Human Resource Management major
Human Resource Management: courses, careers, and where to study
Human Resource Management studies how organizations hire, develop, pay, and retain people, a business major suited to students who want to work at the intersection of people and operations.
Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Human Resource Management earn a median $68,069 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $50,156 to $90,619 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). By credential and college
A Human Resource Management (HRM) major builds on the business core (accounting, finance, management, business statistics) and adds an HR-specific sequence covering recruitment and selection, compensation and benefits, training and development, performance management, employment law, labor relations, and HR analytics. Most programs are offered as a BBA or BS in Human Resource Management or as a management concentration, and many include an internship in an HR department or staffing firm.
Coursework emphasizes both the operational side of HR (payroll, benefits administration, HRIS systems, compliance with laws such as Title VII, the FLSA, the ADA, and FMLA) and the strategic side (workforce planning, organizational development, change management, and using people data to inform decisions). Graduates can start in generalist, recruiting, or HR coordinator roles and move into specialist tracks such as compensation, talent acquisition, employee relations, or HR business partner positions.
The major pairs naturally with study in employment law, organizational behavior, and analytics. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of human resources managers is projected to grow 5% from 2024 to 2034, with a 2024 median wage of $140,030 per year for that role; most HR management positions require at least a bachelor's degree, and professional certifications (PHR/SPHR, SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP) are common for advancement.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Human Resource Management maps to CIP 52.1001, Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General, within the BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES family. The official definition:
A program that generally prepares individuals to manage the development of human capital in organizations, and to provide related services to individuals and groups. Includes instruction in personnel and organization policy, human resource dynamics and flows, labor relations, sex roles, civil rights, human resources law and regulations, motivation and compensation systems, work systems, career management, employee testing and assessment, recruitment and selection, managing employee and job training programs, and the management of human resources programs and operations.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Human Resource Management is awarded as
Of the 17,577 Human Resource Management credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2024-25:
- Certificate: 21%, 3,743 credentials.
- Associate: 4%, 756 credentials.
- Bachelor's: 38%, 6,652 credentials.
- Graduate: 37%, 6,426 credentials.
This is one of the fields where the answer genuinely depends on where you study: across the 39 states reporting it, certificates run from 0% of credentials in the 10th-percentile state to 66% in the 90th. Check the mix in your state before assuming which credential a program leads to. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2024-25, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Recruitment, selection, and talent acquisition processes
- Compensation, benefits design, and payroll administration
- Training, development, and performance management systems
- Employment and labor law (Title VII, FLSA, ADA, FMLA, EEO compliance)
- Labor relations, collective bargaining, and conflict resolution
- HR information systems (HRIS) and people analytics
- Organizational behavior, change management, and workforce planning
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and ethics
Typical careers
- Human Resources Manager
- HR Generalist
- Recruiter / Talent Acquisition Specialist
- Compensation & Benefits Analyst
- HR Business Partner
- Training & Development Specialist
Typical salary range: BLS, 2024 median wage for human resources managers: $140,030 per yearRanges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
How much do Human Resource Management graduates earn?
Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Human Resource Management earn a median $68,069 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $50,156 to $90,619 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).
| Credential | National median | Middle half of programs |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | $68,069 | $50,156 to $90,619 |
| Associate's | $54,425 | $39,830 to $71,436 |
| Undergraduate certificate | $61,907 | $42,862 to $79,998 |
| Master's | $83,558 | $58,145 to $115,680 |
| Doctoral | $110,734 | $68,129 to $162,763 |
| Graduate certificate | $74,850 | $53,624 to $106,515 |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | $79,861 | $62,094 to $111,527 |
Compare Human Resource Management programs in your state
Highest-earning bachelor's Human Resource Management programs
- Cornell University (NY): $112,713, median federal debt $14,000
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (MI): $99,594, median federal debt $14,225
- George Washington University (DC): $97,126, median federal debt $20,939
- Brigham Young University (UT): $96,354
- Waldorf University (IA): $94,822, median federal debt $28,125
- University of Richmond (VA): $92,389, median federal debt $19,500
- Benedictine University (IL): $90,891, median federal debt $29,048
- Michigan State University (MI): $85,886, median federal debt $23,250
- Saint Joseph's University (PA): $83,692, median federal debt $23,970
- Ohio State University-Main Campus (OH): $82,371, median federal debt $19,500
Ordered by median earnings: one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality. Federal program group: Human Resources Management and Services. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars, for graduates who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled. Programs need at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort to be listed; multi-state systems whose figures pool campuses are not listed. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 10 June 2026. How much the college matters, by major. Graduate programs over the new federal loan caps.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Human Resource Management, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Specialists | $72,910 | 81,800 | +6.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Training and Development Specialists | $65,850 | 43,900 | +10.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Compliance Officers | $78,420 | 33,300 | +3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Human Resources Managers | $140,030 | 17,900 | +5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $49,440 | 9,000 | -7.1% | Associate's degree |
| Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists | $77,020 | 8,500 | +5.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $97,270 | 8,100 | +5.7% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Labor Relations Specialists | $93,500 | 5,100 | -0.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Training and Development Managers | $127,090 | 3,800 | +5.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | $140,360 | 1,500 | +0.2% | Bachelor's degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 10 of these 10 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Human Resource Management does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Human Resource Management major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Human Resource Management program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Human Resource Management department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Human Resource Management program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Human Resource Management credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2024-25. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Western Governors University, UT · 1,511 credentials
- University of Phoenix-Arizona, AZ · 1,034 credentials
- Southern New Hampshire University, NH · 979 credentials
- University of Maryland Global Campus, MD · 686 credentials
- Capella University, MN · 544 credentials
- American Public University System, WV · 533 credentials
- Ashford University, CA · 510 credentials
- DeVry University-Illinois, IL · 359 credentials
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick, NJ · 265 credentials
- Grand Canyon University, AZ · 246 credentials
- Colorado State University Global, CO · 241 credentials
- Florida International University, FL · 205 credentials
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2024-25. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Human Resource Management credentials were awarded
28 states have a distinct enough set of Human Resource Management colleges to be worth its own page.
- Pennsylvania: 34 colleges
- Ohio: 33 colleges
- Illinois: 30 colleges
- New York: 30 colleges
- Georgia: 28 colleges
- Texas: 26 colleges
- Wisconsin: 24 colleges
- Michigan: 20 colleges
- Minnesota: 17 colleges
- California: 15 colleges
- Arizona: 14 colleges
- Florida: 12 colleges
- Indiana: 12 colleges
- Massachusetts: 12 colleges
- Iowa: 12 colleges
- Tennessee: 11 colleges
- Alabama: 9 colleges
- Virginia: 9 colleges
- Missouri: 9 colleges
- Washington: 9 colleges
- New Jersey: 8 colleges
- Colorado: 8 colleges
- Oklahoma: 8 colleges
- North Carolina: 7 colleges
- Kansas: 7 colleges
- Maryland: 5 colleges
- West Virginia: 5 colleges
- South Carolina: 5 colleges
Human Resource Management by state
- Human Resource Management in California
- Human Resource Management in Florida
- Human Resource Management in Georgia
- Human Resource Management in Illinois
- Human Resource Management in Maryland
- Human Resource Management in Massachusetts
- Human Resource Management in New York
- Human Resource Management in North Carolina
- Human Resource Management in Pennsylvania
- Human Resource Management in Texas
Every Human Resource Management program with its own CampusPin page
94 programs in 31 states, A to Z by state and then by college. Each page gives what the program's graduates earned four years after finishing, what they borrowed in federal loans, the monthly payment, and how the program compares with others in its state and the nation. The figure beside each college is the median for its largest credential with at least 30 graduates (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23). The list is alphabetical; it is not a ranking.
Human Resource Management programs in Alabama, 2 programs
- Columbia Southern University Bachelor's, $62,061
- Faulkner University Bachelor's, $48,056
Human Resource Management programs in Arizona, 1 program
- University of Arizona Bachelor's, $76,013
Human Resource Management programs in California, 10 programs
- Ashford University Bachelor's, $65,002
- California State University-Fresno Bachelor's, $64,479
- California State University-Long Beach Bachelor's, $73,857
- California State University-San Bernardino Bachelor's, $56,773
- Fresno Pacific University Bachelor's, $74,265
- Golden Gate University Master's, $123,772
- National University Master's, $81,583
- University of Massachusetts Global Master's, $88,158
- University of San Francisco Master's, $153,058
- University of Southern California Master's, $116,471
Human Resource Management programs in Colorado, 1 program
- Colorado Christian University Bachelor's, $69,617
Human Resource Management programs in Connecticut, 1 program
- University of Hartford Master's, $87,953
Human Resource Management programs in Delaware, 1 program
- Wilmington University Bachelor's, $65,781
Human Resource Management programs in District of Columbia, 1 program
- George Washington University Master's, $120,266
Human Resource Management programs in Florida, 3 programs
- Florida International University Bachelor's, $67,696
- Nova Southeastern University Master's, $67,513
- Saint Leo University Bachelor's, $62,122
Human Resource Management programs in Georgia, 1 program
- Mercer University Bachelor's, $68,052
Human Resource Management programs in Illinois, 5 programs
- Benedictine University Master's, $91,575
- DePaul University Master's, $99,840
- Northeastern Illinois University Bachelor's, $63,276
- Roosevelt University Master's, $86,632
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Master's, $114,404
Human Resource Management programs in Indiana, 3 programs
- Ball State University Bachelor's, $75,822
- Indiana State University Bachelor's, $67,452
- Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion Master's, $70,097
Human Resource Management programs in Iowa, 4 programs
- Buena Vista University Bachelor's, $56,329
- Mount Mercy University Bachelor's, $61,772
- University of Iowa Bachelor's, $77,659
- Upper Iowa University Bachelor's, $64,706
Human Resource Management programs in Kentucky, 1 program
- Northern Kentucky University Bachelor's, $65,960
Human Resource Management programs in Maryland, 3 programs
- Bowie State University Master's, $86,829
- Towson University Master's, $90,315
- University of Maryland Global Campus Bachelor's, $67,012
Human Resource Management programs in Michigan, 8 programs
- Baker College Bachelor's, $61,954
- Central Michigan University Master's, $80,381
- Davenport University Bachelor's, $67,854
- Grand Valley State University Bachelor's, $75,800
- Michigan State University Bachelor's, $85,886
- Oakland University Bachelor's, $70,347
- Wayne State University Bachelor's, $61,121
- Western Michigan University Bachelor's, $71,870
Human Resource Management programs in Minnesota, 7 programs
- Capella University Master's, $81,093
- Concordia University-Saint Paul Master's, $88,470
- Metropolitan State University Bachelor's, $70,299
- Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Master's, $84,744
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities Master's, $121,475
- Walden University Master's, $69,182
- Winona State University Bachelor's, $65,501
Human Resource Management programs in Mississippi, 1 program
- University of Southern Mississippi Bachelor's, $51,402
Human Resource Management programs in Missouri, 4 programs
- Lindenwood University Bachelor's, $63,385
- Park University Bachelor's, $61,818
- Saint Louis University Bachelor's, $76,354
- Webster University Master's, $69,011
Human Resource Management programs in Nebraska, 1 program
- Bellevue University Bachelor's, $66,702
Human Resource Management programs in New Hampshire, 1 program
- Southern New Hampshire University Master's, $79,973
Human Resource Management programs in New Jersey, 3 programs
- Rider University Bachelor's, $70,122
- Rowan University Bachelor's, $73,035
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick Bachelor's, $75,850
Human Resource Management programs in New York, 4 programs
- Cornell University Bachelor's, $112,713
- New York University Master's, $125,710
- Roberts Wesleyan University Bachelor's, $75,523
- Stony Brook University Master's, $92,520
Human Resource Management programs in North Carolina, 2 programs
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Bachelor's, $76,811
- Western Carolina University Master's, $77,673
Human Resource Management programs in Ohio, 6 programs
- Cleveland State University Bachelor's, $65,203
- Franklin University Bachelor's, $66,648
- Ohio State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $82,371
- University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Bachelor's, $61,590
- University of Toledo Bachelor's, $60,561
- Wright State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $65,293
Human Resource Management programs in Oklahoma, 2 programs
- Southern Nazarene University Bachelor's, $78,093
- University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Bachelor's, $65,881
Human Resource Management programs in Oregon, 1 program
- Portland State University Bachelor's, $68,274
Human Resource Management programs in Pennsylvania, 5 programs
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus Bachelor's, $58,975
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $81,755
- Temple University Bachelor's, $73,127
- University of Scranton Master's, $86,514
- Villanova University Master's, $121,007
Human Resource Management programs in South Carolina, 1 program
- University of South Carolina-Columbia Master's, $136,605
Human Resource Management programs in Texas, 8 programs
- Sam Houston State University Bachelor's, $57,689
- Tarleton State University Master's, $81,088
- Texas A & M University-College Station Bachelor's, $76,593
- Texas Woman's University Bachelor's, $62,863
- The University of Texas at Tyler Master's, $82,432
- University of Houston Bachelor's, $69,010
- University of North Texas Bachelor's, $60,456
- University of the Incarnate Word Master's, $88,995
Human Resource Management programs in Virginia, 1 program
- University of Richmond Bachelor's, $92,389
Human Resource Management programs in Wisconsin, 2 programs
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Bachelor's, $67,192
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Bachelor's, $62,750
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Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Human Resource Management degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Business & Finance careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Management careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Human Resource Management degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Human Resource Management path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.