by our College Data Analytics Team
[Human Resource Management](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/human-resource-management/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a human resource management degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 73 schools on the early-career earnings of their human resource management graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose human resource management graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is University Of Michigan Ann Arbor, our #1 for human resource management graduate salaries in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. Human Resource Management graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of about $100,182 a year early in their careers.
Northwestern University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in human resource management, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the human resource management program here go on to a median salary of roughly $82,255.
A rank of #3 makes Walsh University one of the highest-paying schools for human resource management. Walsh University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of North Canton. After graduating, human resource management degree recipients from Walsh University typically earn about $80,566 annually.
A rank of #4 makes Waukesha County Technical College one of the highest-paying schools for human resource management. Set in the suburb of Pewaukee, Waukesha County Technical College is a public institution. Early-career human resource management graduates from Waukesha County Technical College make a median of around $60,941 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in human resource management will find them at Xavier University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Cincinnati, Xavier University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, human resource management degree recipients from Xavier University typically earn about $74,862 annually.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earned the #6 position for human resource management graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a public institution. After graduating, human resource management degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign typically earn about $124,896 annually.
Michigan State University landed the #7 spot for human resource management salaries this year. Michigan State University is a public school located in the city of East Lansing. Human Resource Management graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of about $99,105 a year early in their careers.
Baldwin Wallace College landed the #8 spot for human resource management salaries this year. Set in the suburb of Berea, Baldwin Wallace College is a private not-for-profit institution. Human Resource Management graduates of Baldwin Wallace College earn a median of about $68,688 a year early in their careers.
University Of St Francis landed the #9 spot for human resource management salaries this year. Set in the suburb of Joliet, University Of St Francis is a private not-for-profit institution. Human Resource Management graduates of University Of St Francis earn a median of about $65,341 a year early in their careers.
Ohio State University Main Campus landed the #10 spot for human resource management salaries this year. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a public institution. Early-career human resource management graduates from Ohio State University Main Campus make a median of around $91,849 per year.
Depaul University came in at #11 for human resource management graduate earnings this year. Depaul University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Students who complete the human resource management program here go on to a median salary of roughly $121,200.
College Of Mount St Joseph ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying human resource management schools. Located in the suburb of Cincinnati, College Of Mount St Joseph is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, human resource management degree recipients from College Of Mount St Joseph typically earn about $88,424 annually.
Case Western Reserve University placed #13 among the highest-paying schools for human resource management. Located in the city of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career human resource management graduates from Case Western Reserve University make a median of around $91,541 per year.
Rasmussen College Illinois came in at #14 for human resource management graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Rockford, Rasmussen College Illinois is a private for-profit institution. Early-career human resource management graduates from Rasmussen College Illinois make a median of around $53,717 per year.
Rasmussen College Wisconsin landed the #15 spot for human resource management salaries this year. Set in the city of Green Bay, Rasmussen College Wisconsin is a private for-profit institution. Human Resource Management graduates of Rasmussen College Wisconsin earn a median of about $53,717 a year early in their careers.
Concordia University Ann Arbor earned the #16 position for human resource management graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, Concordia University Ann Arbor is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, human resource management degree recipients from Concordia University Ann Arbor typically earn about $68,470 annually.
Concordia University Wisconsin came in at #17 for human resource management graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Mequon, Concordia University Wisconsin is a private not-for-profit institution. Human Resource Management graduates of Concordia University Wisconsin earn a median of about $68,470 a year early in their careers.
North Central College earned the #18 position for human resource management graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Naperville, North Central College is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career human resource management graduates from North Central College make a median of around $71,402 per year.
University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying human resource management schools. University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh is a public school located in the city of Oshkosh. Human Resource Management graduates of University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh earn a median of about $67,330 a year early in their careers.
Marquette University placed #20 among the highest-paying schools for human resource management. Set in the city of Milwaukee, Marquette University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, human resource management degree recipients from Marquette University typically earn about $68,691 annually.
Benedictine University came in at #21 for human resource management graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Lisle, Benedictine University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career human resource management graduates from Benedictine University make a median of around $78,629 per year.
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying human resource management schools. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a public institution. After graduating, human resource management degree recipients from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis typically earn about $65,243 annually.
Cuyahoga Community College District placed #23 among the highest-paying schools for human resource management. Cuyahoga Community College District is a public school located in the city of Cleveland. Early-career human resource management graduates from Cuyahoga Community College District make a median of around $45,695 per year.
Roosevelt University placed #24 among the highest-paying schools for human resource management. Roosevelt University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Students who complete the human resource management program here go on to a median salary of roughly $82,023.
Chippewa Valley Technical College ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying human resource management schools. Set in the city of Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Technical College is a public institution. Early-career human resource management graduates from Chippewa Valley Technical College make a median of around $51,498 per year.
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s highest-paid human resource management ranking:
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries human resource management graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 73 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.