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Job outlook for personnel administrators in the United States
Personnel administrator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected personnel administrator job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 12,600 new jobs for personnel administrators are projected over the next decade.
Personnel administrator salaries have increased 13% for personnel administrators in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,636 personnel administrators currently employed in the United States.
There are 51,272 active personnel administrator job openings in the US.
The average personnel administrator salary is $40,005.
Are personnel administrator jobs in demand?
Personnel administrator job and salary trends over time
Personnel administrator jobs over time
Personnel administrator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,636 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,740 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,971 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 4,110 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 4,343 | 0.00% |
Average personnel administrator salary over time
Personnel administrator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $40,005 | $19.23 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $38,520 | $18.52 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $37,391 | $17.98 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $36,342 | $17.47 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $35,282 | $16.96 | +2.4% |
Personnel administrator jobs by state
Most common states for personnel administrators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 739,795 | 100 | 14% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 865 | 13% |
| 3 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 745 | 13% |
| 4 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 84 | 11% |
| 5 | Vermont | 623,657 | 67 | 11% |
| 6 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 319 | 10% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 139 | 10% |
| 8 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 640 | 9% |
| 9 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 636 | 9% |
| 10 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 505 | 9% |
| 11 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 369 | 9% |
| 12 | Delaware | 961,939 | 84 | 9% |
| 13 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 381 | 8% |
| 14 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 232 | 8% |
| 15 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 166 | 8% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 154 | 8% |
| 17 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 137 | 8% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 90 | 8% |
| 19 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 80 | 8% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 47 | 8% |
Most common cities for personnel administrators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kingman | 1 | 3% | $48,556 |
| 2 | Anderson | 1 | 2% | $36,442 |
| 3 | Bentonville | 1 | 2% | $37,729 |
| 4 | Mountain View | 1 | 1% | $50,971 |
| 5 | Syracuse | 1 | 1% | $45,261 |
| 6 | Yuma | 1 | 1% | $48,687 |
| 7 | Boston | 2 | 0% | $39,306 |
| 8 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $31,191 |
| 9 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $40,338 |
| 10 | Dallas | 1 | 0% | $39,615 |
| 11 | Fremont | 1 | 0% | $50,871 |
| 12 | Jacksonville | 1 | 0% | $35,544 |
| 13 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $48,562 |
| 14 | Washington | 1 | 0% | $38,197 |
Personnel Administrator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of personnel administrator experts
Washington State University- Vancouver
University at Albany, SUNY
HRCI
Cornerstone University
Bowling Green State University
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Adriana Thomas
Advisor, Internship Coordinator, InstructorWashington State University- Vancouver
Department of Human Development
What soft skills should all Personnel Administrators possess?
Adriana Thomas: People skills. Communication, collaboration.
What skills will help Personnel Administrators earn the most?
Adriana Thomas: Leadership skills. Drive, ambition, and commitment to a company. Students may start in an entry-level position and then are often promoted over time.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Personnel Administrators?
Joanne Kaufman Ph.D.: The initial difficulties for graduates are finding a job, mainly related to their field and interests. The job search is likely to take longer with the pandemic, unless graduates seek employment in areas that are considered essential. Economists' prior research on new graduates after a recession shows that they may end up in lower-quality jobs initially and face lower income. Graduates can make up for some of these difficulties by switching jobs when the market improves, which aids them in enhancing their income. While it may take a while, up to 10 years, these graduates should be able to make up for the income losses and transition into higher-quality jobs. Thus, there is likely going to be an enduring impact for many graduates across a range of fields, but these graduates will succeed in the end. They have to take the long view, develop their skills in the workplace, seek additional training and education when it will aid them, and be on the lookout for better opportunities.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Personnel Administrators to find work opportunities?
Dr. Amy Dufrane: Attractive locations for graduates to work are larger cities with manufacturing and service-driven economies using shared resources and supply chains with technological and virtual service delivery. However, as more companies have relaxed their remote work policies, where someone lives is becoming less and less important. What is becoming more important to graduates are the certifications and learning experiences that will differentiate them from others seeking employment.
What experience really stands out on Personnel Administrator resumes?
Dr. Michael Pasquale Ph.D.: An excellent resume should include a cross-cultural internship experience. This has been challenging during the pandemic; however, students have been creative and conduct online internships with cross-cultural internship partners. This ability to be flexible and navigate online platforms, in multiple languages and cultures, is essential for graduates in linguistics and languages.
Tonya Camden
Adjunct InstructorBowling Green State University
Department of Human Services
How do you envision technology impacting Personnel Administrators in the next 5 years?
Tonya Camden: There is a particularly good chance telehealth is here to stay. Therefore, upcoming graduates in this field should be prepared. This means sessions are taking place face-to-face over both the computer and the phone. There are secure platforms to use, such as doxy.me, specifically, for therapists to perform online sessions. Switching to telehealth has enabled therapists to reach a population of individuals who may find it difficult to attend face-to-face sessions. However, we have found that it is not for everyone. Some clients report they prefer face-to-face sessions. This may be due to their individual preference of contact or a technology barrier.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Personnel Administrators, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sarah DeArmond Ph.D.: Before the pandemic, starting salary prospects were quite positive in human resource management. I expect to see salaries down a bit. Generally, companies have a slight edge now in salary negotiations, as there is more available talent than may have been the case before the pandemic. However, there have not been as significant of job losses in human resource management as has been the case in some other fields (e.g., hospitality management).