What are the Career Options with a Masters in Human Resources?

While there are some entry-level Human Resources Jobs available for people who have earned bachelor’s degrees in the field, most positions require a master’s degree and some experience. What are the career options for someone with an MS in Human Resources?

Human Resources Manager

This person leads or directs the human resource department of small or medium-sized companies. In larger corporations, they work in teams to handle that aspect of the business. Human resource managers act as liaisons between upper-level management and the employees to help resolve problem dealing with the workplace. While some human resource positions are specializations, this one is a generalist job, dealing with several aspects of human resources such as hiring and managing compensation packages. These managers also supervise workplace health and safety procedures. The salary range for this job is $64,373 to $114,266. Most positions require a master’s degree and some workplace experience.

Labor Relations Manager

This is a specialist position. People who hold this job must work with employees to maintain satisfaction while implementing company policies. An article on the Villanova University website says that labor relations managers must be familiar with wage and economic data and have the ability to analyze the information. They must be versed in contracts and be able to interpret them with regard to salaries, grievances, healthcare management and union. Many people with master’s degrees in human resources are adding conflict resolution certification to their credentials so that they can also address arbitration. Job growth for this branch of human resources is expected to be higher than for other jobs in human resources. The wage ranges from $73,658 to $140, 059.

Compensation and Benefits Human Resources Jobs

This position in human resources is becoming more important as competition increases among corporations. These professionals help recruit and retain top-notch employees by negotiating and designing attractive compensation and benefits packages. The manager monitors salary structures to balance staff needs with cost-effectiveness. They also design and implement healthcare plans within the corporation, researching complex issues such as retirement benefits and consulting with upper-level management. Job growth rate is projected as 22 percent. The range of wages for this job is $67,153 to $128,422.

Director of Human Resources

This is an upper-level administration position. These professionals help develop organization strategies by identifying and researching human resource problems. They establish policies within the human resources department by developing accountabilities in areas like staffing and compensation as well as employee relations and union compliance. They oversee the human resources budgets and act as consultants to corporate administration, taking ownership of the human resources program to assure it functions uniformly. Salaries for this position range from $76, 413 to $ 142, 501.

Director of Industrial Relations

According to Hiring Monster.com this person has some of the same duties as the Director of Human Resources. People employed in this capacity administer compensation and benefits programs, educate current and prospective employees about policies and duties, and assure compliance in these areas. The salary range is from $89,341 to $181,564.