Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Senior human resources manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a senior human resources manager. Senior human resources managers usually study business, human resources management, or psychology. 71% of senior human resources managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 5,983 real senior human resources manager resumes to see exactly what senior human resources manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for senior human resources managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online senior human resources manager courses to help get the education required to be a senior human resources manager.
There are certain senior human resources manager certifications that you should consider. These senior human resources manager certifications include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
What education do you need to become a senior human resources manager?
What degree do you need to be a senior human resources manager?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 8%
- Doctorate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a senior human resources manager?
- Business, 33%
- Psychology, 9%
- Management, 6%
- Other Majors, 31%
Most common colleges for senior human resources managers
| Senior human resources manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 20.43% |
| Columbia Southern University | 6.62% |
| Cornell University | 6.47% |
| Michigan State University | 5.76% |
| American University | 5.32% |
Best majors for senior human resources managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 33.4% |
| 2 | Human Resources Management | 20.7% |
| 3 | Psychology | 8.8% |
| 4 | Management | 5.8% |
| 5 | Communication | 3.4% |
Best colleges for senior human resources managers
The best colleges for senior human resources managers are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
A senior human resources manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for senior human resources managers. 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 senior human resources managers.
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 senior human resources managers
Advertising disclosure
1. Master Course in Human Resources 2.0
Strategic human resource management, strategic planning, recruiting, training, HR management,Labour welfare...
2. Human Resources (HR) as a Business Partner
This course provides valuable information on how Human Resource Business Partnering (HRBP) operates in practice...
3. HR,HR Analytics, Human Resource Management, Black Friday Ed
HR Analytics ,HR Courses, human resource management, ,HR certification, HRM, hr payroll, people management, 2022...
4. Certification Course in Human Resource Management
Curriculum commensurate to Top B School's Management Program : with downloadable resources, quiz, assessments & exercise...
5. Human Resources For Beginners
A guide to learning the fundamentals of human resource management...
6. Introduction to Human Resource Management
HRM is an important function of any organization. It includes managing people in a structured and thorough manner...
7. Effective Human Resource Administration
Effective Human Resource Administration...
8. Administrative Human Resources (HR) for Beginners
This course is an introduction to the role and duties of Human Resources (HR)...
9. Ultimate HR Generalist and Human Resource Management Course
Hands-on HR Certification: All HRM topics. Master Employee Life Cycle, Payroll, Recruitment, Engagement, EXDesign and AI...
10. Diploma Course in Human Resource Management (HRM)
Become top-notch HRM Practitioner - Get Live Projects, Ready-to-use Templates, Demos, Quizzes, Articles, Case studies...
11. Introduction to Human Resource Concepts
Introduction to Human Resource Concepts...
12. Human Resources 101: Learning HR fundamentals today
Learn the basics in Human Resources Management through HR involvement in different stages in the employee lifecycle...
13. Master Course: HR Fundamentals and HR Leadership (101 level)
HR Fundamentals, HR Leadership, Human resources, Human resource management, SHRM, HRP, Human resource development...
14. The Human Resources Certification Program (HRCI - PHR/SPHR)
An Exam Preparation Guide to the Human Resource Body of Knowledge...
15. Restaurant Management - Human Resources Best Practices
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)
Excel in the HR domain!...
17. HR as a Strategic Business Partner
Better understand your value and role as a strategic business partner...
18. Understanding Performance Management as an HR Professional
This course is designed for human resources professionals or those who wish to learn more about performance management...
19. Business Analyst: Project Management Techniques and Tools
Learn project management techniques to increase your project success rate as a Business Analyst!...
20. ISO 22301:2019. Business continuity management system
Understand how to prepare for and manage disruptions according to the international standard ISO 22301...
Top 10 most affordable universities for senior human resources managers
The most affordable schools for senior human resources managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.
If the best universities for senior human resources managers 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 senior human resources managers.
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 senior human resources managers
The hardest universities for senior human resources managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for senior human resources managers 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 senior human resources managers 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 senior human resources managers
The easiest schools for senior human resources managers 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 senior human resources manager 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 senior human resources managers.
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 senior human resources manager salary by education level
| Senior human resources manager education level | Senior human resources manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $121,283 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $110,338 |
| Doctorate Degree | $125,473 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $95,517 |
Senior human resources manager education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
Search for senior human resources manager jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025