Salaries in human resources vary radically according to the area of specialty and the level attained. Generally, a college degree is expected to advance beyond lower level positions. While entry level jobs appear to have lower salaries than other areas of management, such as operations and planning, salaries for mid-level and managerial jobs are excellent and at the same level as other top executives. HR is an area where you need to get your foot in the door and pay your dues the first few years. So focus on building credibility early on. After that salaries dramatically increase as young hires gain experience. Colleges graduates can expect to start jobs in the mid-fifties, a senior specialist can easily earn more than $100,000, while top HR executives may earn over $300,000.

According to a recent survey of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) the highest percentage increases in average salary have been given to HR professionals with strong skills in knowledge of compensation, benefits, international HR and diversity.

Sources of additional data:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• GlassDoor
• Indeed.com