Human Resources Managers
Human Resources Managers (SOC 11-3121) earn a median $149,280 a year ($71.77 an hour) in the United States, with 220,660 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What human resources managers do
Human resources managers plan, direct, and coordinate the personnel functions of an organization. They direct and supervise the staff who handle employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations. Their responsibilities include acting as the go-between for management and the workforce, explaining policies and fielding questions, dealing with staffing shortages and disputes, and representing the organization at personnel hearings and investigations. In workplaces with a union, they may bargain over union contracts and help explain their terms. They also advise managers on organizational policy matters such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment. Managers who concentrate on compensation and benefits are classified as compensation and benefits managers, and those who direct training are classified as training and development managers. The title differs from human resources specialists, who perform recruiting and placement work rather than manage the department. A title used for the work is employee relations manager. They also plan and run orientation for new employees and handle difficult staffing duties such as firing employees and administering discipline.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Diversity and Inclusion Director, Diversity Manager, Efficiency Manager, Employee Relations Manager, Employee Welfare Manager.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $42.40 | $53.42 | $71.77 | $95.81 | $128.76 | $78.96 | 220,660 |
| Annual | $88,200 | $111,110 | $149,280 | $199,290 | $267,810 | $164,230 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where human resources managers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $54.47 | $67.99 | $88.63 | $101.72 | $132.21 | $90.30 | 2,250 | 3.20 | 2.26 |
| Annual | $113,300 | $141,420 | $184,350 | $211,580 | $275,000 | $187,830 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $48.07 | $65.67 | $87.39 | $110.34 | $151.78 | $93.80 | 7,540 | 2.07 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $99,990 | $136,600 | $181,780 | $229,510 | $315,700 | $195,110 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $50.67 | $64.03 | $84.93 | $111.24 | $154.75 | $94.90 | 17,920 | 1.85 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $105,380 | $133,180 | $176,650 | $231,380 | $321,880 | $197,390 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $51.94 | $65.36 | $82.90 | $104.83 | $141.62 | $89.60 | 6,400 | 1.49 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $108,040 | $135,940 | $172,440 | $218,050 | $294,570 | $186,360 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $46.36 | $62.12 | $81.77 | $108.17 | $147.89 | $92.27 | 27,450 | 1.51 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $96,430 | $129,210 | $170,080 | $224,990 | $307,600 | $191,920 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $46.36 | $62.12 | $81.77 | $108.17 | $147.89 | $92.27 | 27,450 | 1.51 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $96,430 | $129,210 | $170,080 | $224,990 | $307,600 | $191,920 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $40.00 | $50.52 | $65.63 | $85.01 | $108.68 | $72.63 | 23,220 | 1.65 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $83,200 | $105,090 | $136,500 | $176,830 | $226,050 | $151,070 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $50.67 | $64.03 | $84.93 | $111.24 | $154.75 | $94.90 | 17,920 | 1.85 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $105,380 | $133,180 | $176,650 | $231,380 | $321,880 | $197,390 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $43.67 | $55.26 | $72.78 | $94.54 | $128.61 | $78.10 | 13,520 | 2.22 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $90,820 | $114,940 | $151,370 | $196,630 | $267,520 | $162,450 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $38.18 | $49.56 | $66.25 | $85.01 | $111.90 | $72.29 | 11,570 | 1.17 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $79,420 | $103,090 | $137,790 | $176,820 | $232,760 | $150,370 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $60.09 | $81.03 | $105.99 | $147.82 | $191.30 | $123.92 | 2,800 | 2.47 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $124,990 | $168,530 | $220,460 | $307,460 | $397,910 | $257,750 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $59.59 | $77.04 | $100.65 | $135.92 | $155.70 | $105.42 | 4,960 | 2.09 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $123,950 | $160,250 | $209,340 | $282,700 | $323,850 | $219,270 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $55.78 | $72.25 | $91.92 | $126.20 | $153.29 | $100.82 | 990 | 2.45 | 1.73 |
| Annual | $116,020 | $150,270 | $191,190 | $262,490 | $318,840 | $209,710 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $51.59 | $68.50 | $88.99 | $116.54 | $155.69 | $98.46 | 18,480 | 1.95 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $107,300 | $142,490 | $185,100 | $242,400 | $323,820 | $204,790 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $48.07 | $66.98 | $88.94 | $111.98 | $152.74 | $95.06 | 6,480 | 2.40 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $99,990 | $139,310 | $184,990 | $232,930 | $317,690 | $197,730 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $51.59 | $68.50 | $88.99 | $116.54 | $155.69 | $98.46 | 18,480 | 1.95 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $107,300 | $142,490 | $185,100 | $242,400 | $323,820 | $204,790 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $44.82 | $58.28 | $75.37 | $96.50 | $129.88 | $79.59 | 10,810 | 2.40 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $93,230 | $121,230 | $156,770 | $200,710 | $270,150 | $165,550 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $47.50 | $61.04 | $80.96 | $104.00 | $144.11 | $90.45 | 9,070 | 1.45 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $98,810 | $126,970 | $168,400 | $216,320 | $299,740 | $188,130 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $43.26 | $52.52 | $67.74 | $87.12 | $111.80 | $75.18 | 7,970 | 1.97 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $89,990 | $109,250 | $140,890 | $181,200 | $232,540 | $156,380 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $48.07 | $66.98 | $88.94 | $111.98 | $152.74 | $95.06 | 6,480 | 2.40 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $99,990 | $139,310 | $184,990 | $232,930 | $317,690 | $197,730 | ||||
Top industries employing human resources managers
Management of Companies and Enterprises employ 15.0% of human resources managers nationally (33,150 jobs) at a median $166,200 a year ($79.91 an hour), followed by Employment Services (5.4%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (4.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 33,150 | 15.0% | $166,200 | $79.91 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 11,970 | 5.4% | $108,990 | $52.40 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 10,490 | 4.8% | $132,050 | $63.49 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 8,610 | 3.9% | $162,150 | $77.96 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 8,230 | 3.7% | $176,970 | $85.08 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (220,660). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $126,230 for human resources managers in May 2021 and $149,280 in May 2025, with employment of 166,530 and 220,660.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $126,230 | $60.69 | 166,530 |
| May 2022 | $130,000 | $62.50 | 181,360 |
| May 2023 | $136,350 | $65.55 | 200,600 |
| May 2024 | $140,030 | $67.32 | 215,520 |
| May 2025 | $149,280 | $71.77 | 220,660 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $88.63 | $184,350 | $113,300 | $275,000 | 2,250 | 3.20 | 2.26 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | $87.39 | $181,780 | $99,990 | $315,700 | 7,540 | 2.07 | 1.46 |
| 3 | New York profile | $84.93 | $176,650 | $105,380 | $321,880 | 17,920 | 1.85 | 1.30 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $82.90 | $172,440 | $108,040 | $294,570 | 6,400 | 1.49 | 1.05 |
| 5 | California profile | $81.77 | $170,080 | $96,430 | $307,600 | 27,450 | 1.51 | 1.06 |
| 6 | Rhode Island profile | $80.34 | $167,110 | $106,480 | $268,040 | 530 | 1.06 | 0.74 |
| 7 | Colorado profile | $80.00 | $166,400 | $103,580 | $276,380 | 3,620 | 1.26 | 0.89 |
| 8 | Virginia profile | $79.80 | $165,980 | $105,130 | $272,070 | 5,770 | 1.40 | 0.99 |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $79.77 | $165,930 | $102,530 | $295,480 | 3,020 | 1.78 | 1.25 |
| 10 | Washington profile | $79.58 | $165,530 | $108,830 | $271,380 | 4,560 | 1.28 | 0.90 |
| 11 | Delaware profile | $73.99 | $153,890 | $85,760 | $273,790 | 580 | 1.19 | 0.84 |
| 12 | Minnesota profile | $73.93 | $153,770 | $97,840 | $230,980 | 4,370 | 1.48 | 1.04 |
| 13 | Maryland profile | $73.45 | $152,770 | $92,630 | $236,830 | 3,820 | 1.38 | 0.97 |
| 14 | Illinois profile | $72.78 | $151,370 | $90,820 | $267,520 | 13,520 | 2.22 | 1.56 |
| 15 | Georgia profile | $72.45 | $150,700 | $89,790 | $271,170 | 7,270 | 1.49 | 1.05 |
| 16 | North Carolina profile | $68.75 | $142,990 | $90,390 | $260,610 | 6,480 | 1.31 | 0.92 |
| 17 | Oregon profile | $67.58 | $140,570 | $92,900 | $238,590 | 2,810 | 1.43 | 1.01 |
| 18 | Arizona profile | $67.22 | $139,820 | $88,410 | $225,500 | 3,950 | 1.22 | 0.86 |
| 19 | North Dakota profile | $66.85 | $139,050 | $89,990 | $223,390 | 290 | 0.67 | 0.47 |
| 20 | Michigan profile | $66.79 | $138,930 | $88,990 | $224,880 | 5,890 | 1.34 | 0.94 |
| 21 | Florida profile | $66.25 | $137,790 | $79,420 | $232,760 | 11,570 | 1.17 | 0.82 |
| 22 | Texas profile | $65.63 | $136,500 | $83,200 | $226,050 | 23,220 | 1.65 | 1.16 |
| 23 | New Hampshire profile | $64.90 | $135,000 | $79,120 | $221,970 | 1,150 | 1.69 | 1.19 |
| 24 | Kansas profile | $64.65 | $134,470 | $91,990 | $219,980 | 1,290 | 0.90 | 0.63 |
| 25 | Wisconsin profile | $64.18 | $133,490 | $91,520 | $215,620 | 3,730 | 1.27 | 0.89 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $63.97 | $133,060 | $80,940 | $222,690 | 8,230 | 1.36 | 0.96 |
| 27 | Vermont profile | $63.49 | $132,050 | $91,650 | $214,350 | 360 | 1.19 | 0.84 |
| 28 | Tennessee profile | $63.35 | $131,760 | $85,160 | $218,300 | 4,310 | 1.32 | 0.93 |
| 29 | Utah profile | $63.16 | $131,380 | $80,460 | $216,880 | 2,240 | 1.29 | 0.91 |
| 30 | Missouri profile | $62.83 | $130,680 | $81,730 | $225,160 | 3,510 | 1.19 | 0.84 |
| 31 | Ohio profile | $62.73 | $130,480 | $81,940 | $218,740 | 8,040 | 1.45 | 1.02 |
| 32 | Indiana profile | $62.66 | $130,340 | $85,230 | $213,640 | 3,030 | 0.95 | 0.67 |
| 33 | Maine profile | $62.37 | $129,720 | $74,150 | $207,160 | 700 | 1.09 | 0.76 |
| 34 | Alaska profile | $62.29 | $129,570 | $79,020 | $196,700 | 610 | 1.88 | 1.32 |
| 35 | Nebraska profile | $62.24 | $129,460 | $81,990 | $205,180 | 1,660 | 1.62 | 1.14 |
| 36 | Hawaii profile | $61.97 | $128,910 | $84,030 | $200,010 | 710 | 1.14 | 0.80 |
| 37 | Nevada profile | $61.80 | $128,550 | $77,230 | $257,400 | 1,520 | 0.98 | 0.69 |
| 38 | Wyoming profile | $61.31 | $127,520 | $87,750 | $200,070 | 140 | 0.48 | 0.34 |
| 39 | Iowa profile | $60.76 | $126,370 | $86,190 | $206,900 | 1,620 | 1.04 | 0.73 |
| 40 | South Carolina profile | $59.76 | $124,290 | $70,840 | $209,380 | 2,400 | 1.04 | 0.73 |
| 41 | Kentucky profile | $58.40 | $121,460 | $76,520 | $194,280 | 1,960 | 0.98 | 0.69 |
| 42 | West Virginia profile | $57.70 | $120,020 | $76,720 | $214,920 | 510 | 0.73 | 0.52 |
| 43 | Idaho profile | $57.69 | $119,990 | $82,250 | $200,480 | 1,040 | 1.22 | 0.86 |
| 44 | New Mexico profile | $56.76 | $118,070 | $78,000 | $198,230 | 820 | 0.94 | 0.66 |
| 45 | South Dakota profile | $56.70 | $117,930 | $83,780 | $176,930 | 420 | 0.93 | 0.65 |
| 46 | Oklahoma profile | $55.81 | $116,080 | $73,590 | $200,250 | 1,750 | 1.02 | 0.72 |
| 47 | Montana profile | $55.42 | $115,280 | $81,330 | $186,460 | 530 | 1.04 | 0.74 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $54.43 | $113,210 | $70,520 | $195,570 | 2,160 | 1.02 | 0.72 |
| 49 | Arkansas profile | $52.20 | $108,580 | $62,370 | $218,830 | 1,290 | 0.99 | 0.70 |
| 50 | Louisiana profile | $51.87 | $107,880 | $75,690 | $177,870 | 1,390 | 0.72 | 0.50 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $51.01 | $106,100 | $73,320 | $193,370 | 720 | 0.62 | 0.43 |
Part of Management Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 11-3121 Human Resources Managers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 11-3121, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 11-3121.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.