Post job

Director of human resources operations education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a director of human resources operations. Directors of human resources operations usually study business, human resources management, or psychology. 69% of directors of human resources operations hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,244 real director of human resources operations resumes to see exactly what director of human resources operations education sections show.

The most common colleges for directors of human resources operations are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online director of human resources operations courses to help get the education required to be a director of human resources operations.

There are certain director of human resources operations certifications that you should consider. These director of human resources operations certifications include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

What education do you need to become a director of human resources operations?

What degree do you need to be a director of human resources operations?

The most common degree for directors of human resources operations is bachelor's degree, with 69% of directors of human resources operations earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 20% and master's degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 69%
  • Master's, 20%
  • Associate, 7%
  • Doctorate, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a director of human resources operations?

You should major in business to become a director of human resources operations. 36% of directors of human resources operations major in business. Other common majors for a director of human resources operations include human resources management and psychology.

Most common colleges for directors of human resources operations

Directors of human resources operations often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, New York University, and Michigan State University. Here are the most common colleges for directors of human resources operations in the US based on their resumes.
Director of human resources operations common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix22.73%
New York University5.19%
Michigan State University5.19%
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey5.19%
Cornell University4.55%

Best majors for directors of human resources operations

RankMajorPercentages
1Business35.8%
2Human Resources Management15.1%
3Psychology8.8%
4Accounting4.8%
5Management4.6%

Best colleges for directors of human resources operations

The best colleges for directors of human resources operations are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

A director of human resources operations with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for directors of human resources operations. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become directors of human resources operations.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

6. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

8. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

10. SUNY College at Oswego

Oswego, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,440

Enrollment

7,039

20 best online courses for directors of human resources operations

Advertising disclosure

1. Master Course in Human Resources 2.0

udemy
4.3
(312)

Strategic human resource management, strategic planning, recruiting, training, HR management,Labour welfare...

2. Certification Course in Human Resource Management

udemy
4.3
(1,337)

Curriculum commensurate to Top B School's Management Program : with downloadable resources, quiz, assessments & exercise...

3. Human Resources For Beginners

udemy
4.4
(1,664)

A guide to learning the fundamentals of human resource management...

4. Strategic Planning Basics for Human Resources

udemy
4.4
(1,449)

Learn to collaborate with your organizational leaders on the development and implementation of a strategic plan...

5. Effective Human Resource Administration

udemy
4.5
(2,351)

Effective Human Resource Administration...

6. HR,HR Analytics, Human Resource Management, Black Friday Ed

udemy
4.6
(1,691)

HR Analytics ,HR Courses, human resource management, ,HR certification, HRM, hr payroll, people management, 2022...

7. Administrative Human Resources (HR) for Beginners

udemy
4.5
(5,746)

This course is an introduction to the role and duties of Human Resources (HR)...

8. Human Resources (HR) as a Business Partner

udemy
4.1
(758)

This course provides valuable information on how Human Resource Business Partnering (HRBP) operates in practice...

9. Introduction to Human Resource Management

udemy
4.7
(2,402)

HRM is an important function of any organization. It includes managing people in a structured and thorough manner...

10. Diploma Course in Human Resource Management (HRM)

udemy
4.3
(5,169)

Become top-notch HRM Practitioner - Get Live Projects, Ready-to-use Templates, Demos, Quizzes, Articles, Case studies...

11. Ultimate HR Generalist and Human Resource Management Course

udemy
4.3
(1,866)

Hands-on HR Certification: All HRM topics. Master Employee Life Cycle, Payroll, Recruitment, Engagement, EXDesign and AI...

12. Introduction to Human Resource Concepts

udemy
4.5
(3,624)

Introduction to Human Resource Concepts...

13. The Human Resources Certification Program (HRCI - PHR/SPHR)

udemy
4.2
(1,485)

An Exam Preparation Guide to the Human Resource Body of Knowledge...

14. Human Resources 101: Learning HR fundamentals today

udemy
4.4
(550)

Learn the basics in Human Resources Management through HR involvement in different stages in the employee lifecycle...

15. Restaurant Management - Human Resources Best Practices

udemy
4.4
(352)

Learn the best systems to find, develop and keep the best employees to run a profitable restaurant...

16. Certification Course in Human Resource Management (HRM)

udemy
4.3
(1,028)

Excel in the HR domain!...

17. HR - Agile HR Fundamentals ( Human Resources )

udemy
4.2
(1,085)

Human Resources - Paradigm Shift Agile Movement in Human Resources HR Courses HR Certification...

18. Prep to Pass the Professional in Human Resources (PHR)® Exam

udemy
4.4
(332)

The Complete Preparation Course for the Professional in Human Resources (PHR)® Exam 2022-2023...

19. Understanding Performance Management as an HR Professional

udemy
4.4
(2,134)

This course is designed for human resources professionals or those who wish to learn more about performance management...

20. Learn HR Fundamentals for a Career in Human Resources

udemy
4.5
(6,818)

Human Resource Management is key to developing any business or organization. Learn core HR roles and responsibilities...

Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of human resources operations

The most affordable schools for directors of human resources operations are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.

If the best universities for directors of human resources operations are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for directors of human resources operations.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors of human resources operations

The hardest universities for directors of human resources operations to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for directors of human resources operations are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for directors of human resources operations based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for directors of human resources operations

The easiest schools for directors of human resources operations to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a director of human resources operations without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for directors of human resources operations.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

6. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

7. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

8. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

9. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

10. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

Average director of human resources operations salary by education level

Directors of human resources operations with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $143,066 annually. With a Master's degree, directors of human resources operations earn a median annual income of $138,517 compared to $126,602 for directors of human resources operations with an Bachelor's degree.
Director of human resources operations education levelDirector of human resources operations salary
Master's Degree$138,517
Bachelor's Degree$126,602
Doctorate Degree$143,066
Some College/ Associate Degree$110,372

Director of human resources operations education FAQs

Search for director of human resources operations jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse executive management jobs