Human Resources Management and Services: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 380 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Human Resources Management and Services pays
Career outlook for Human Resources Management and Services graduates
The job market for the occupations Human Resources Management and Services graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human resources specialists | 944,300 | +6.2% | $72,910 | Bachelor's degree |
| Training and development specialists | 452,300 | +10.8% | $65,850 | Bachelor's degree |
| Compliance officers | 418,000 | +3.0% | $78,420 | Bachelor's degree |
| Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors | 376,300 | +3.5% | $65,140 | Master's degree |
| Human resources managers | 221,900 | +5.0% | $140,030 | Bachelor's degree |
| Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists | 107,000 | +5.3% | $77,020 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Human Resources Management and Services vs similar majors
How Human Resources Management and Services stacks up against the closest fields in Business, Management & Marketing on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Human Resources Management and Services Business, Management & Marketing · this major | Taxation | Real Estate | Construction Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 64 C | 86 A | 89 A | 91 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $70,241 | $115,802 | $106,858 | $93,418 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $57,539 | $82,899 | $75,222 | $72,735 |
| ROI vs cost | +200% | +744% | +657% | +500% |
| Typical debt | $33,061 | $32,642 | $26,560 | $23,977 |
| Colleges offering it | 380 | 30 | 27 | 47 |
Human Resources Management and Services earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Human Resources Management and Services
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | Certificate | $97,483 | — | +4,226% | Strong return |
| 2 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA | Associate's | $108,084 | — | +2,192% | Strong return |
| 3 | George Washington University Washington, DC | Master's | $204,153 | — | +2,075% | Strong return |
| 4 | Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NC | Certificate | $51,820 | — | +1,939% | Strong return |
| 5 | Dakota County Technical College Rosemount, MN | Certificate | $72,388 | — | +1,922% | Strong return |
| 6 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | Associate's | $100,182 | $14,225 | +1,654% | Strong return |
| 7 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Associate's | $92,897 | — | +1,600% | Strong return |
| 8 | American Public University System Charles Town, WV | Certificate | $60,037 | — | +1,467% | Strong return |
| 9 | University of Phoenix-Arizona Phoenix, AZ | Certificate | $69,835 | $7,125 | +1,441% | Strong return |
| 10 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT | Associate's | $92,395 | — | +1,423% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA | Certificate | $101,383 | $22,000 | +1,366% | Strong return |
| 12 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN | Associate's | $78,884 | — | +1,348% | Strong return |
| 13 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | Associate's | $120,368 | $14,000 | +1,106% | Strong return |
| 14 | Portland State University Portland, OR | Associate's | $73,873 | $18,791 | +1,013% | Strong return |
| 15 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | Certificate | $131,905 | $41,872 | +1,005% | Strong return |
| 16 | Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY | Certificate | $97,238 | $40,705 | +998% | Strong return |
| 17 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA | Certificate | $122,821 | — | +986% | Strong return |
| 18 | Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI | Certificate | $84,147 | — | +973% | Strong return |
| 19 | Capella University Minneapolis, MN | Master's | $83,336 | — | +968% | Strong return |
| 20 | Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee, WI | Certificate | $60,941 | $10,907 | +957% | Strong return |
| 21 | Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN | Certificate | $65,243 | $20,545 | +957% | Strong return |
| 22 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | Certificate | $124,896 | $50,712 | +953% | Strong return |
| 23 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD | Certificate | $68,183 | — | +951% | Strong return |
| 24 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN | Certificate | $69,166 | $17,625 | +942% | Strong return |
| 25 | California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA | Associate's | $66,219 | $18,329 | +926% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.