Human resource officer vs human resources consultant

The differences between human resource officers and human resources consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a human resource officer and a human resources consultant. Additionally, a human resource officer has an average salary of $89,540, which is higher than the $71,882 average annual salary of a human resources consultant.

The top three skills for a human resource officer include human resources functions, performance management and personnel actions. The most important skills for a human resources consultant are performance management, shared services, and workforce planning.

Human resource officer vs human resources consultant overview

	Human Resource Officer	Human Resources Consultant
Yearly salary	$89,540	$71,882
Hourly rate	$43.05	$34.56
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	101,221	52,761
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a human resource officer do?

A human resources officer is typically in charge of managing and handling the employment operations in the company, including the payroll and training systems. Their responsibilities revolve around participating in advertising job openings, interviewing applicants, training and managing new employees, and devising programs that will help them learn about the policies and regulations of the company. Furthermore, a human resources officer is also responsible for managing employee data, such as personal information and work attendance, processing payroll, and handling any issues or concerns.

What does a human resources consultant do?

A human resources consultant is responsible for supporting the human resources management of an organization by advising on policies and procedures for effective employee relations. Human resources consultants analyze HR programs and current processes and initiate projects to maintain stable operations. They also facilitate strategic plans to resolve HR matters and improve culture management. A human resources consultant must be highly-knowledgeable of the human resources industry, its techniques, regulations, and disciplines to help with the implementation of business advancements and achieve the organization's objectives.

Human resource officer vs human resources consultant salary

Human resource officers and human resources consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Human Resource Officer	Human Resources Consultant
Average salary	$89,540	$71,882
Salary range	Between $59,000 And $135,000	Between $53,000 And $95,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Connecticut	New Jersey
Best paying company	Signature Healthcare	Eli Lilly and Company
Best paying industry	Government	Manufacturing

Differences between human resource officer and human resources consultant education

There are a few differences between a human resource officer and a human resources consultant in terms of educational background:

	Human Resource Officer	Human Resources Consultant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Human resource officer vs human resources consultant demographics

Here are the differences between human resource officers' and human resources consultants' demographics:

	Human Resource Officer	Human Resources Consultant
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 44.3% Female, 55.7%	Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	18%	18%

Differences between human resource officer and human resources consultant duties and responsibilities

Human resource officer example responsibilities.

Develop FMLA policy, create curricula and training for supervisory staff, and lead stand up instruction for the leadership team.
Recruit, negotiate new benefit contracts, manage compensation budget with department managers, process and oversee payroll.
Assist employees with benefit selections, FMLA, payroll deductions, EEO, and personnel information.
Prepare government reports relate to EEO compliance, ensure all plans are in compliance with federal and state regulations.
Provide consultation on disciplinary and grievance issues, ADA, OEO, FMLA issues and facilitate labor-management committee meetings.
Coordinate delivery of statewide HRIS training for banking center managers.

Human resources consultant example responsibilities.

Manage AAP plan development, modification, implementation, and reporting requirements.
Advise management on disciplinary actions, compensation, performance management, FMLA issues, and daily policy and procedural interpretation.
Handle UN employment claims, safety meetings, and key OSHA information.
Prepare cross-check system to ensure compliance with OSHA, EEOC and ADA.
Develop payroll relations with ADP and provide application training.
Conduct orientations to managers and supervisors on EEO federal/local regulations.

Human resource officer vs human resources consultant skills

Common human resource officer skills

Human Resources Functions, 16%
Performance Management, 7%
Personnel Actions, 6%
EEO, 5%
HRIS, 4%
Employee Development, 4%

Common human resources consultant skills

Performance Management, 9%
Shared Services, 8%
Workforce Planning, 8%
Employee Engagement, 7%
Payroll, 6%
Customer Service, 4%

Human Resource Officer vs. similar jobs

Human Resource Officer related careers

Human Resource Officer related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Executive Management Industry
Human Resource Officer
Human Resource Officer vs Human Resources Consultant

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs