Head of human resources education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a head of human resources. Heads of human resources usually study business, human resources management, or psychology. 61% of heads of human resources hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,321 real head of human resources resumes to see exactly what head of human resources education sections show.

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

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

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

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

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

The most common degree for heads of human resources is bachelor's degree, with 61% of heads of human resources earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 23% and master's degree degree at 5%.

Bachelor's, 61%

Master's, 23%

Associate, 5%

Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 7%

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

You should major in business to become a head of human resources. 27% of heads of human resources major in business. Other common majors for a head of human resources include human resources management and psychology.

Business, 27%

Human Resources Management, 16%

Psychology, 10%

Management, 6%

Other Majors, 41%

Most common colleges for heads of human resources

Heads of human resources often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, New York University, and Cornell University. Here are the most common colleges for heads of human resources in the US based on their resumes.

Head of human resources common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	9.40%
New York University	8.55%
Cornell University	8.55%
Boston University	5.98%
University of California, Santa Barbara	5.98%

Show more common head of human resources colleges

Best majors for heads of human resources

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	26.5%
2	Human Resources Management	15.6%
3	Psychology	10.1%
4	Management	6.3%
5	Finance	4.7%

Show more common head of human resources majors

Best colleges for heads of human resources

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

A head of human resources with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for heads of human resources. 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 heads of human resources.

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 heads of human resources

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4.4

(1,449)

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

4. Human Resources For Beginners

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(1,664)

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

5. Diploma Course in Human Resource Management (HRM)

4.3

(5,169)

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

6. Certification Course in Human Resource Management

4.3

(1,337)

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

7. Administrative Human Resources (HR) for Beginners

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(5,746)

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

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

18. Human Resources 101: Learning HR fundamentals today

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

19. Learn HR Fundamentals for a Career in Human Resources

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

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

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Top 10 most affordable universities for heads of human resources

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

If the best universities for heads of human resources 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 heads of human resources.

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 heads of human resources

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

Some great schools for heads of human resources 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 heads of human resources 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

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

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

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 heads of human resources

The easiest schools for heads of human resources 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 head of human resources 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 heads of human resources.

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 head of human resources salary by education level

Heads of human resources with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $214,357 annually. With a Master's degree, heads of human resources earn a median annual income of $204,820 compared to $180,444 for heads of human resources with an Bachelor's degree.

Head of human resources education level	Head of human resources salary
Master's Degree	$204,820
Bachelor's Degree	$180,444
Doctorate Degree	$214,357
Some College/ Associate Degree	$148,735

Head of human resources education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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