How Much Does an HR Manager Make in 2025?
Human resources managers, also known as HR managers, are responsible for developing human resources policies and programs in an organization, as well as directing the staff in managing and implementing programs that support employee engagement, productivity, and company objectives.
Typically working full-time, human resources managers ensure the proper administration of key HR functions, such as recruiting, people/labor relations, health and safety, compensation and benefits, training, diversity, payroll, and employee records.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for human resources managers is estimated to increase by 6% from 2023 to 2033, with a projected 17,400 job openings every year over the decade.
Below is an overview of the salary for HR managers, including pay ranges, averages, and factors that affect their pay.
What is the Average HR Manager Salary?
As of August 19, 2025, the average salary of HR managers in the United States is $123,100 per year and $59 per hour, with rates ranging from $46 to $67.
2025 HR Manager Average Salary: $123,100 per year ($59 per hour)
Meanwhile, the average monthly and weekly salaries for HR managers are $10,258 and $2,367, respectively.
What is the Pay Range for an HR Manager?
According to Salary.com report, the salary range for HR managers starts at $96,163 and can reach as high as $139,530 per year, with most earning between $109,000 and $131,700. The salary range is affected by factors like education, level of experience, and geographic location.
HR Manager Salary Range: $96,163 to $139,530 per year ($46 to $67 per hour)
| Percentile | By Hour | By Week | By Month | By Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $46 | $1,849 | $8,014 | $96,163 |
| 25th Percentile | $52 | $2,096 | $9,083 | $109,000 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $59 | $2,367 | $10,258 | $123,100 |
| 75th Percentile | $63 | $2,533 | $10,975 | $131,700 |
| 90th Percentile | $67 | $2,683 | $11,627 | $139,530 |
HR Manager Salary Factors
Experience level, place of work, and skills needed are important factors that can affect the salary for HR managers. Here are the effects of these factors:
Years of Experience
The earnings of HR managers increase as the experience level advances. An entry-level HR manager earns $117,839. A senior HR manager gets paid $119,943, while an expert-level with over 8 years of experience gets paid $123,999 on average.
| Level | Years of Experience | Average Salary per year |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level HR Manager | <1 | $117,839 |
| Intermediate Level HR Manager | 1-2 | $118,470 |
| Senior Level HR Manager | 2-4 | $119,943 |
| Specialist Level HR Manager | 5-8 | $121,627 |
| Expert Level HR Manager | 8+ | $123,999 |
Place of Work
According to the BLS, human resources managers working in professional, scientific, and technical services earn up to 37% more than those working in healthcare and social assistance in 2024.
| Place of Work | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | $163,970 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | $163,180 |
| Manufacturing | $137,570 |
| Government | $124,930 |
| Healthcare and social assistance | $120,010 |
Skill Set
HR managers with more acquired skills get higher pay. Data from Salary.com's Real-time Job Posting Salary Data Report suggests that talent assessment skills can give the highest pay increase of 9.93%, followed by process analysis skills with 8.91%.
The table below shows some important skills with higher demands and salary increases for HR managers, including learning delivery, employee data management, staff training, and Workday.
| Skill | Demand | Salary Increase |
|---|---|---|
| Talent Assessment | 10.40% | +9.93% |
| Process Analysis | 10.60% | +8.91% |
| Learning Delivery | 10.50% | +8.26% |
| Employee Data Management | 10.50% | +7.57% |
| Staff Training | 10.20% | +7.44% |
| Workday | 10.60% | +7.31% |
HR Manager Salary by City and State
The salary of HR managers varies in individual cities and states of the US. This is because geographic location affects pay through the local economy, cost of living, and industry presence.
Highest Paying States for HR Manager
Based on Salary.com's salary data, the District of Columbia offers the highest median annual wage for HR managers in the United States, at $136,300 per year.
- District of Columbia: $136,300 (or $66 per hour)
- California: $135,800 (or $65 per hour)
- Massachusetts: $134,000 (or $64 per hour)
- Washington: $133,500 (or $64 per hour)
- New Jersey: $133,500 (or $64 per hour)
HR Manager Salary by State
| State | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $133,300 |
| Alabama | $113,100 |
| Arkansas | $111,200 |
| Arizona | $120,000 |
| California | $135,800 |
| Colorado | $125,600 |
| Connecticut | $131,600 |
| District of Columbia | $136,300 |
| Delaware | $124,700 |
| Florida | $116,500 |
| Georgia | $118,800 |
| Hawaii | $128,700 |
| Iowa | $117,800 |
| Idaho | $115,000 |
| Illinois | $125,500 |
| Indiana | $118,200 |
| Kansas | $117,300 |
| Kentucky | $115,900 |
| Louisiana | $117,100 |
| Massachusetts | $134,000 |
| Maryland | $127,000 |
| Maine | $120,100 |
| Michigan | $121,300 |
| Minnesota | $126,000 |
| Missouri | $117,000 |
| Mississippi | $109,800 |
| Montana | $116,300 |
| North Carolina | $117,000 |
| North Dakota | $121,600 |
| Nebraska | $116,000 |
| New Hampshire | $124,500 |
| New Jersey | $133,500 |
| New Mexico | $114,100 |
| Nevada | $121,900 |
| New York | $130,900 |
| Ohio | $119,900 |
| Oklahoma | $113,900 |
| Oregon | $125,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $122,600 |
| Rhode Island | $127,700 |
| South Carolina | $115,400 |
| South Dakota | $111,900 |
| Tennessee | $115,100 |
| Texas | $120,100 |
| Utah | $117,900 |
| Virginia | $124,000 |
| Vermont | $120,900 |
| Washington | $133,500 |
| Wisconsin | $121,100 |
| West Virginia | $110,900 |
| Wyoming | $118,100 |
Highest Paying Cities for HR Manager
Salary.com also reported that the city of San Jose, California is the highest-paying city for HR managers with $155,300 per year or $75 per hour.
- San Jose, California: $155,300 (or $75 per hour)
- San Francisco, California: $153,800 (or $74 per hour)
- Oakland, California: $150,400 (or $72 per hour)
- New York, New York: $142,700 (or $69 per hour)
- Queens Village, New York: $141,800 (or $68 per hour)
Ways to Increase Your Salary as an HR Manager
To get employed as an HR manager, it usually requires a bachelor's degree in fields related to business, communications, or psychology, while taking courses in subjects like conflict management can be useful.
Management positions, like human resources manager, need to understand human resources activities, policies, and programs, such as compensation and benefits plans, human resources software, and federal, state, and local employment laws.
Here are significant ways to raise the pay for HR managers:
- Enhancing more skills: Some in-demand skills that can increase the value of HR manager salaries are employee data management, collective bargaining, and labor and employee relations.
- Advancing to higher education: To have more knowledge, tools, and credibility to lead the human resources team with confidence, which in turn boosts the average total compensation for HR managers, pursue a graduate degree, such as in a Master of Science in Human Resources Management program.
- Getting certification: Having professional certification as an HR manager is an advantage when you want to increase your earning potential and differentiate yourself from other employees. Professional associations that offer certification programs include The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), HR Certification Institute (HRCI), WorldAtWork, and International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.
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Accessing top industries: For human resources managers, these are some of the highest-paying industries according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports:
- Motion picture and video industries: $236,420
- Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services: $233,080
- Computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing: $231,160
- Media streaming distribution services, social networks, and other media networks and content providers: $220,930
- Securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities: $216,840
Average National Salaries by Source
As of August 19, 2025, the following are the reported salaries for HR managers from five top salary-reporting sites, averaging $104,699.40 (unweighted) across these sources.
SALARY.COM AVG. SALARY
$123,100/ year
TALENT.COM AVG. SALARY
$88,750/ year
GLASSDOOR AVG. SALARY
$106,469/ year
COMPARABLY AVG. SALARY
$119,039/ year
ZIPRECRUITER AVG. SALARY
$86,139/ year
