2024 Human Resources Salaries and Hiring Trends

Employers are looking for professionals who are experienced in compensation and benefits as well as those who can step into roles such as HR specialist and HR business partner. Professionals with experience in payroll-related software are also in high demand.

Many managers prioritize upskilling employees for new roles, but hiring remains active for many positions.

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Enter your city to localize salaries. (Without a city, national averages show.) Starting salaries can vary greatly depending on a professional’s skills and experience, the company’s size, and demand for the role.

Hiring Trends in Human Resources

Demand high for compensation and benefits administrators

Workers in all fields are attracted to a comprehensive benefits package, increasing the need for HR professionals with experience as compensation and benefits administrators. Candidates knowledgeable in workforce management software are in high demand. Meanwhile, companies are bringing in contract HR professionals skilled in a variety of areas to help overburdened staff cope with heavy workloads.

HR strategy Recruitment Compensation
and benefits
management Employee relations  Human resource
management HR strategy Recruitment Compensation
and benefits
management Employee relations  Human resource
management

Employers need to hire quickly

Some employers are taking longer to make hiring decisions. This gives firms that can move quickly the ability to secure their top-choice HR candidates before competitors can act. Managers who can’t find the help they need often engage talent solutions firms to recruit candidates for permanent roles and provide contract professionals who can support core staff.

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In-demand accreditations and skills

ADP

Concur

Excel (advanced)

Human resources information systems (HRIS)

Human resources information program (HRIP)

Professional in human resources (PHR)

SHRM certified-professional (SHRM-CP)

Workday

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How do we determine our salary figures? See our methodology.

The salaries listed in the salary tables represent starting compensation only, meaning pay for someone new to a company in the position listed. Our estimates do not include bonuses, benefits or perks. We report salaries in percentiles and ranges, recognizing that professionals join companies at varied experience levels.

Other data referenced in this Salary Guide is based on online surveys developed by Robert Half and conducted by independent research firms. Respondents included hiring managers and employees from small (less than $50 million in revenues), midsize ($50 million to $1 billion) and large ($1 billion or greater) private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across the United States.

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