HR Manager Salary Guide 2025 (And How You Could Earn More)
According to data from Indeed, the average HR manager salary in the U.S. is $80,864 annually. Depending on location and seniority, this ranges from $55,258-$118,335.
In Canada, the average salary is $81,979 CAD (~USD 60,000).
In the UK, the average salary is £42,812 (~USD 53,500).
We'll now take a look at how HR manager salaries vary by seniority, factors that determine salary, and what an HR manager does.
HR Manager Salaries By Seniority
Normally, job titles correspond with years of experience, but that’s not always the case, so we’ve split them out here.
Senior HR Manager Salary
According to data from Salary.com, the average senior HR Manager salary in the U.S. is $102,059, ranging from $79,837-$126,578.
In Canada, the average senior HR manager salary is $116,000 CAD (~ USD 85,000).
In the UK, the average senior HR manager salary is £79,000 (~USD 99,000).
HR Director Salary
According to data from Salary.com, the average HR director salary in the U.S. is $179,546 ranging from $158,488-$202,438.
In Canada, the average senior HR director salary is $156,000 CAD (~ USD 114,000).
In the UK, the average senior HR director salary is £121,000 (~USD 151,00).
Vice President of HR
According to data from Salary.com, the average VP of HR salary in the US is $273,000 with a salary range between $235,000 and $323,000.
Continue reading to discover what factors impact HR manager salaries and how you could potentially earn more.
In Canada, the average VP HR salary is $283,000 CAD (~ USD 206,500).
In the UK, the average VP HR salary is £121,000 (~USD 219,000).
Factors Affecting Human Resources Manager Salary
Several factors impact individual HR manager salaries including location, skills and experience, specialization, and HR certifications.
Location
One of the main factors affecting HR manager salary is location. In general, people receive higher salaries in the USA than in Canada or the UK.
This trend continues within the USA, with bigger cities with a higher cost of living like New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles generally paying higher salaries.
Years of experience
Like with most professions, years of experience factor strongly in the remuneration package.
For example, an HR manager with less than a year of experience will earn less than someone with over 6 years of experience.
Specialization
An HR manager specializing in a specific area such as succession planning, recruitment, or organizational design can potentially earn a higher salary.
Industry
According to data from career site Glassdoor, the top-paying industry for HR professionals is pharmaceutical and biotechnology.
Certifications
A fourth factor that can affect an individual’s HR manager salary is whether they have any certifications. There are a few ways to become certified as an HR manager.
Many schools and colleges offer bachelor's degrees and diplomas in HR management. Many accredited institutions offer shorter certificate programs and many HR organizations offer their own certification programs.
For more on this, check out our pick of the 20 Best HR Certification Courses.
What Does An HR Manager Do?
Like an HR Generalist, an HR Manager is typically involved across the HR department and organization.
Responsibilities will include:
- Recruitment and retention
- Worker onboarding
- Record keeping
- Compliance
- HR policy development
- Training and development
- Employee relations
- Performance management
The difference between an HR manager and an HR generalist is that an HR manager will have more leadership responsibilities and will be more involved in the strategic planning of the organization.
This could mean handling everything in-house or working with an employer of record or professional employer organizations.
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