Human Resources Manager Salary By State: Highest-Paid Human Resources Managers by State in 2026
Research Summary. Recent analysis by the Zippia data science team has unveiled the current landscape of human resources manager salaries across various states in the United States for 2026:
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Washington boasts the highest average salary for human resources managers at $95,730.
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Louisiana offers the lowest average salary for human resources managers at $58,735.
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The national average salary for human resources managers is $80,442.
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The national hourly wage for human resources managers stands at $38.67.
For a detailed overview, refer to our specific methodology.
Background
In surveys across diverse demographics, salary remains the top priority for job seekers, regardless of industry. For many, the question is simple: how much do human resources managers earn in their area?
While various factors influence individual salaries, comprehensive data on average salaries for human resources managers by state, segmented by experience level, provides valuable insights. Although salaries may vary slightly by city, these averages serve as a reliable benchmark.
Washington leads the pack with the highest salary for human resources managers in 2026.
Here’s a snapshot of the ten states offering the best salaries for human resources managers:
Let’s delve into the detailed rankings across all states.
Highest-Paid Human Resources Managers By State
| Rank | State | Average Human Resources Manager Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $95,730 | $64,000 | $142,000 |
| 2 | New York | $90,216 | $62,000 | $129,000 |
| 3 | California | $89,937 | $60,000 | $133,000 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $89,402 | $62,000 | $128,000 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $85,399 | $59,000 | $122,000 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $82,700 | $57,000 | $118,000 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $82,675 | $57,000 | $118,000 |
| 8 | Nevada | $82,410 | $55,000 | $122,000 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $80,474 | $55,000 | $115,000 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $80,271 | $55,000 | $115,000 |
| 11 | Delaware | $79,738 | $55,000 | $114,000 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $79,539 | $55,000 | $114,000 |
| 13 | Virginia | $78,899 | $54,000 | $114,000 |
| 14 | Ohio | $78,869 | $55,000 | $112,000 |
| 15 | Maryland | $78,607 | $54,000 | $112,000 |
| 16 | Michigan | $78,070 | $54,000 | $112,000 |
| 17 | Vermont | $77,872 | $54,000 | $110,000 |
| 18 | Oregon | $77,871 | $52,000 | $114,000 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $77,826 | $54,000 | $110,000 |
| 20 | Illinois | $77,628 | $54,000 | $110,000 |
| 21 | Indiana | $77,510 | $54,000 | $110,000 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $75,769 | $52,000 | $108,000 |
| 23 | Arizona | $75,591 | $51,000 | $110,000 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $75,229 | $52,000 | $106,000 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $74,652 | $52,000 | $106,000 |
| 26 | Alaska | $74,132 | $53,000 | $102,000 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $73,757 | $50,000 | $108,000 |
| 28 | Texas | $73,748 | $49,000 | $110,000 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $73,269 | $50,000 | $105,000 |
| 30 | Idaho | $72,566 | $49,000 | $107,000 |
| 31 | Kansas | $72,382 | $51,000 | $101,000 |
| 32 | Colorado | $70,480 | $49,000 | $99,000 |
| 33 | Utah | $70,129 | $48,000 | $102,000 |
| 34 | Missouri | $69,872 | $49,000 | $98,000 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $69,042 | $48,000 | $99,000 |
| 36 | Iowa | $67,984 | $47,000 | $96,000 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $67,782 | $47,000 | $96,000 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $67,738 | $47,000 | $96,000 |
| 39 | Georgia | $67,738 | $45,000 | $100,000 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $67,518 | $46,000 | $98,000 |
| 41 | Alabama | $66,637 | $45,000 | $98,000 |
| 42 | Maine | $66,601 | $47,000 | $93,000 |
| 43 | Montana | $66,503 | $45,000 | $98,000 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $65,519 | $53,000 | $80,000 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $65,282 | $46,000 | $91,000 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $63,254 | $44,000 | $89,000 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $61,045 | $41,000 | $90,000 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $60,583 | $40,000 | $89,000 |
| 49 | Florida | $59,508 | $38,000 | $91,000 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $58,735 | $38,000 | $89,000 |
Methodology: Human Resources Manager Salary By State
To analyze human resources manager salaries by state, Zippia collected data from multiple sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Federal Labor Commission (FLC), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM). We also incorporated actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team calculated weighted averages to derive the average salaries for human resources managers across states.
This analysis ranks each state based on average annual salary data, allowing us to identify the state with the highest average salary for human resources managers.
Human Resources Manager Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for human resources managers?
The highest-paid state for human resources managers is Washington, with an average salary of $95,730 annually.
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What city pays human resources managers the most?
Sacramento, CA tops the list, paying human resources managers an average salary of $99,996 per year.
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What is the worst state for human resources managers?
The lowest-paying state for human resources managers is Louisiana, with an average salary of $58,735 annually.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
