by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 520 U.S. colleges awarded 18,294 degrees and certificates in General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 55% of graduates. College Factual ranks 274 schools in its 2027 Best General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $57,370 one year after completing, rising to $73,112 after four years.
A degree in General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration covers Human Resources Management/personnel Administration, General. 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: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, general human resources management/personnel administration draws strong interest, with 18,294 degrees awarded annually. 520 colleges award general human resources management/personnel administration degrees, an average of 35 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,511.
By level, the 18,294 awards include 439 certificates, 764 associate degrees, 6,914 bachelor’s degrees, 10,095 master’s degrees and 28 doctorates.
Women earned 76% of general human resources management/personnel administration degrees and certificates in the latest year (13,976 of 18,294). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (7,793) and Black or African American (3,893), and international students earned 505.
College Factual ranks 274 schools in its 2027 Best General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration Schools ranking, including 36 for associate degrees, 127 for bachelor’s degrees, 108 for master’s degrees and 5 for doctorates. It also ranks general human resources management/personnel administration schools within 43 states. In all, 520 colleges offer general human resources management/personnel administration programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common general human resources management/personnel administration credential is the master’s degree: 10,095 of the 18,294 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to general human resources management/personnel administration call most for Active Listening, Speaking and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of English Language, Customer and Personal Service and Personnel and Human Resources, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
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How long a general human resources management/personnel administration degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 439 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 764 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 6,914 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 10,095 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 28 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to general human resources management/personnel administration, at 56.3%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 56.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 10.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 9.2% |
| Master’s degree | 7.4% |
| Some college courses | 5.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 2.1% |
| First professional degree | 0.7% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
16 occupations are related to General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, with an average median salary of $86,660; the strongest outlook belongs to Regulatory Affairs Specialists, at 14.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Benefits Coordinator, Personnel Officer, Recruiting Coordinator and Compliance Analyst.
The occupation related to general human resources management/personnel administration with the most projected jobs is Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping, at 1,062,982.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | 1,062,982 | 11.9% |
| 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% |
| Training and Development Managers | 394,938 | -0.4% |
General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration graduates earn a median $57,370 one year after completing their program, $73,112 after four years and $68,120 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $57,370 |
| 4 years | $73,112 |
| 5 years | $68,120 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to general human resources management/personnel administration is Training and Development Managers, with a median salary of $139,524.
| 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 |
| Human Resources Specialists | $90,840 |
| Regulatory Affairs Specialists | $85,399 |
General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration has 6 similar majors in the Business, Management & Marketing field, which together award 9,528 degrees a year; the largest are Human Resources Development (3,511), Organizational Behavior Studies (3,450) and Labor and Industrial Relations (1,407). Browse all Business, Management & Marketing majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Human Resources Development | 3,511 |
| Organizational Behavior Studies | 3,450 |
| Labor and Industrial Relations | 1,407 |
| Human Resources Management and Services, Other | 920 |
| Labor Studies | 147 |
| Executive/Career Coaching | 93 |
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