Human Resources Managers: Career Overview
Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.
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What Tasks Do Human Resources Managers Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of human resources managers cover:
- Serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions, interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems.
- Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations.
- Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures.
- Represent organization at personnel-related hearings and investigations.
- Negotiate bargaining agreements and help interpret labor contracts.
- Advise managers on organizational policy matters, such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment, and recommend needed changes.
- Plan and conduct new employee orientation to foster positive attitude toward organizational objectives.
- Analyze and modify compensation and benefits policies to establish competitive programs and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective human resources managers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Human Resources Managers Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Diversity Manager
- Diversity and Inclusion Director
- Efficiency Manager
- Employee Relations Manager
- Employee Welfare Manager
- Employment Manager
- HR Admin Director (Human Resources Administration Director)
- HR Coordinator (Human Resources Coordinator)
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 419,398 human resources managers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -3.6% over the projection horizon.
Human Resources Managers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $95,702 |
| Hourly median | $46.01 |
| 10th percentile | $53,727 |
| 25th percentile | $74,715 |
| 75th percentile | $116,689 |
| 90th percentile | $137,677 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $176,510 |
| District of Columbia | $174,400 |
| New York | $171,440 |
| Washington | $169,410 |
| California | $169,140 |
| New Jersey | $166,070 |
| Rhode Island | $165,380 |
| Virginia | $161,690 |
| Colorado | $154,500 |
| Minnesota | $152,250 |
| Maryland | $150,420 |
| Connecticut | $149,310 |
| Delaware | $145,630 |
| Georgia | $138,050 |
| Oregon | $135,780 |
| Illinois | $134,320 |
| North Carolina | $134,170 |
| Wisconsin | $132,940 |
| Michigan | $131,810 |
| Texas | $131,730 |
| Missouri | $131,210 |
| Utah | $131,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $130,830 |
| Arizona | $130,340 |
| Ohio | $129,320 |
| New Hampshire | $128,950 |
| North Dakota | $127,190 |
| Kansas | $126,550 |
| Indiana | $126,400 |
| Nebraska | $124,990 |
| Florida | $124,950 |
| Tennessee | $124,890 |
| Vermont | $124,340 |
| Maine | $123,860 |
| Alaska | $122,560 |
| Iowa | $122,200 |
| South Carolina | $118,760 |
| Hawaii | $118,060 |
| New Mexico | $117,280 |
| Idaho | $116,990 |
| Wyoming | $113,900 |
| Kentucky | $113,740 |
| Alabama | $110,030 |
| Oklahoma | $109,990 |
| South Dakota | $109,100 |
| West Virginia | $108,660 |
| Montana | $108,370 |
| Louisiana | $104,430 |
| Nevada | $103,730 |
| Mississippi | $103,150 |
| Arkansas | $99,760 |
| Guam | $81,280 |
| Virgin Islands | $77,490 |
| Puerto Rico | $74,460 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for human resources managers shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $162,135 | 20.7% | 1.07 |
| New England | $160,774 | 6.7% | 1.26 |
| Middle Atlantic | $159,554 | 20.4% | 1.20 |
| Plains States | $136,382 | 5.0% | 0.89 |
| Great Lakes | $131,991 | 17.5% | 1.18 |
| Southeast | $129,762 | 24.1% | 0.87 |
| Rocky Mountains | $124,564 | 1.8% | 0.75 |
| Southwest | $123,850 | 3.2% | 0.78 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $206,420 | 5,890 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $180,050 | 5,700 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $178,550 | 3,670 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $176,290 | 17,240 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $172,970 | 6,570 |
| Midland, MI | MI | $169,300 | 90 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $166,660 | 1,030 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $166,430 | 260 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of human resources managers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 33,790 | $163,970 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 31,650 | $163,180 |
| Manufacturing | 20,250 | $137,570 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 19,340 | $118,700 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 18,810 | $120,010 |
| Finance and Insurance | 16,370 | $164,680 |
| Educational Services | 14,730 | $128,020 |
| Information | 9,880 | $196,770 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Time accounting software: Kronos Workforce Timekeeper (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of human resources managers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Getting Started in This Career
Most human resources managers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Compensation and Benefits Managers (Primary-Long)
- Training and Development Managers (Primary-Long)
- Medical and Health Services Managers (Supplemental)
- Social and Community Service Managers (Primary-Long)
- Compliance Managers (Supplemental)
- Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers (Primary-Long)
- Human Resources Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Labor Relations Specialists (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Aspiring human resources managers often complete programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
7 programs across 2 majors
Psychology
1 programs across 1 majors
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-3121.00 (Human Resources Managers).
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