by our College Data Analytics TeamGeneral Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration was the 53rd most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 19,084 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 1,669 over the prior year, a growth of 8.7%.
Our 2023 Best General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration Schools ranking analyzes 336 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for general human resources management/personnel administration students. Explore this or one of our many other custom HR management rankings further below.
A major in HR management prepares you for careers in which talking to others to convey information effectively is crucial. Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times and understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents are all required skills for careers related to this major.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Once you obtain your degree, additional HR management certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
HR Management degree levels vary. General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest HR management degree you can get. The time it takes to complete a HR management 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 management, with approximately 52.1% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to HR management tend obtained the following education levels.
| 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 management obtain at least bachelor's degrees. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in general human resources management/personnel administration careers have.
The education level required is different depending on the HR management career you are seeking.
Want a job when you graduate with your HR management degree? General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration careers are expected to grow 8.4% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general human resources management/personnel administration.
| 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% |
As you might expect, salaries for HR management graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for general human resources management/personnel administration graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers HR management 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 |
With over 999 different HR management 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 management school rankings to help you with this.
General Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration is one of 6 different types of Human Resource Management programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Organizational Behavior Studies | 3,921 |
| Human Resources Development | 2,315 |
| Labor & Industrial Relations | 1,789 |
| Other Human Resources Management and Services | 1,450 |
| Labor Studies | 171 |
Image Credit: By Arunkumar Umapathy under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
