Management
Human resources manager
Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.
Median pay
$149,280
Growth to 2035
+6%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
16,800
Time to qualify*
5 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Human resources manager
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- 5 years or more
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Exposure to disease
Human resources manager: 68% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions, interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems.
- Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations.
- Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures.
- Represent organization at personnel-related hearings and investigations.
- Negotiate bargaining agreements and help interpret labor contracts.
- Advise managers on organizational policy matters, such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment, and recommend needed changes.
- Plan and conduct new employee orientation to foster positive attitude toward organizational objectives.
- Analyze and modify compensation and benefits policies to establish competitive programs and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Also called: Employee Relations Manager · HR Admin Director (Human Resources Administration Director) · HR Director (Human Resources Director) · HR Manager (Human Resources Manager) · HR Ops Manager (Human Resources Operations Manager) · HR VP (Human Resources Vice President) · Recruitment Director
Outlook and AI
Human resources managers held 224,900 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 237,400 by 2035 (+6%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Human resources manager vs. Human resources specialist
- Human resources manager vs. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
- Human resources manager vs. Management analyst
- Human resources manager vs. Industrial-organizational psychologist
- Human resources manager vs. Labor relations specialist
- Human resources manager vs. Training and development managers
- Human resources manager vs. Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
- Human resources manager vs. Social and community service managers
- Human resources manager vs. Compensation and benefits managers
- Human resources manager vs. Compliance officer