2020 Human Resource Management Degree Guide

It 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.

Human Resource Management Degrees Remain Stable

Human Resource Management was the 49th most popular major in the 2017-2018 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 26,853 degrees in this year alone. This is approximately the same as the 26,648 graduates the prior year.

Approximately 376 colleges in the U.S. offer a human resource management degree of some kind. This year's Best Colleges for Human Resource Management ranking compares 132 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom HR rankings further below.

Requirements for Getting a Degree in Human Resource Management

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.

HR Degree Program Entry Requirements

human resource management degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Once you obtain your degree, additional HR certifications required to pursue a career in this field.

Human Resource Management Degree Types

There are many different HR degrees levels. Human Resource Management programs offered by schools range from a first year certificate to a research/scholarship based doctorate, which is the highest HR degree you can get. The time it takes to complete a HR degree varies depending on the program.

Degree	Credit Requirements	Typical Program Length
Associate Degree	60-70 credits	2 years
Bachelor’s Degree	120 credits	4 years
Master’s Degree	50-70 credits	1-3 years
Doctorate	Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation	At least 4 years

A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to HR, with approximately 52.1% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for HR workers below.

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree	49.5%
Master’s Degree	17.5%
Doctoral Degree	12.0%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate	6.1%
High School Diploma	5.5%

About 86.8% of workers in careers related to HR obtain at least bachelor's degree. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in human resource management have received.

The education level required is different depending on the HR career you are seeking.

HR Careers

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.

Solid Growth Projected for HR Careers

Want a job when you graduate with your HR degree? Human Resource Management careers are expected to grow 8.4% between 2016 and 2026.

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to human resource management.

Occupation Name	Projected Jobs	Expected Growth
Human Resources Specialists	586,700	7.1%
Training and Development Specialists	315,300	11.5%
Human Resources Managers	148,400	9.0%
Business Professors	123,000	18.0%
Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists	91,300	8.4%

HR Degree Salary Potential

Human Resource Management graduates between 2015-2017 reported earning an average of $46,196 in the 2017-2018 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $11,600 to as high as $100,100. As you might expect, salaries for HR graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

High Paying Careers for HR Majors

Salaries for human resource management graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top 5 highest paying careers HR grads often go into.

Occupation Name	Median Average Salary
Compensation and Benefits Managers	$132,860
Human Resources Managers	$126,700
Training and Development Managers	$121,730
Business Professors	$103,330
Labor Relations Specialists	$70,730

Getting Your Human Resource Management Degree

With over 1,588 different HR degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased HR school rankings to help you with this.

Human Resource Management Related Majors

Human Resource Management is one of 21 different types of Business, Management & Marketing programs to choose from.

Majors Similar to HR

Related Major	Annual Graduates
Business Administration & Management	399,810
Accounting	107,851
General Business/Commerce	58,413
Finance & Financial Management	56,960
Marketing	49,179

View All HR Related Majors >

References

• National Center for Education Statistics

• O*NET Online

• Image Credit: By Arunkumar Umapathy under License