If you are thinking about pursuing a career in human resources, you might like to see a listing of the top-paying jobs in the field. Human resources is a wide field, and there are many facets to the profession, you can work closely with the employees or you can be part of an executive management team responsible for creating and implementing company policy. Salaries are dependent upon responsibilities and upon years of experience.
1. Employment Manager
This HR professional oversees the hiring process of a corporation, including when to hire new employees and what the hiring process will look like. They are responsible for keying in on the best talent and advising their team about which candidates to pursue. They also devise a screening process. Employment managers earn a median salary of $56,110. They are directly responsible to the HR manager.
2. International HR Associate
The international HR associate is responsible for recruiting and hiring people for international positions. They post details about jobs abroad and then screen candidates. The position demands a strong understanding of world employment markets and of cultural issues across borders. They must also grasp the basis for different wages and benefits globally. International HR associates earn a median salary of $62,400.
3. Executive Recruiter
Number three on the list, this position has a median salary of $78,785. These HR professionals have the nickname “headhunters.” They have a broad and current knowledge of where the best executives are employed. Executive recruiters look for talented people to pursue for their corporations. These professionals may be paid a retainer and, after their candidates are hired, they may receive a portion of the first-year compensation.
4. Labor Relations Specialist
This person serves as a liaison between the company and the labor unions. The labor relations specialist must keep current on local, state and federal labor laws and guidelines to ensure their companies stay compliant. They may represent the corporation in any legal procedures in which it is involved as well as acting as a public relations representative. The labor relations specialist earns a median salary of $83,988.
5. HR Consultant
This person is generally an independent contractor hired by a corporation to study a specific issue in HR, locate problem areas and suggest improvements. They may create new policies, design and build incentive programs and address other HR issues. The reason this position makes the list of highest paid HR jobs is that the consultant must be competent in all areas of HR so that he or she can make a valid assessment of the corporate HR system. The average salary of the HR consultant is $87,000.
6. Training and Development Manager
Assessing what training is needed for an individual or for a company, and then designing and implementing it, is the job of the training and development manager. The teams these professionals supervise create or locate training for employees who need to hone job skills and for departments learning new skills. They also are in charge of career development for employees being groomed for management. They do orientation and “on-boarding” for new employees as well. If the material they need is not readily available, the managers may create new manuals. The average annual salary of a training and development manager is $87,700.
7. Compensation and Benefits Manager
Retaining great employees often hinges upon having competitive salaries and good benefit packages. The compensation and benefits manager must design attractive benefits for all levels of employment at the corporation. This entails knowing about insurance programs that are available, what others in the industry are paying and how to fit everything together within the company budget. These managers must help their teams understand how to match programs with the company policies as well. Most compensation and benefits managers have at least five years of experience in the field. They earn a median salary of $94,291.
8. HR Manager
This person oversees all aspects of human resources at the corporation. He understands and supervises activity from recruiting and compensation to training. The HR manager ensures that policies are compliant both with company stance and local, state and federal laws. He or she is responsible directly to the HR director. Forbes lists this human resources position among the top ten jobs in the US. There are expected to be 8,100 job openings in this position by 2020. The median salary for an HR manager is $96,130, and most companies require applicants for this position to have at least five years of work experience.
9. HR Director
Directly above the HR manager is the HR director. This person is the head of all HR activities in the corporation. It is his responsibility to ensure that his teams are creating and implementing company policy, aggressively recruiting talent and providing opportunities for training and career development. He is also responsible for maintaining company morale through compensation and incentive programs. All of the programs the director oversees must be carried out within the budgetary constraints of the company. The HR director may be promoted from an HR manager, but he should have at least ten years of experience. If you are an HR director, you can expect to earn an average of $142,860.
10. Chief HR Officer
The number one position on the list of highest-paying HR jobs is chief HR officer, also known as the vice president of human resources. Although he is backed up by directors and managers, the responsibility for all HR programs from recruitment and hiring through labor relations, training and even termination ultimately lands at his or her door. The CHRO is a member of the executive team of the corporation and assists in developing the strategic direction of the company as well as setting the tone for all HR departments in the company. The CHRO median salary is $214,427, but persons in this position must have at least two decades of experience.
Related Resource: 10 Highest Paying Jobs in Finance
Although salary is not the only gauge of job satisfaction, it is probably the main factor contributing to many career choices. If you want a career in human resources, these ten jobs representing the highest-paid in human resources will give you a good idea of the kind of salaries you could expect to earn.