Career Guide | B.S. Human Resource Management
Discover how a bachelor's degree in human resource management can set you on the path to an exciting career.
Human resources or HR is a crucial department in any organization. These professionals are in charge of strategically supporting the organization through management of tasks such as payroll, compensation and benefits, employee relations, recruiting, training and development, and more. HR professionals help ensure that a company and individual employees are getting the resources they need to be successful. A bachelor's degree in human resource management is a crucial piece for an HR career. This degree will give students an understanding of how businesses function, with the additional experience in training, communication, compensation, and more skills all related to HR professions. If you're excited about a career in HR, learn how a bachelor's degree in human resource management can help you land your dream job and meet your professional goals.
Human Resource Specialist
Average Salary—$66,000 per year | Job Outlook—5% growth by 2028
A human resource specialist is typically an entry-level position in the human resource industry, however many organizations use HR specialists to fill many specific roles, so it may not always be an entry-level position. These specialists have many important duties in the HR field that may include recruiting and interviewing job applicants, conducting trainings about benefits and working conditions, conducting new employee orientation, keeping track of employee records and paperwork, answering questions about policies, and more. They may also assist with the responsibility to ensure that the HR system follows local and state regulations.
Salaries for human resource specialists will greatly depend on the size of the company where you work, with smaller companies likely paying less than larger ones. On average, human resource specialists earn $66,000 per year, with the bottom 10% earning $37,000 per year and the top 10% earning more than $105,000 per year. Your education level and your years of experience play a direct role in how much you can earn.
Human resource specialist positions are expected to grow 5% by 2028, which is about as fast as the national average. Human resource specialists are needed in every company and every industry to help it run smoothly. It is a steady and stable career choice that offers those who love working with people and helping others the chance to combine that passion with their strategic leadership skills to support employees and the company goals.
A bachelor's degree in human resources is the perfect start on the path to becoming a human resource specialist. This degree program will help you learn about compensation and benefits, trainings, interview skills, employment law, and more. If you're interested in a future or progressing in HR, a bachelor's degree in human resources is where you'll want to start.
Human Resource Manager
Average Salary—$116,000 per year | Job Outlook—7% growth by 2028
Human resource managers have many important responsibilities in an organization when it comes to personnel. They recruit and train new employees, coordinate the workforce to best use employee talent, connect management and employees, oversee the benefit programs, advise on equal employment opportunities, work with issues such as sexual harassment or racism, coordinate the work of HR specialists, handle staffing issues, mediate disputes, and more.
HR managers make an average annual salary of $116,000 per year, with the bottom 10% earning around $66,000 per year and the top 10% earning more than $205,000 per year. The amount of money you can make as an HR manager will greatly depend on where you work. Some HR managers have large staff to work with them in a huge company, while other HR managers work in smaller organizations with just one office. Your education level and the experience you have will greatly impact your salary.
HR management roles are expected to grow 7% by 2028, a bit faster than the national average. Industries are constantly looking for new ways to recruit their employees, and regulations around compensation and benefits are changing regularly. Every industry is seeing the value of HR managers who can help run all those administrative elements of a company and keep employees happy.
A bachelor's degree in human resource management is where you'll need to start. This degree program will give you important business fundamental understanding, as well as specialized training in the HR space. You'll learn how to communicate effectively with managers and employees, set up productive trainings, become educated on employment law, and more. While you may need a master's degree in human resources or an MBA to help prepare you for a management role, a bachelor's degree is the ideal starting place.
Human Resource Director
Average Salary—$157,000 per year | Job Outlook—9% growth by 2026
Human resource directors are in charge of all human resource operations in their organization. They may oversee several different HR departments and have many managers reporting to them, including training mangers, compensation managers, and recruitment managers. They work with other executives to establish budgets, staffing needs, benefits, and more.
HR directors make an average annual salary of $157,000 per year. The bottom 10% earn about $121,000 per year, and the top 10% earn more than $198,000 per year. HR directors have many responsibilities and employees working for them, leading to higher salary levels. Your education and experience will play a big role in how much you can earn as an HR director.
Employment of HR directors is expected to grow about 9% by 2026. Organizations are seeing a need for higher level management in every industry, leading them to hire HR directors to provide strategic support and leadership. As organizations grow larger, go public, and expand, they need HR directors in charge of all of the tasks of personnel.
A B.S. in human resource management is the perfect place to start if you want to become an HR director. This degree will give you insight into how human resource departments run and give you needed skills and understanding in strategies and techniques in HR. Some HR director positions may require a master's degree as well. You'll also need to work your way up through different HR roles to have the experience you need to become an HR director.
Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
Average Salary—$257,000 per year | Job Outlook—6% growth by 2028
The CHRO or chief human resources officer is typically the highest HR role in a company. These professionals are in charge of all the HR efforts within an organization. They help focus the company mission and ensure the HR goals align with the vision. They work with other executives and senior managers to implement the HR plans, help improve management issues, develop comprehensive recruiting and retention plans, implement the comprehensive compensation and benefits plans and ensure they meet budgetary needs, and are the overall leader for the other HR professionals in an organization.
Chief human resources officers earn an average annual salary of $257,000 per year. The bottom 10% earn around $197,000 per year, and the top 10% earn more than $310,000 per year. These salaries are extremely high and are reflective of many years of experience, high levels of education, and the many responsibilities of a CHRO.
CHRO careers are expected to grow 6% by 2028, about as fast as the national average for careers. C-level positions often have low turnover. However organizations are always looking to bring qualified experts into this position to help their companies thrive.
A bachelor's degree in human resource management is the starting place for a career as a CHRO. Your bachelor’s degree will help you learn about the responsibilities of HR and lay the foundation for meeting your career goals. You'll be able to work your way up, learning and gaining experience, prepare to possibly pursue a master's degree, and be qualified for a C-level position in human resources down the road.