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.
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 16,988 Human Resource Management credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate24%4,069
- Associate5%770
- Bachelor's36%6,163
- Graduate35%5,986
This is one of the fields where the answer genuinely depends on where you study: across the 40 states reporting it, certificates run from 0% of credentials in the 10th-percentile state to 69% in the 90th. Check the mix in your state before assuming which credential a program leads to. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, 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.
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 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- University of Phoenix-ArizonaAZ · 1,008
- Western Governors UniversityUT · 941
- Southern New Hampshire UniversityNH · 886
- University of Maryland Global CampusMD · 561
- Capella UniversityMN · 489
- Ashford UniversityCA · 459
- DeVry University-IllinoisIL · 365
- Rutgers University-New BrunswickNJ · 365
- Florida International UniversityFL · 260
- American Public University SystemWV · 258
- Colorado State University GlobalCO · 253
- University of ArizonaAZ · 244
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. 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.
Search Human Resource Management schools 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
Related majors
Business Administration
Business Administration is the most popular U.S. major, a broad foundation in accounting, finance, marketing, management, and economics that prepares graduates for nearly any industry.
Psychology
Psychology majors study human cognition, behavior, and emotion, preparing graduates for clinical, research, business, and human-services careers (and graduate school in clinical, counseling, and I/O psych).
Communications
Communications studies how messages move through media, combining writing, public speaking, and media analysis with hands-on training in PR, journalism, broadcasting, or strategic communication.
Public Administration
Public Administration trains graduates for careers in government, nonprofits, and public-private partnerships, combining policy analysis with management practice.
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.