The executive who leads a company's people strategy, from hiring and pay to culture, leadership succession and labor relations. The Conference Board (via Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance) and Equilar puts typical pay at $1,714,000 a year (2024). BLS does not publish separate figures for human resources managers; it counts them within human resources manager (SOC 11-3121), whose median pay is $149,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 11-3121
- Management
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Chief Human Resources Officer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $149,280a year, or $71.77/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $88KTop 10% $268K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.5%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 16,800224,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025224.9K
- Projected 2035237.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 224.9K Projected 2035 237.4K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Certificate4.6%
- Bachelor's81.8%
- Post-bacc certificate9.1%
- Master's4.6%
Highest education held by human resources managers Segment Value Certificate 4.6% Bachelor's 81.8% Post-bacc certificate 9.1% Master's 4.6%
Also advertised as: CHRO, Chief People Officer, EVP of Human Resources, Chief Talent Officer.
Pay
How much do Human Resources Managers make?
Industry-reported pay
$1,714,000
Median total compensation of CHROs disclosed as named executive officers at Russell 3000 companies (typical, the lower of the reported male and female medians) and median for Equilar 500 CHROs (high).
- Top earners
- $2,400,000
Source: The Conference Board (via Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance) and Equilar, 2024 (published pay scale or filing). This is not a BLS figure: BLS counts human resources managers within human resources manager, whose pay is shown below. Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance: Pay ratios, CEO and C-suite compensation · Equilar: The highest paid CHROs in 2024
Every chief human resources officer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$149,280
Middle half earn $111,110 to $199,290
- 10th
- $88,200
- 25th
- $111,110
- 75th
- $199,290
- 90th
- $267,810
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $88,200 |
| 25th | $111,110 |
| Median | $149,280 |
| 75th | $199,290 |
| 90th | $267,810 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $149,280
- Median hourly wage
- $71.77/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $164,230
- People employed
- 220,660
Versus all US occupations
At $149,280, Human Resources Managers earn 193% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $98,300 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 18% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $267,810 or more while the bottom 10% earn $88,200, a gap of 3.0×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 93% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
District of Columbia posts the highest raw median ($184,350), but once local prices are taken into account Massachusetts leads at $171,885 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Human Resources Managers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $184,350 | $167,742 | 2,250 |
| 2Massachusetts | $181,780 | $171,885 | 7,540 |
| 3New York | $176,650 | $163,685 | 17,920 |
| 4New Jersey | $172,440 | $158,485 | 6,400 |
| 5California | $170,080 | $153,613 | 27,450 |
| 6Rhode Island | $167,110 | $163,385 | 530 |
| 7Colorado | $166,400 | $161,472 | 3,620 |
| 8Virginia | $165,980 | $164,168 | 5,770 |
| 9Connecticut | $165,930 | $160,149 | 3,020 |
| 10Washington | $165,530 | $154,682 | 4,560 |
Job outlook
Is Chief Human Resources Officer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Human Resources Managers | +5.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Human Resources Managers to change 5.5% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 12,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 16,800 openings are projected each year, 7.5% of the 224,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Chief Human Resources Officer
CHROs typically hold a bachelor's degree in human resources, business or psychology, and many have a master's in HR, labor relations or an MBA. Careers usually progress through HR business partner and center-of-excellence roles such as compensation or talent, then vice president roles covering several HR functions.
Certifications such as SHRM-SCP from the Society for Human Resource Management or SPHR from HRCI are common. Boards look for experience in executive compensation, succession planning and leading people through major change.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
5 years or more
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as human resources managers.
- Bachelor's Degree81.8%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate9.1%
- Post-Secondary Certificate4.6%
- Master's Degree4.6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 81.8% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 9.1% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 4.6% |
| Master's Degree | 4.6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Chief Human Resources Officer do?
The chief human resources officer is the senior executive responsible for a company's workforce. They set strategy for recruiting, compensation and benefits, performance management, learning, diversity and employee relations, and they lead the HR organization that carries it out.
CHROs work closely with the CEO and the board, especially the compensation committee, on executive pay, CEO succession and leadership development. During mergers, layoffs or rapid growth they plan the organizational changes and manage their effect on employees. At many public companies the CHRO is now among the named executive officers in the proxy statement.
Day-to-day tasks
- Set workforce strategy aligned with the company's business plan
- Advise the board compensation committee on executive pay
- Lead CEO and executive succession planning
- Oversee recruiting, compensation, benefits and HR technology
- Guide organizational redesigns, layoffs and integrations
- Shape company culture, engagement and leadership development
- Manage labor relations and employment risk with legal counsel
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
CHROs work at corporate headquarters, with travel to business units and offices. The job is meeting heavy and often confidential, involving sensitive issues such as executive departures, investigations and restructurings. Hours rise during reorganizations, acquisitions and board cycles.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.4
- Reading Comprehension4.3
- Speaking4.3
- Writing4.1
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Learning4.0
- Monitoring4.0
- Learning Strategies3.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.4 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.3 |
| Speaking | 4.3 |
| Writing | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 4.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Management of Personnel Resources4.3
- Coordination4.1
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0
- Time Management4.0
- Negotiation3.9
- Instructing3.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Management of Personnel Resources | 4.3 |
| Coordination | 4.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 |
| Time Management | 4.0 |
| Negotiation | 3.9 |
| Instructing | 3.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Time accounting software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Chief Human Resources Officer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ESC) built on O*NET's Human Resources Manager profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Chief Human Resources Officer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 5 |
| Enterprising | 7 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising7.0
- Conventional5.6
- Social4.6
- Investigative2.3
- Artistic1.5
- Realistic1.3
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Chief Human Resources Officer
O*NET related occupations
- Management
- Business and Financial Operations
- Office and Administrative Support
Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping
$50,610median a year
Most earn $37K to $68K
−6.2%Associate's - Business and Financial Operations
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Business and Financial Operations
More management careers
Median annual pay, with human resources managers highlighted
- IT Manager$175,140
- Marketing Manager$166,790
- Financial Manager$166,570
- Human Resources Manager$149,280
- Chief Human Resources Officer$149,280
- Sales Manager$148,270
- Construction Manager$114,990
- Supply Chain Manager$107,230
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager$69,990
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| IT Manager | $175,140 |
| Marketing Manager | $166,790 |
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Human Resources Manager | $149,280 |
| Chief Human Resources Officer | $149,280 |
| Sales Manager | $148,270 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $107,230 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager | $69,990 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Chief Human Resources Officer appears on
Questions
Chief Human Resources Officer: frequently asked questions
How much do Human Resources Managers make?
The Conference Board (via Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance) and Equilar reports $1,714,000 (median total compensation of CHROs disclosed as named executive officers at Russell 3000 companies (typical, the lower of the reported male and female medians) and median for Equilar 500 CHROs (high), 2024), with top earners around $2,400,000. BLS does not publish a separate wage for human resources managers. It counts them within human resources manager, whose median pay is $149,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $111,110 and $199,290, and the top 10% earn $267,810 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Chief Human Resources Officer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Human Resources Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 81.8% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Chief Human Resources Officer a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.5% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 16,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Chief Human Resources Officer do?
The chief human resources officer is the senior executive responsible for a company's workforce. A typical task: set workforce strategy aligned with the company's business plan. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Analytical or scientific software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Human Resources Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Human Resources Managers are District of Columbia ($184,350), Massachusetts ($181,780), New York ($176,650) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Massachusetts moves to the top at $171,885.
What personality type suits a Chief Human Resources Officer?
O*NET scores Human Resources Managers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.