by our College Data Analytics TeamIt is impossible to have a successful business unless employees are properly trained, happy, and efficient. The work environment, hiring process, and work relationship are all important factors to a business's ability to thrive, making the role of Human Resource Manager critical to any business. These managers handle the staffing, training, pay, and policies of the workplace. By majoring in Human Resource Management, students will manage the progress of human capital in the workplace and provide services to these groups and individuals.
Some of the concentrations associated with this major are Labor and Industrial Relations, Organizational Behavior Studies, Labor Studies, and Human Resource Development.
There are a variety of courses you will take when majoring in Human Resource Management, they include employee and labor relations, organizational behavior, staffing, compensation and benefits, and statistics. This major is commonly offered as a Bachelor's Degree.
A major in Human Resource Management explores Human Resources Management And Services. Continue reading for the essential details every human resource management major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering human resource management programs.
Across the country, human resource management draws strong interest, with 25,424 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Human Resource Management Schools ranking analyzes these 677 schools to determine the best overall colleges for human resource management students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of human resource management programs later in this article.
Studies in Human Resource Management emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations human resource management graduates commonly enter.
Those who work in the field of Human Resources need to be comfortable interacting with people. Your days will revolve around meeting the needs of others and making sure employees are satisfied. You will be working and meeting with others constantly, therefore strong communication skills are essential. You must be able to understand and listen to concerns and relay information to your superiors. Work on your interpersonal and communication skills while still in college in order to achieve success.
Students may benefit from an internship or work experience in any field where they interact with people. Customer service can be a great background to a job in Human Resources.
Skills developed in a human resource management program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a human resource management major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several human resource management degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 534 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1,065 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 9,934 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 13,443 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 284 |
People currently working in careers related to human resource management tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 54.2% |
| Master’s degree | 9.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 7.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 5.1% |
| Some college courses | 4.6% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.1% |
| First professional degree | 3.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.0% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in human resource management careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Graduates with a degree in Human Resources Management have the option to become Human Resources Mangers. These managers can work in virtually any type of industry and are in demand.
Graduates can also become a Human Resource Specialist. The specialist deal directly with the hiring processes of employees. They recruit, screen, and interview potential employees.
Majoring in human resource management opens doors to a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to human resource management.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to human resource management.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | 1,062,982 | 11.9% |
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,017,747 | -2.9% |
| Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers | 735,120 | 1.8% |
| Environmental Compliance Inspectors | 674,467 | 10.0% |
| Training and Development Specialists | 622,945 | 11.3% |
| Coroners | 499,816 | -4.9% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 405,890 | 11.8% |
| Human Resources Managers | 404,262 | -3.6% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of human resource management graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $56,722 |
| 4 years | $57,321 |
| 5 years | $65,449 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for human resource management graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers human resource management grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Training and Development Managers | $139,524 |
| Labor Relations Specialists | $129,587 |
| Environmental Compliance Inspectors | $119,630 |
| Coroners | $110,095 |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | $107,570 |
| Human Resources Managers | $95,702 |
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,726 |
| Human Resources Specialists | $90,840 |
With 677 different human resource management programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased human resource management school rankings to help you.
Those considering human resource management, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General | 17,602 |
| Organizational Behavior Studies | 3,447 |
| Human Resources Development | 1,604 |
| Labor and Industrial Relations | 1,540 |
| Human Resources Management and Services, Other | 950 |
| Labor Studies | 180 |
| Executive/Career Coaching | 101 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 402,942 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 81,835 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 62,236 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 57,976 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 57,564 |
| Marketing | 53,750 |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | 16,153 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 14,306 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 13,333 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 12,092 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
