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Business & Banking

HR Manager

Oversee hiring, benefits, compensation, and culture for a company or division. Strong mid-career stability.

office-workremote-friendly
30
ROI · Moderate
Investment vs return
Cost · time · demand normalized 0–100
22
Expected value
ROI × Attainability ÷ 100
See full ranking →
Compare this career
Salary progression

What you'll earn over your career

$60k
$88k
$135k
Entry
Mid-career
Senior
10-yr outlook
+5%
+5% (Faster than avg)
Open positions
24,000
Estimated nationwide
Entry paths

How to get here

Multiple paths lead to this career. Compare time, cost, online vs in-person delivery, and program links.

Fastest ROI
Degree Hybrid
BS HR / Business + SHRM-CP
Time
4 years + cert
Cost
$40,000 – $120,000
Top programs
SHRMOnlineWGU HR MgmtOnline
SHRM-CP / PHR certifications boost pay.
Affiliate disclosure: Some of the program links above may be affiliate partnerships. If you enroll, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only link to programs we have actually reviewed against our methodology. See our methodology for how we evaluate schools.
Attainability breakdown

What are the odds
you actually get there?

Six factors weighted to estimate the realistic probability a motivated person reaches this outcome. Higher = more attainable.

72
Composite
Attainability Score
Editorial estimate
Editorial estimate — based on best-available qualitative info. We're upgrading individual factors to published statistics where available.
  • Educational difficulty
    How hard the required schooling is to complete
    70
    20%
  • Licensing & exams
    Pass rates and difficulty of required exams
    80
    15%
  • Entry-job competition
    How many applicants per open entry-level role
    60
    20%
  • Career stay-rate
    Inverse of early-career attrition / industry exit
    75
    15%
  • Market demand
    Openings vs available workforce
    70
    15%
  • Alternative paths
    How many viable ways exist to enter the field
    80
    15%
Recommended schools

Schools known for this path

Verified high-ROI programs aligned with HR Manager. Direct, transparent links to each school's official program page. See the full ROI shortlist →

UF Online
Online, public research university
Tuition
$111.92 / credit (in-state)
Same UF diploma, online delivery. $129.18/cr with required fees.
Programs for HR Manager
Cost vs. Salary
Estimated cost
120 cr × $129/cr (in-state) ≈ $15.5K
Total cost
$18,000
Starting pay
$75,000
HR Manager
Break-even
5 mo
Time for surplus earnings (above $35,000 living costs) to pay tuition back.
10-yr net (median pay)
+$1,282,000
Salary data: BLS Occupational Outlook. Living-cost floor ($35K) is a national approximation. Your numbers will vary by state, employer, and aid.
Share this break-even
Quick math

If you took the fastest path…

You'd train for
4 years + cert
You'd spend (avg)
$80,000
Starting salary
$60,000
Mid-career
$88,000
Read more

Articles & resources

Human Resources Managers – BLS
BLS
Sources: BLS OOH 2024 · SHRM

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