Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for senior resource managers in the United States
Senior resource manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior resource manager job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 12,600 new jobs for senior resource managers are projected over the next decade.
Senior resource manager salaries have increased 13% for senior resource managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,549 senior resource managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 19,593 active senior resource manager job openings in the US.
The average senior resource manager salary is $86,990.
Are senior resource manager jobs in demand?
Senior resource manager job and salary trends over time
Senior resource manager jobs over time
Senior resource manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,549 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,338 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,299 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 3,060 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,905 | 0.00% |
Average senior resource manager salary over time
Senior resource manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $86,990 | $41.82 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $83,760 | $40.27 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $81,306 | $39.09 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $79,024 | $37.99 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $76,720 | $36.88 | +2.4% |
Senior resource manager jobs by state
Most common states for senior resource managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 216 | 31% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 83 | 11% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 616 | 9% |
| 4 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 969 | 8% |
| 5 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 564 | 8% |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 101 | 8% |
| 7 | Delaware | 961,939 | 80 | 8% |
| 8 | Vermont | 623,657 | 50 | 8% |
| 9 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 49 | 8% |
| 10 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 716 | 7% |
| 11 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 621 | 7% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 453 | 7% |
| 13 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 392 | 7% |
| 14 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 280 | 7% |
| 15 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 244 | 7% |
| 16 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 78 | 7% |
| 17 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,107 | 6% |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 728 | 6% |
| 19 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 561 | 6% |
| 20 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 454 | 6% |
Most common cities for senior resource managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hallandale Beach | 1 | 3% | $82,072 |
| 2 | Doral | 1 | 2% | $82,269 |
| 3 | Fayetteville | 1 | 1% | $81,073 |
| 4 | Grand Rapids | 1 | 1% | $71,842 |
| 5 | Hartford | 1 | 1% | $84,710 |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $88,596 |
| 7 | San Diego | 2 | 0% | $87,702 |
| 8 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $97,423 |
| 9 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $81,848 |
| 10 | Birmingham | 1 | 0% | $89,785 |
| 11 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $98,039 |
| 12 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $78,003 |
| 13 | Dallas | 1 | 0% | $76,949 |
| 14 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $66,198 |
| 15 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $86,455 |
| 16 | Detroit | 1 | 0% | $72,949 |
| 17 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $80,525 |
| 18 | Irvine | 1 | 0% | $87,946 |
| 19 | Jacksonville | 1 | 0% | $81,564 |
Senior Resource Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior resource manager experts
Kansas State University
Hawaii Pacific University
University of Richmond
University of South Carolina - Columbia
California State University - Dominguez Hills
The Pennsylvania State University
Texas A&M International University
Pacific Lutheran University
University of Utah
Daemen College
What general advice would you give to a Senior Resource Manager?
Dr. Lincoln Larson Ph.D.: The most important skills in natural resource management are communication skills (both speaking and writing), and that's unlikely to change at any point in the future. There's a common misunderstanding that natural resource management professions don't involve people, but humans are both the cause and the solution to every natural resource management challenge we face today - from climate change to human-wildlife conflict. If you can't effectively communicate with diverse audiences including scientists, practitioners, policy-makers, and the general public, you will struggle. Honing those communication skills earlier and often is the key to a successful career. Another skill that is increasingly important is data management and analysis, especially GIS and spatial data.
What Senior Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Lincoln Larson Ph.D.: Natural resource management is an applied field, so gaining real-world experience is critical. Try out a few temporary jobs or internships to get a better sense of what you enjoy doing. Whether it's field work, analysis and reporting, outreach and engagement, or something else, you might not discover your strengths and preferences until you get your feet wet or get your boots muddy. Be flexible. Your dream job is unlikely to emerge right away, but gaining experience in a variety of places/contexts and building a professional network of connections will ultimately help you find it. Embrace the unexpected, as that's one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of working outdoors.
What will help Senior Resource Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Lincoln Larson Ph.D.: Few people enter the field of natural resource management for the money, but if you want to earn more in this field, it's important to think about when/how to pursue an advanced degree (e.g., MS or PhD). That increases your potential for upward mobility within an agency or organization. Building leadership skills, including communication, is also important. Many natural resource professionals are not trained to interact with and lead people, but those are the skills required in a managerial role. Taking courses or adding a minor in a field like parks, recreation and tourism management can help build skills in these areas.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Resource Manager?
Nathan Hendricks: Look for a position that has opportunities for upward mobility.
What Senior Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nathan Hendricks: Data analytics and interdisciplinary training will become increasingly important. Decisions are increasingly being informed by data and natural resource management requires knowledge across a broad range of disciplines.
What will help Senior Resource Managers increase their earning potential?
Nathan Hendricks: This field is constantly evolving, so keep looking for opportunities to learn and grow.
What Senior Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Charles Martin PhD: Marketable skills are critical for finding the right job. We offer several certifications in our MS degree that make our students’ resumes stand out in the crowd - including GIS training and quantitative skills. Prospective employees that can work with large datasets, analyze them, and communicate results always have a leg up on the competition. These skills will be imperative over the next 3-5 years and even beyond that.
What will help Senior Resource Managers increase their earning potential?
Charles Martin PhD: The key starting out is not staying in graduate school longer than necessary. Our MS in Marine Conservation and Resource Management is designed so that students are in and graduated within two years. The faster a student gets into the workforce, the better their long-term salary prospects are.
What Senior Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Brenden Holland: Professional Resource Managers can enjoy a sense of gratification that accompanies careers that focus on 'making a difference'. Namely, striving for the overarching objectives of understanding causes of environmental challenges, and doing something about this damage, by improving and restoring our natural ecosystems for future generations. There is a somewhat pervasive feeling of helplessness in our society in the face of many large-scale challenges that are incessantly portrayed in the media. But the sense of satisfaction that comes from engaging in work that seeks positive change is a definite perk. The only associated negative aspect I am aware of in this field is two-fold, on the one hand, the lack of public awareness of the dire consequences of 'business as usual' in terms of environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity; and the lack of sufficient resources and available funding for science-based solutions to address these challenges can be frustrating!
What will help Senior Resource Managers increase their earning potential?
Brenden Holland: This is an industry that is undergoing massive growth, and there is an unprecedented need for expansion of this workforce. There is broad consensus that environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity on a global scale has reached a crisis point. One term used for the era we are living in is the Anthropocene, defining our current geological age as an era where human activity is having an unprecedented, massive impact on climate and the environment. Now is the best time in history to enter this field!
Dr. Melissa Price
Associate ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to a Senior Resource Manager?
Dr. Melissa Price: If you can identify a need and start a nonprofit or for profit business to fill that need, there is huge salary potential. For example, in natural resource management much of the work is contracted out to various sectors. If you live in a rural or remote island area such as Hawai'i, many of these contractors need to be flown in from outside the area, dramatically increasing costs. If you can develop a local business model to meet these needs, you essentially will have a corner on the market. Examples include heavy machinery, genetic analysis services, water testing services, certification training, decision analysis and facilitation, native plant nurseries, biosecurity, and helicopter services for transportation and materials delivery to remote work sites. Any preparation that demonstrates capacity for leadership positions will help you obtain positions beyond entry level technicians. Specialized skills will also help you negotiate salaries. While a solid understanding of the scientific aspects of the job are important, many higher level positions require an understanding of project management. Coursework or internships that include use of spreadsheets, preparation of reports, or team management will demonstrate that you can quickly move into project management positions.
What Senior Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Melissa Price: Basic field skills will always be in high demand and will help you obtain entry level positions. For example, bird banding, herbicide, chainsaw, and wildfire certifications are often items that employers need to train you in immediately after hire. Thus, candidates who already have these certifications save employers time and money up front. Further, if you develop these skills to a level where you are certified to train others, you will be in particularly high demand. 'Soft skill' development such as writing skills, verbal communication, visual presentations, graphics, team-building, and networking are critical to solving the challenging problems we face in natural resource management. In particular, seek out training in the field of 'Decision Analysis', to prepare you for making challenging decisions in the face of uncertainty.
What will help Senior Resource Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Melissa Price: As the human population grows from 8 billion to 12 billion people during your lifetime, your choice of working in the natural resource management sector will be in high demand and critical to thriving communities. Given the high needs in this area, creative integration of your passions and skills will be particularly helpful in driving innovation in this field. More than ever, we need people with strong communication and engagement skills, alongside technical and social innovation. While in school, seek out diverse internships that help you develop skills and networks. While maximizing salary potential is important, as you begin your career choose positions that build skills and/or make a difference on issues you care about. Even with a good salary, solving real problems can be emotionally and mentally challenging. Development of healthy life skills, time management, and social networks are as important to your success as skills developed in the academic sector.
What skills will help Senior Resource Managers earn the most?
John Barr: Companies are focused on their bottom line. If you can help the company improve its performance by hiring and retaining quality candidates while demonstrating an ability to save it money by dealing with workplace conflicts and legal requirements before these explode into litigation, you should be well placed to earn a high level of compensation.
What soft skills should all Senior Resource Managers possess?
John Barr: The ability to get along with people. HR managers frequently must resolve workplace conflicts, investigate incidents of harassment or discrimination, or deal with employees who are in danger of losing their job. A critical soft skill is managing these issues when emotions may be running high while focusing on protecting the company's interests and advancing its various goals.
Anthony Nyberg
Department Chair and Professor, Program Director, Master of Human ResourcesUniversity of South Carolina - Columbia
Management Department
What skills will help Senior Resource Managers earn the most?
Anthony Nyberg: The skills that lead, in the short term, to the highest earnings involve analytical skills. The skills that lead to the highest earnings over time include professionalism and strong interpersonal skills. If you can master both, you have created the foundation for a very strong career in HR.
What Senior Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Thomas Norman: LinkedIn finds the following five skills are most demanded by employers of recent graduates: customer service, leadership, communication, problem-solving and project management.
These skills can be developed via retail and hospitality jobs once those sectors rebound.
A graduate might try to find a job in these sectors in a foreign country. Travel and improving verbal fluency in a new language would be a great use of a gap year. Employers are increasingly interested in certificate and micro-credentials so graduates might explore sites like EdX and Coursera to earn credentials to fill out their resume or learn about block chain, crypto currency, AI or Augmented Reality. A gap year is also a great time to start a company on a shoe string budget which would develop all five of the key skills.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Resource Manager job market given the pandemic?
Denise Potosky Ph.D.: In order to effectively staff positions that are essential to the business, HR managers will need to pay close attention to the dramatic shifts and increased volatility we've seen in the job market over the past two years. During and immediately following the 2008 recession, the labor market was "loose," meaning that there were fewer job openings than there were people who could fill those positions. In the years prior to the pandemic, the labor market was relatively "tight" for many skilled positions in that there were more job openings than qualified job applicants. Many organizations focused on their internal labor markets to develop talent from within as a way to ensure staffing key roles. The pandemic has abruptly altered both internal and external labor markets, and the path forward is not always clear. Individuals who are seeking careers in HRM will need to bring a strong understanding of labor economics and staffing strategies in order to estimate and moderate fluctuating talent needs. Some creativity and fresh ideas for recruiting and developing employees who may need to step into new ways of working or step up to new roles would also help.
Dr. John Kilburn Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for Research and ProfessorTexas A&M International University
Social Sciences Department
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Resource Managers to find work opportunities?
Dr. John Kilburn Ph.D.: In a wired society, there is a bit more flexibility in seeking early career professional employment. However, the trends seem to indicate that jobs are gravitating toward urban environments.
What skills stand out on Senior Resource Manager resumes?
Laura McCloud Ph.D.: I think the pandemic will prioritize people's ability to work independently and to collaborate virtually. I don't fully believe we'll see the end of offices that some people are speculating, but we will see an increase in virtual work for many professions. Students who can communicate effectively in-person and online will be at an advantage when trying to get a job. I think experience with collaborative software will also benefit them. While they are missing out on some of the advantages of face-to-face learning, online learning gives students many opportunities for building digital communication skills.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Resource Managers to find work opportunities?
Laura McCloud Ph.D.: If anything, experiencing the pandemic has shown me just how valuable the skill of understanding social behavior is. All industries would benefit from employing social scientists. That said, many of our graduates work in social services, and many social services will continue to see cuts post-pandemic, making it more difficult to find a position similar to what they were envisioning pre-pandemic. Geographically, it is very difficult for young adults to find a good location to start a career. Most areas with robust job markets have very high housing costs, and most areas with affordable housing have weaker professional job markets. I also see more of my students prioritizing being physically close to their friends and family after graduation, which may mean fewer will move far away for job opportunities than had pre-pandemic.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Senior Resource Managers in the next 5 years?
Sarah Kovalesky: There are a lot of things that someone with a sociology degree could do when it comes to working. I think there is always going to be a demand for graduates. The specifics of the demand are really going to be dependent on what exactly one wants to do and how they have prepared themselves to get there. There are some great resources like O*Net and the Occupational Outlook Handbook that can provide trends and information based on specific occupations.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Senior Resource Managers in the next 5 years?
Karen Sharp-Price: Human Resources is one of the specializations within the business that is ever-changing and developing. There are so many different areas within Human Resources that graduates can pursue. Some of the more traditional aspects are; compensation, benefits, recruitment, employee engagement, and training.
Some believe that Human Resources is slowly being replaced by technology. My personal opinion is that technology has definitely created new ways to be more effective and efficient within Human Resources, but I think technology has its place and its limitations. While technology will not completely replace the HR professional, I do believe that HR specializations are becoming more updated by using technology. The most obvious example is HR Technology with regard to training, communication, and onboarding.