Human resource (HR) managers handle the needs of a company’s workforce. They recruit, interview, and hire employees with the help of other company managers, take charge of employee services, ensure that managers follow employment laws, and supervise the work of HR staff. HR managers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in business administration, labor relations, or human resources.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 110,650 HR managers who work in the country make an average of $111,180 per year ($53.45 per hour). The lowest-paid 10% receive less than $58,780 annually ($28.26 hourly) while the highest-paid 10% make over $177,460 per year ($85.32 an hour). These variables shift, however, when factoring the salary expectations based on three different factors: the employer, the type of industry, and the state in which you work.
Salary Based on Employer
The biggest employers of HR managers are companies that take over the management of other organizations, either as consultants or through hostile stock takeovers. They hire over 15% of HR managers and pay a mean salary of $125,940 per year, or $60.55 per hour. The second-largest employer is the local government with 7% of the jobs and average wages of $94,520 yearly, or $45.44 hourly. In third are general medical and surgical hospitals with 4% of the jobs and mean pay of $108,550 a year, or $52.19 an hour.
Salary Based on Industry
The highest-paying industry belongs to security and commodity brokers, averaging $156,350 per year, or $75.17 per hour. Ranking second for pay are other information services such as libraries, internet service providers, archives, and news syndicates. They pay a mean of $154,450 annually ($74.26 hourly). Rounding out the top three are computer and peripheral equipment manufacturers, offering a mean $148,980 a year ($71.63 an hour).
Salary Based on State
The states with the most jobs for HR managers have the most people and the greatest number of workers. At the top is California, with almost 13% of the HR manager jobs and average pay at $122,190 per year, or $58.74 per hour. The third most populous state of New York has the second greatest number of jobs at 8%. Mean salaries here run $128,650 per year ($61.85 per hour). The second most populous state, Texas, ranks third for HR manager jobs at 6%. Wages averages $116,640 annually ($56.08 hourly).
For pay, New Jersey tops the state list with mean salaries at $138,210 per year, or $66.45 per hour. Delaware is next, averaging $136,090 annually, or $65.43 hourly. The District of Columbia, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks with states, is third with mean pay at $136,060 per year, or $65.41 per hour.
Among metropolitan areas, it’s no surprise that the country’s major population center boasts the highest number of jobs for HR managers starting with New York City. It contains almost 7 percent of the HR manager positions with averages at $136,480 per year, or $65.61 per hour. As for pay, the heart of Silicon Valley, which is in San Jose, California, shows the highest average of $161,890 annually, or $77.83 hourly.
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