How Much Do Human Resource Managers Make?

By Indeed Editorial Team

Published June 8, 2021

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.

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.

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

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

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.