2024

What is the Average Senior HR Manager Salary?

Looking for the average senior HR manager salary? We’ve got you covered with detailed and authentic information regarding the senior human resources manager’s salaries in various US states and some big tech companies. 

A senior HR manager is responsible to overlook and supervise the most generic processes of an HR department which is the recruitment and hiring of talent for the organization’s needs. Their management contributes significantly to HR processes like staff management, workforce planning, and business development. So, how much does a senior HR manager earns?

A senior HR manager earns $127k per year in the United States, according to Glassdoor. This average senior human resources manager’s salary ranges anywhere between $71k to $235k in the US. This total average salary of $127k per year includes $108k as base pay and $18k as additional payments in the form of bonuses and increments. 

Henceforth, this median salary makes around $10k per month for a senior human resources manager which means $62.5 per hour for this senior role. 

If you look at the estimated range of salaries for this, you can see that the range is pretty diverse. That is because the salary for such roles is based on multiple factors like experience, qualifications, specializations, and certifications. 

This article provides a detailed guide on what the salaries of senior HR manager looks like in different regions of the United State. We have also provided detailed information on the salaries of roles associated with the senior HR manager’s career path. 

Let’s start. 

Salaries Along the Senior HR Manager Career Path

Salaries vary based on the level of seniority and experience. In HR, the same rule is also adapted. The salaries of HR managers and directors vary from role to role. Here you can take a look at the salaries for different roles in the human resources management department:

Junior HR Manager: $78,000

A junior HR manager is a role under the supervision of the HR managers. They are responsible for more practical duties and assist their managers in day-to-day tasks. Organizations prefer candidates with 1-2 years of experience, and a bachelor’s degree in human resources for this role. 

According to Glassdoor, a junior HR manager earns an average salary of $78k per year in the United States. This salary entails $63k as base pay, with $14k paid to the junior HR manager in the form of additional cash compensation, benefits, and rewards. The typical salary range for this role starts from $34k and ends at $200k per year. 

HR Manager: $90,000

An HR manager manages the junior HR manager and also assists the supervisor in fulfilling the most basic HR processes. In general, organizations prefer a candidate with a bachelor’s degree along with 2-4 years of experience as an HR generalist, or recruiter in the past. 

An HR manager’s average salary is $90k per year in the United States according to the reports by Glassdoor. The most likely range for HR manager salaries in the US is $46k to $188k per year. However, the basic pay of an HR manager is $73k per year, and it counts to $90k with an additional salary of $16k in the form of bonuses and increments. 

Senior HR Manager: $127,000

A senior HR manager is the highest management role in an HR department and is responsible for assure whether all the HR processes such as payrolling, recruitment, and onboarding are smooth or not. Big tech companies prefer candidates with at least a bachelor’s or master’s degree in human resource management. The candidates with 3-5 years of experience in the HR sector get a benefit for their experience and practical skills. 

According to Glassdoor, a senior HR manager earns $127k per year in the United States. The most likely range of salaries for senior HR managers starts from $71k to $235k per year. An average senior HR manager has an average base salary of $108k per year, and this salary counts to $127k with additional payments of $18k in the form of bonuses and rewards. 

HR Director: $141,000

A human resources director is one of the highest directing roles in an HR department. They are responsible to direct the HR managers, generalists, and recruiters toward their duties. Companies look for candidates with at least a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the human resource directorship or management for this role. However, an experience of 4-6 years in the HR industry is also highly preferred.

An average human resources director earns $141k per year in the United States according to Glassdoor. The most likely salary range for this role is $77k to $266k per year. Although the total salary is $141k, the base pay is only $125k which counts to the total aforementioned figure with a salary of $16k in the form of additional benefits and rewards. 

Chief Human Resources Officer: $197,000

The chief human resources officer is the highest role in the human resources department. All CHROs are responsible to overlook the whole human resources department and ensure whether the crucial operations are effectively taking place or not. Organizations hire those CHROs with a minimum of bachelor’s or master’s degree in human resource management with 5-8 years of proven experience in the human resources sector. 

In the United States, an average chief human resources officer earns $197k per year according to Glassdoor salary estimates. The most generic range of salaries for CHROs is $124k-$321k per year. Although the total salary is $197k, however, the chief human resources officer earns a base salary of only $165k. However, they receive additional payments and bonuses of approximately $31k per year, which rounds their salaries off to $197k in total. 

Location and Regions’ Impact on Senior HR Manager Salary

The cost of living is not the same in all regions and states and has a great impact on salaries. This is why the salaries for senior human resources managers also vary from region to region and state to state due to the economical conditions of that area.

Let’s have a look at the salaries of various roles in the HR management department in different states and regions. Note that, the data for all these salaries have been extracted from the Glassdoor estimates. 

California 

Texas

Washington

Florida

Alaska

Hawaii

Virginia 

Montana

New Jersey

Georgia

Based on these numbers, we can see that a senior HR manager has the highest average salary of $134k in California, so California is one of the highest paying cities. While the lowest salary is $114k in Alaska and Montana state for senior HR managers. 

Education’s Impact on Senior HR Manager Salary

Qualifications have a huge impact on senior HR managers’ salaries. The higher the qualifications, the higher the payout. Let’s have a look at how a college degree and specialization through a human resources certification impact the salaries of senior HR managers:

College Degrees

Most HR managers have a bachelor’s degree in human resources. However, some HR managers can enjoy the benefit of raised salary with higher qualifications like a master’s or doctorate degree in the HR field. 

Although, college degrees do not directly impact the salaries, however sometimes candidates have to balance out the competition by gaining experience and practicing their skills more.

Certifications

The salaries for senior HR managers are deeply impacted by specialties and expertise in human resources that can be easily acquired through courses and obtaining certifications. If you’re looking to apply for a salary raise, or if you want to secure a high-paying senior HR manager’s job, then below are some certification options offered by HR University. You can check out the table of contents for these courses below, and enroll in any of these certifications based on your needs to become a better HR professional:

  1. HR Management Certification: This course allows you to explore the management side of your HR career. Our HR management course is a perfect choice for those HR managers who are looking to enhance their team management and communication skills. 
  2. HR Generalist Certification: Our HR Generalist certification is one of the most appraised courses that allow you to deep diver into the HR generalist skills and expertise. Any HR manager looking to excel in their management career can enroll in the course to get the benefit of its unique course learning outcomes. 
  3. Diversity and Inclusion Certification: This diversity and inclusion certification allows you to learn the diverse side of HR management to build a better and healthy workspace and you can learn to enhance employee relations. This course is a great option for senior roles like senior human resources managers to learn diverse skills and excel in their careers. 

Take a look at our top-rated HR certification to nourish and upskill your HR management knowledge to become a better senior human resources manager:

Human Resources Certifications

Senior HR Manager Salary in Big Tech Companies

As the salaries for all senior HR managers are not the same in all regions, the same is the case with companies and organizations. Big tech companies like Google, Meta, and more, pay higher for such roles. Let’s have a look at the average salaries estimated by Glassdoor of senior HR managers from different tech companies:

Here you go with the detailed information on senior HR managers’ salaries in different regions, different companies, and salaries for related job titles. If you’re looking to request an increment or apply to a high-paying senior HR manager’s role, then don’t forget to check out our top-rated human resources certifications to upskill and nourish your HR knowledge.

 


If you are new to Human Resources and are looking to break into a Senior HR Manager position, we recommend taking our HR Certification Courses, where you will learn how to build your skillset in human resources, build your human resources network, craft an excellent HR resume, and create a successful job search strategy that lands you a sought-after Senior Human Resources Manager job.

 

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Josh Fechter
Josh Fechter is the founder of HR.University. He's a certified HR professional and has managed global teams across 5 different continents including their benefits and payroll. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.