In the United States, human resources specialists earn a median salary of $75,940 per year, while human resources managers earn a median salary of $149,280 per year, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025.
Human Resources Salary at a Glance
| Human resources role | Median annual salary | Approximate hourly equivalent* |
|---|---|---|
| Human resources specialist | $75,940 | $36.51 |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialist | $78,210 | $37.60 |
| Labor relations specialist | $95,420 | $45.88 |
| Human resources manager | $149,280 | $71.77 |
*Hourly figures use a 2,080-hour work year. Salary data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 estimates.
How Much Do Entry-Level Human Resources Jobs Pay?
Entry-level HR jobs often pay below the occupation's median, but the BLS does not publish one universal entry-level HR salary. Pay varies by job title, location, industry, and experience.
Common starting roles include:
- HR assistant
- Recruiting coordinator
- Payroll coordinator
- Benefits assistant
- Human resources specialist
For the broader human resources specialist occupation, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,180 per year, while the highest-paid 10% earned more than $128,720 in May 2025.
A new HR graduate may earn less than the occupation's $75,940 median. Experienced specialists, recruiters, employee-relations specialists, and HR business partners may earn more.
How Much Do Human Resources Specialists Make?
Human resources specialists earn a median salary of $75,940 per year, or about $36.51 per hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Their work can include recruiting, employee relations, onboarding, benefits administration, compliance, and HR information systems.
Median pay differs by industry:
| Industry | Median annual salary |
|---|---|
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | $84,100 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | $82,800 |
| Manufacturing | $79,270 |
| Healthcare and social assistance | $64,130 |
| Employment services | $60,550 |
Government and professional services have the highest medians in this table. Employment services has the lowest.
How Much Do Human Resources Managers Make?
Human resources managers earn a median salary of $149,280 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $88,200, while the highest-paid 10% earned more than $267,810 in May 2025.
Industry also affects HR manager pay:
| Industry | Median annual salary |
|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | $170,590 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | $166,200 |
| Manufacturing | $145,680 |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | $128,650 |
| Healthcare and social assistance | $126,900 |
Most HR manager roles require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience. Some employers require a master's degree in human resources, labor relations, business administration, or a related field.
Which HR Careers Pay the Most?
HR managers have the highest median salary among the HR occupations listed here, at $149,280 per year. Other related BLS median salaries include:
- Labor relations specialists: $95,420
- Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists: $78,210
- Human resources specialists: $75,940
- Training and development specialists: $69,280
These are national medians, not guaranteed starting salaries. Specialized skills, management responsibility, location, and industry can move pay higher or lower.
Does HR Pay Well?
Yes. HR can pay well, especially for professionals who develop a specialty or move into management. The median HR specialist salary is higher than the $50,980 median wage for all U.S. occupations. HR managers earn nearly three times that overall median.
The strongest routes to higher HR pay include:
- Moving from HR administration into specialist work.
- Building expertise in compensation, benefits, labor relations, or employment law.
- Working in professional services, technology, finance, manufacturing, or a large corporation.
- Moving into an HR manager, HR director, or vice president role.
- Working in a high-paying metropolitan area.
Is Human Resources a Growing Career?
Yes. Employment for human resources specialists is projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations. The BLS projects about 73,700 openings per year during that period, largely because of replacement needs and workers changing occupations or leaving the workforce.
Bottom Line
HR offers several ways to increase your earning potential. Choose a specialty, build experience, and consider management or strategic HR leadership as your career develops. National salary medians provide a useful benchmark, but your title, location, industry, and experience will determine the offer you receive.