Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)
Degree
To become a human resource manager, you need at least a bachelor's degree in a related subject. Depending on the complexity and responsibilities of the position, you may need a master's degree. You can pursue degrees in business, economics and human resource.
Skills and traits
As a manager, you organize and collaborate with large groups of staff and other departments. Communication is one of the most important skills you can develop. Some other skills and traits that are important for human resource managers are:
- Leadership
- Coaching
- Technology proficiency
- Administrative skills
- Recruiting
- Advising
Related: How To Become a Human Resources Manager: Career Duties, Salary and Qualifications
What is the job outlook for human resource managers?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for human resource managers in the U.S. may grow by 6% from 2019 to 2029. This is a rate much faster than the average, and the BLS attributes the growth to new companies and organizations needing human resource staff. During this growth, the field may add 10,400 new human resource managers.
