Which state pays human resources bachelor's graduates the most?

New York, where the median program pays its graduates $53,317 in their first year, the highest of 11 state rankings. Minnesota is next, at $52,667.

Which human resources bachelor's program pays the most?

Benedictine University in Illinois reports the highest first-year pay of the 148 programs ranked here, $83,475. Its median federal debt is $31,872.

How much debt do human resources bachelor's graduates have?

The median program leaves its graduates with $26,442 in federal debt. Across programs, the median debt is 53% of first-year pay.

Highest-Paying Human Resources (Bachelor's) Programs in the US

151 programs report first-year pay
11 state rankings
Bachelor's in Human Resources Management and Services

College Scorecard June 2026 release · BLS wages May 2025

The short answer

The median human resources bachelor's program in the US pays its graduates $50,383 in their first year and $65,232 five years after. New York has the highest state median ($53,317), and California the lowest ($46,247). The median program leaves its graduates with $26,442 in federal debt.

Median first-year pay$50,383Across 151 programs

Median pay after 5 years$65,232Across 151 programs

Median federal debt$26,442Across 158 programs

Debt-to-earnings53%Across 144 programs

All 148 programs, ranked by graduate pay

Each program is ranked by the median pay of its graduates one year after they finished, from College Scorecard. This measures what graduates earn, not how good the teaching is. Pay also depends on where graduates live and work. Programs that don't report a figure are listed last when you sort by it.

#	School	Year 1 pay	After cost of living	Year 5 pay	Debt	Debt to pay
1	Benedictine UniversityLisle, IL · private nonprofit	$83,475	$83,510	$78,629	$31,872	38%
2	University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI · public	$82,714	Not adjusted	$100,182	$14,225	17%
3	Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL · private nonprofit	$82,255	$82,290	Not reported	$38,832	47%
4	Walsh UniversityNorth Canton, OH · private nonprofit	$80,566	$86,841	Not reported	$29,812	37%
5	Waldorf UniversityForest City, IA · private nonprofit	$77,897	Not adjusted	$75,847	$32,111	41%
6	Bethel University (Minnesota)Saint Paul, MN · private nonprofit	$76,000	$77,063	$89,709	$29,919	39%
7	Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY · private nonprofit	$73,436	Not adjusted	$120,368	$15,000	20%
8	Roberts Wesleyan UniversityRochester, NY · private nonprofit	$66,063	$61,214	$67,436	$25,000	38%
9	Concordia University-Saint PaulSaint Paul, MN · private nonprofit	$65,730	$66,649	$66,062	$28,666	44%
10	University of Massachusetts GlobalAliso Viejo, CA · public	$65,673	Not adjusted	$79,997	$22,979	35%
11	Capella UniversityMinneapolis, MN · private for-profit	$64,834	Not adjusted	$66,122	$36,121	56%
12	Baylor UniversityWaco, TX · private nonprofit	$62,562	$64,459	$80,478	$20,475	33%
13	Bryant UniversitySmithfield, RI · private nonprofit	$62,176	Not adjusted	$79,061	$26,000	42%
14	Idaho StatePocatello, ID · public	$62,033	$64,960	$55,479	$31,660	51%
15	Southern Nazarene UniversityBethany, OK · private nonprofit	$61,939	$70,511	$72,410	$25,750	42%
16	CSU GlobalDenver, CO · public	$61,802	Not adjusted	$81,083	$33,343	54%
17	Eastern Mennonite UniversityHarrisonburg, VA · private nonprofit	$60,136	Not adjusted	Not reported	$18,555	31%
18	BYUProvo, UT · private nonprofit	$59,842	Not adjusted	$92,395	Not reported	Not reported
19	Weber StateOgden, UT · public	$59,158	$59,838	$71,826	$20,500	35%
20	Ohio StateColumbus, OH · public	$58,991	$63,586	$73,508	$19,500	33%
21	Concordia University-WisconsinMequon, WI · private nonprofit	$58,982	$62,683	$68,470	$37,050	63%
22	Penn StateUniversity Park, PA · public	$58,884	Not adjusted	$80,773	$27,000	46%
23	Saint Joseph's UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · private nonprofit	$58,528	Not adjusted	$90,858	$23,970	41%
24	University of the Incarnate WordSan Antonio, TX · private nonprofit	$58,499	$60,273	$65,721	$36,007	62%
25	Wilmington UniversityNew Castle, DE · private nonprofit	$58,049	$58,161	$60,071	$31,125	54%
26	University of PhoenixPhoenix, AZ · private for-profit	$57,983	Not adjusted	$58,963	$50,470	87%
27	George Washington UniversityWashington, DC · private nonprofit	$57,219	Not adjusted	$100,004	$20,793	36%
28	UTSASan Antonio, TX · public	$56,961	$58,688	$62,533	$22,722	40%
29	Indiana Wesleyan University-MarionMarion, IN · private nonprofit	$56,752	$60,809	$69,078	$51,703	91%
30	Michigan StateEast Lansing, MI · public	$56,501	$58,722	$86,826	$23,475	42%
31	Rasmussen UniversitySt. Cloud, MN · private for-profit	$56,465	Not adjusted	$64,654	$38,233	68%
32	Geneva CollegeBeaver Falls, PA · private nonprofit	$56,414	Not adjusted	Not reported	$30,000	53%
33	UM-DearbornDearborn, MI · public	$55,944	$58,144	Not reported	$22,831	41%
34	Fresno Pacific UniversityFresno, CA · private nonprofit	$55,616	$50,231	$70,576	$27,155	49%
35	UW-OshkoshOshkosh, WI · public	$55,263	$58,731	$67,330	$20,000	36%
36	Colorado Christian UniversityLakewood, CO · private nonprofit	$55,261	$53,624	$56,100	$43,274	78%
37	Bluffton UniversityBluffton, OH · private nonprofit	$55,253	$59,557	$45,549	$35,001	63%
38	University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond, VA · private nonprofit	$55,123	Not adjusted	$76,301	$19,500	35%
39	Friends UniversityWichita, KS · private nonprofit	$54,539	$60,553	$53,504	$46,619	85%
40	Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI · private nonprofit	$54,242	Not adjusted	$68,691	Not reported	Not reported
41	University of ArizonaTucson, AZ · public	$53,971	$53,608	$76,592	$19,500	36%
42	Columbia Southern UniversityOrange Beach, AL · private for-profit	$53,843	Not adjusted	$59,483	$31,715	59%
43	UMGCAdelphi, MD · public	$53,685	Not adjusted	$70,745	$26,552	49%
44	North Central CollegeNaperville, IL · private nonprofit	$53,587	$53,610	$71,402	$24,314	45%
45	Thomas Edison State UniversityTrenton, NJ · public	$53,382	Not adjusted	$85,616	$25,625	48%
46	University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA · public	$53,339	$54,666	$64,205	Not reported	Not reported
47	Le Moyne CollegeSyracuse, NY · private nonprofit	$53,317	$49,404	Not reported	$26,000	49%
48	Saint Leo UniversitySaint Leo, FL · private nonprofit	$53,258	Not adjusted	$60,290	$37,625	71%
49	Bellevue UniversityBellevue, NE · private nonprofit	$53,007	Not adjusted	$70,056	$31,062	59%
50	University of IowaIowa City, IA · public	$52,945	Not adjusted	$75,166	$23,149	44%
51	University of St Thomas (Minnesota)Saint Paul, MN · private nonprofit	$52,667	$53,403	$75,925	$23,750	45%
52	Saint Louis UniversitySaint Louis, MO · private nonprofit	$52,377	$57,673	$71,839	$27,000	52%
53	Seton Hall UniversitySouth Orange, NJ · private nonprofit	$52,285	$48,054	$77,217	$23,032	44%
54	UNC Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC · public	$52,217	$55,358	$66,529	$15,000	29%
55	Utah Valley UniversityOrem, UT · public	$52,194	$52,794	Not reported	$13,736	26%
56	UW-WhitewaterWhitewater, WI · public	$52,071	$55,339	$67,137	$25,677	49%
57	Concordia University-ChicagoRiver Forest, IL · private nonprofit	$51,763	Not adjusted	Not reported	$34,419	66%
58	UT DallasRichardson, TX · public	$51,732	$53,301	Not reported	$19,500	38%
59	Davenport UniversityGrand Rapids, MI · private nonprofit	$51,681	$53,713	$64,790	$31,112	60%
60	Texas A&MCollege Station, TX · public	$51,664	$53,231	$75,890	$19,970	39%
61	Regent UniversityVirginia Beach, VA · private nonprofit	$51,631	Not adjusted	$54,326	$30,031	58%
62	University of AkronAkron, OH · public	$51,422	$55,427	$64,139	$20,750	40%
63	Park UniversityParkville, MO · private nonprofit	$51,169	Not adjusted	$60,390	$19,383	38%
64	University of Arizona Global CampusChandler, AZ · public	$51,118	Not adjusted	$57,539	$41,117	80%
65	Oakland UniversityRochester Hills, MI · public	$51,010	$53,016	$67,094	$25,480	50%
66	University of MinnesotaMinneapolis, MN · public	$50,946	$51,658	$71,653	$19,388	38%
67	John Carroll UniversityUniversity Heights, OH · private nonprofit	$50,938	$54,905	Not reported	$20,000	39%
68	Franklin UniversityColumbus, OH · private nonprofit	$50,827	$54,786	$66,999	$39,418	78%
69	Purdue GlobalWest Lafayette, IN · public	$50,810	Not adjusted	Not reported	$44,834	88%
70	Meredith CollegeRaleigh, NC · private nonprofit	$50,635	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
71	Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI · public	$50,612	$52,602	$67,510	$27,670	55%
72	Lindenwood UniversitySaint Charles, MO · private nonprofit	$50,426	$55,525	$58,437	$34,750	69%
73	Texas Woman's UniversityDenton, TX · public	$50,403	$51,931	$65,232	$30,949	61%
74	Baker CollegeOwosso, MI · private nonprofit	$50,383	$52,364	$61,058	$35,821	71%
75	Lewis UniversityRomeoville, IL · private nonprofit	$50,361	Not adjusted	$68,827	$27,000	54%
76	Grand Valley StateAllendale, MI · public	$50,259	$52,235	Not reported	$25,452	51%
77	Winona StateWinona, MN · public	$50,241	$50,944	$65,075	$23,250	46%
78	Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · public	$50,128	$51,375	$78,584	$27,000	54%
79	Dickinson StateDickinson, ND · public	$50,122	$56,343	Not reported	$33,519	67%
80	Ferris StateBig Rapids, MI · public	$50,089	$52,058	Not reported	$27,000	54%
81	University of TennesseeKnoxville, TN · public	$49,956	$54,377	$54,269	$22,018	44%
82	Grand View UniversityDes Moines, IA · private nonprofit	$49,917	$56,878	$80,108	$27,375	55%
83	Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY · public	$49,803	$55,239	$63,578	$29,634	60%
84	Portland StatePortland, OR · public	$49,696	$48,080	$73,873	$25,460	51%
85	McKendree UniversityLebanon, IL · private nonprofit	$49,505	Not adjusted	$56,586	$24,625	50%
86	DeSales UniversityCenter Valley, PA · private nonprofit	$49,480	$50,711	$69,394	$36,131	73%
87	University of IdahoMoscow, ID · public	$49,442	$51,775	$64,112	$22,087	45%
88	RutgersNew Brunswick, NJ · public	$49,441	$45,440	$80,550	$25,750	52%
89	Columbia College (Missouri)Columbia, MO · private nonprofit	$49,326	Not adjusted	$57,387	$35,000	71%
90	Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicago, IL · public	$49,131	$49,152	Not reported	$15,365	31%
91	Upper Iowa UniversityFayette, IA · private nonprofit	$49,106	Not adjusted	$57,928	$41,006	84%
92	Ottawa University-OttawaOttawa, KS · private nonprofit	$49,063	Not adjusted	Not reported	$30,736	63%
93	Metropolitan State UniversitySaint Paul, MN · public	$48,999	$49,684	$64,963	$34,516	70%
94	Wichita StateWichita, KS · public	$48,817	$54,200	$64,037	$21,570	44%
95	Mount Mercy UniversityCedar Rapids, IA · private nonprofit	$48,722	$55,516	$55,899	$29,225	60%
96	University of DubuqueDubuque, IA · private nonprofit	$48,657	$55,442	Not reported	$27,000	55%
97	UW-MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI · public	$48,505	$51,549	$68,182	$26,000	54%
98	Wayne StateDetroit, MI · public	$48,324	$50,224	$67,393	$24,213	50%
99	Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MI · public	$48,115	$50,007	$58,556	$27,000	56%
100	Kent StateKent, OH · public	$47,983	$51,720	Not reported	$22,888	48%
100	Rowan UniversityGlassboro, NJ · public	$47,983	$44,100	$70,626	$22,850	48%
102	Wright StateDayton, OH · public	$47,898	$51,629	$62,379	$26,625	56%
103	Purdue NorthwestHammond, IN · public	$47,640	$51,045	Not reported	$26,486	56%
104	Mercer UniversityMacon, GA · private nonprofit	$47,538	$49,368	Not reported	$33,888	71%
105	Western Illinois UniversityMacomb, IL · public	$47,467	$47,487	$48,657	$26,000	55%
106	Ball StateMuncie, IN · public	$47,451	$50,843	$64,797	$20,500	43%
107	Tiffin UniversityTiffin, OH · private nonprofit	$47,095	Not adjusted	Not reported	$41,613	88%
108	FIUMiami, FL · public	$47,062	$45,508	$67,099	$23,125	49%
109	University of HoustonHouston, TX · public	$46,700	$48,116	$63,301	$22,000	47%
110	Minnesota State MankatoMankato, MN · public	$46,691	$47,344	Not reported	$27,312	58%
111	Johnson & Wales University-ProvidenceProvidence, RI · private nonprofit	$46,645	Not adjusted	Not reported	$31,513	68%
112	University of Arkansas GranthamLIttle Rock, AR · public	$46,524	Not adjusted	Not reported	$46,803	101%
113	Cal State Long BeachLong Beach, CA · public	$46,453	$41,955	$65,611	$12,733	27%
114	San Francisco StateSan Francisco, CA · public	$46,041	$41,583	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
115	UNTDenton, TX · public	$45,745	$47,132	$66,958	$20,142	44%
116	Anderson University (South Carolina)Anderson, SC · private nonprofit	$45,697	$48,744	Not reported	$26,000	57%
117	University of Central OklahomaEdmond, OK · public	$45,556	$51,861	$64,103	$17,900	39%
118	Stephen F. AustinNacogdoches, TX · public	$45,516	$46,896	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
119	UABBirmingham, AL · public	$45,343	$51,049	Not reported	$27,000	60%
120	Youngstown StateYoungstown, OH · public	$45,244	Not adjusted	$60,303	$23,018	51%
121	Cal State San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA · public	$45,144	$40,773	$54,852	$12,672	28%
122	University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNorman, OK · public	$45,107	Not adjusted	$70,863	$24,375	54%
123	University of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MS · public	$44,709	$51,417	$50,793	$22,865	51%
124	UH ManoaHonolulu, HI · public	$44,615	$40,577	$68,518	$12,968	29%
125	University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH · public	$44,171	$47,611	$58,682	$26,487	60%
126	Athens StateAthens, AL · public	$44,130	$49,683	$51,133	$31,130	71%
127	Pennsylvania Western UniversityCalifornia, PA · public	$44,114	$45,212	$57,208	Not reported	Not reported
128	Fresno StateFresno, CA · public	$43,848	$39,603	$66,219	$15,745	36%
129	Sam Houston StateHuntsville, TX · public	$43,750	$45,077	$61,587	$22,500	51%
130	Ohio UniversityAthens, OH · public	$43,125	$46,484	Not reported	$25,000	58%
131	SUNY OswegoOswego, NY · public	$42,900	$39,751	$63,198	$20,777	48%
132	University of ToledoToledo, OH · public	$42,714	$46,041	$62,126	$25,000	59%
133	Indiana University of PennsylvaniaIndiana, PA · public	$42,542	$43,601	$71,298	$27,000	63%
134	Texas A&M-Central TexasKilleen, TX · public	$41,378	$42,633	Not reported	$30,908	75%
135	Seton Hill UniversityGreensburg, PA · private nonprofit	$41,087	Not adjusted	$58,449	$26,000	63%
136	Rider UniversityLawrenceville, NJ · private nonprofit	$40,941	$37,628	$73,065	$27,000	66%
137	Cleveland StateCleveland, OH · public	$40,869	$44,052	Not reported	$27,000	66%
138	University of Mount OliveMount Olive, NC · private nonprofit	$40,860	$43,318	$63,265	$42,482	104%
139	Faulkner UniversityMontgomery, AL · private nonprofit	$40,764	$45,894	$38,352	$33,124	81%
140	University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR · public	$40,007	$46,018	$55,257	$36,947	92%
141	UM-FlintFlint, MI · public	$39,385	$40,934	Not reported	$30,500	77%
142	Tarleton StateStephenville, TX · public	$38,622	$39,793	$56,986	$21,388	55%
143	Emporia StateEmporia, KS · public	$38,538	Not adjusted	Not reported	$21,257	55%
144	Lipscomb UniversityNashville, TN · private nonprofit	$38,493	$41,899	$63,033	$26,298	68%
145	Indiana StateTerre Haute, IN · public	$38,296	$41,033	$53,760	$25,000	65%
146	Georgia Southwestern StateAmericus, GA · public	$37,917	$39,377	$55,468	$41,580	110%
147	UT TylerTyler, TX · public	$34,085	$35,119	$55,481	$22,152	65%
148	SUNY College of Technology at AlfredAlfred, NY · public	$33,658	$31,188	$40,485	$29,122	87%

Pay after cost of living divides first-year pay by the Bureau of Economic Analysis price level of the school's state, where the US average is 100. It is shown for 107 programs where at least half of the graduates who work are working in the school's state. The other 41, whose graduates mostly work in other states or whose state has no price level, are listed last when you sort by it.

7 programs report pay but not debt, so they are ranked only by pay.

College Scorecard withholds pay for programs with too few graduates, to protect their privacy, so those programs can't be ranked. 3 more programs report pay but aren't listed, because College Scorecard's school file doesn't name their schools. The national medians above still count them.

Human Resources (Bachelor's) programs by state

Each row is the median across the state's human resources bachelor's programs. State names link to the full ranking of that state's programs.

#	State	Programs	Year 1 pay	Debt
1	New York	5	$53,317	$25,000
2	Minnesota	9	$52,667	$29,293
3	Illinois	8	$51,062	$26,500
4	Michigan	12	$50,498	$26,240
5	Pennsylvania	9	$50,128	$27,000
6	Iowa	6	$49,512	$27,375
7	New Jersey	5	$49,441	$25,625
8	Ohio	14	$47,941	$25,744
9	Indiana	5	$47,640	$26,486
10	Texas	13	$46,700	$22,152
11	California	6	$46,247	$19,362

Programs in 26 more states and territories report pay, but too few to rank. A state ranking needs at least five programs that report both pay and debt.

Quick picks nationwide

Lowest median debt

Cal State San Bernardino, CA$12,672
Cal State Long Beach, CA$12,733
University of Michigan, MI$14,225
Cornell University, NY$15,000
Northeastern Illinois University, IL$15,365
Fresno State, CA$15,745
University of Minnesota, MN$19,388
Ohio State, OH$19,500
UT Dallas, TX$19,500
Texas A&M, TX$19,970

Lowest debt for the pay

University of Michigan, MI17%
Cornell University, NY20%
Cal State Long Beach, CA27%
Cal State San Bernardino, CA28%
Northeastern Illinois University, IL31%
Baylor University, TX33%
Ohio State, OH33%
University of Massachusetts Global, CA35%
Fresno State, CA36%
Walsh University, OH37%

Only the 88 programs with their own page here are included. "Debt for the pay" is median debt divided by first-year pay.

Careers this field leads to

These are the jobs that the federal crosswalk from fields of study to occupations links to human resources, largest first. Pay is the median across the US and all experience levels.

Human Resources Specialists

$75,940

Median pay in the US. 912,430 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 73,700 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree.

Bottom 10%: $47,180Top 10%: $128,720

Training and Development Specialists

$69,280

Median pay in the US. 458,300 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 11% from 2025 to 2035, with about 46,000 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree, plus less than 5 years of related work experience.

Bottom 10%: $38,760Top 10%: $123,250

Compliance Officers

$80,730

Median pay in the US. 417,070 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 32,700 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree.

Bottom 10%: $48,220Top 10%: $133,720

Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors

$64,330

Median pay in the US. 353,310 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 27,800 openings a year. Typical education to start: master's degree.

Bottom 10%: $45,020Top 10%: $104,770

Common questions

The median human resources bachelor's program in the US pays its graduates $50,383 in their first year and $65,232 five years after.

Human Resources (Associate's) programs in the US, ranked12 programs by pay and debt

About this data

Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid, and earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school.
Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
Medians are across programs, not students: each program counts once, however many graduates it has.
National medians include every program in the 50 states, DC, and US territories, including schools that have since closed. Schools with several campuses that report one combined figure are counted once.
Programs are ranked by College Scorecard median pay one year after graduation. Pay after cost of living uses the price level of the school's state.
Scorecard figures describe graduating classes from several years ago. BLS wages are from May 2025. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024.

Sources

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024