Human Resources Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.
Also called: Employee Relations Manager · HR Admin Director (Human Resources Administration Director) · HR Director (Human Resources Director) · HR Manager (Human Resources Manager) · HR Ops Manager (Human Resources Operations Manager) · HR VP (Human Resources Vice President)
Median pay (national)
$140,030
$83,790–$239,200+ (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
215,520
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+5%
~17,900 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for human resources managers shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $239,200+ versus $83,790 at the bottom 10% — 2.9x. The median of $140,030 leaves roughly 71% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +5% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 17,900 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, Massachusetts pays the most for this role (median $176,510, +26% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $74,460 — a 137% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Applicant tracking software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- Identify staff vacancies and recruit, interview, and select applicants.
- Investigate and report on industrial accidents for insurance carriers.
- Analyze statistical data and reports to identify and determine causes of personnel problems and develop recommendations for improvement of organization's personnel policies and practices.
Tools & technology
- Applicant tracking software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Oracle HRIS
- Workday software
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Kronos Workforce Timekeeper
- Microsoft Visio
- Oracle PeopleSoft
- SAP software
- AASoftTech Web Organization Chart
- AccountantsWorld Payroll Relief
Knowledge areas
- Personnel and Human Resources
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- Law and Government
- Psychology
- Public Safety and Security