What Can I Expect from a Human Resources Degree?

Key takeaways

Human resource professionals recruit, screen, and interview candidates, ensure fair treatment for employees, and manage training, compensation, and benefits.

• Nearly 82 percent of employers require a bachelor’s degree for human resources manager roles, while 14 percent of employers require training beyond a bachelor’s degree [1].

• HR degrees come in many forms: associate, bachelor's, master's, and business-focused programs.

• You can specialize in human resources areas, including compensation, talent management, or organizational leadership, to align your studies with your interests.

Explore some HR degrees available, the coursework they include, and the roles each path can prepare you for. Then, browse online degrees from respected universities.

What degrees are good for human resources?

Depending on your career goals, you may pursue a human resources degree at the undergraduate or graduate level. Consider the types of degree programs you might find:

Associate degree in human resources 

With an associate-level program, you prepare for entry-level work in human resources, often in general administrative support. Typically, this degree takes two years to complete; however, you may find some schools that offer fast-track programs that you can complete in one year.

If you plan to start with an entry-level position and work your way up through promotions and experience on the job, an associate degree can be a solid option. You can explore labor law, management, and compensation in your coursework. You may take the following classes:

• Employee relations

• Employment and labor law

• Human resource development

• Organizational behavior

• Recruitment and staffing

An associate degree is typically more affordable, and you can obtain it in half the time compared to a bachelor’s degree. Plus, an associate degree can usually transfer as credits toward a bachelor’s degree. It also offers flexibility because you can go into the workforce or continue working toward a bachelor’s degree. In 2025, the average cost per year of in-state tuition for an associate degree was $4,150 ($8,300 for two years) [2].

Bachelor’s degree in human resources 

A bachelor's degree is common among human resources professionals. Many new hires as human resources specialists hold a bachelor’s degree, according to a survey reported by O*Net Online, and about 82 percent of human resources employers require a bachelor’s degree for human resources manager positions [1]. That same survey revealed only 14 percent of employers require training beyond a bachelor’s degree for a human resources manager position [1].

Fundamental courses for an undergraduate HR degree include change management, HR career planning, HR’s role in organizations, employee and labor relations, and employment law. 

Secondary courses include mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing, and sustainability. Some of the courses you may take include:

• Business and personal ethics

• Business law

• Compensation, benefits systems, and theories

• Diversity and inclusion in leadership

• Operations management

• Strategic human resources

• Talent acquisition and management

Bachelor’s degrees typically range from about four to five years of study. Tuition for an online bachelor’s degree in human resources management ranges from $16,650 to $64,000 [3,4]. The average in-state tuition and fees for a full-time, in-person undergraduate degree are $11,950 per year ($47,800 for four years) as of 2025 [2].

The name of the degree can vary slightly, although the covered subjects often overlap. Some academic institutions will place the HR degree path as a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, focusing on human resources. Others will call it a Bachelor of Arts in Management with a concentration in human resources. 

Some schools offer a bachelor’s degree in human resource management, both as a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts. Still, others will refer to the academic path as earning a Bachelor of Organizational Management. All can qualify you for a career in human resources. 

Master’s degree in human resources 

You can explore human resources more in-depth through master's degree coursework. A master’s degree can help you qualify for higher-level management positions if you are already working in human resources.

Two options for graduate-level HR degrees are a master's in human resources management or a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on human resources. The human resources management degree typically hones in on employee management, people skills, or organizational leadership topics. An MBA tends to cover many aspects of upper-level business education programs, including finance, marketing, and management. 

Compared to bachelor's degree programs, the curricula for master’s degrees in human resources tend to zero in on topics specific to human resources, such as talent acquisition and management techniques. You may find more courses on upper-level management in human resources, such as employment law, organizational culture, and leadership skills. Some courses you may take include:

• Change management

• Human resources strategy

• Labor issues and conflict management

• Managing behavior in organizations

• Negotiations

You can typically finish a master’s degree program in human resources in one or two years as a full-time student. During the academic year 2023–2024, the average cost of a master's degree was $62,820 per year [5].

Alternatives to human resources degrees

Many human resources specialists and managers complete professional certifications to further their understanding and expertise in the field. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) offers the SHRM Certified Professional certification for students preparing for an HR degree. It also provides an SHRM Certified Senior Professional certification for HR professionals with at least three years of work experience.

Read more: SHRM Jobs: Career Opportunities with a SHRM Certification

What can you do with a human resources degree?

Learning the protocols and laws regarding human resources can position you for a career directly related to overseeing employees in a company. It can also help you prepare for a range of other professions.

In a small company, a single person or a small team may handle the responsibilities of these positions. A large company may have a department staffed by different people for each of these roles. Jobs that relate directly to an HR degree include:

• Human resources coordinator

• Office manager

• Chief people officer

• Change management specialist

• Compensation and benefits manager 

• Director of diversity, equity, and inclusion

• Director of human resources

• Employee relations manager

• Executive coach

• Human resources risk and compliance specialist

• Training and development manager

Human resources professionals who work as managers in the professional, scientific, and technical services industries, as well as enterprise management, top the pay scale, with median salaries of $163,970 and $163,180, respectively [6].

Did you know?

The term “human resources” first appeared in John R. Commons’ book, The Distribution of Wealth, in 1893. However, human resources as an organizational concept did not popularize until the 1960s, when labor relations became more sophisticated, and notions of motivation and organizational behavior started to take shape.

The skills you learn with an HR degree also transfer to many other careers. If you work directly with human resources managers in a sales capacity, you'll often be better prepared to understand your target audience with an HR degree. A human resources degree can also be helpful for jobs requiring a high level of human psychological understanding. Additional jobs include:

• Legal arbitrator

• Business or career advisor

• Life coach

• Management consultant

• Mediator

• Sales executive

• Talent agent

• Insurance sales agent

• Customer service representative

Explore our free resources for human resources professionals

Subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat, and stay current on business trends that affect human resources professionals. Then, check out these free resources:

• Keep up with trends: GenAI for HR: Use cases and benefits

• Watch on YouTube: Why Power BI Skills Are Essential for HR, Finance, and Business Intelligence

• Take the quiz: Career Test: Which Career is Right for Me?

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