College Rankings

Best Human Resources Schools

The top 25 of 152 U.S. colleges offering an undergraduate Human Resources degree, ranked by early-career earnings and return on investment — using each school's real, aid-adjusted net price rather than sticker tuition.

Is Human Resources worth it?

It is, provided you understand the path and don't overpay for the credential. An HR degree is a direct ticket into the corporate world, offering a stable trajectory with plenty of upward mobility into management and executive roles. The payoff is highly dependent on what specialty you pursue once inside the department. Graduates who lean into the analytical side of the house—compensation, benefits, and HR information systems (HRIS)—see the fastest wage growth and highest ceilings.

The catch is the entry-level bottleneck. If you take on massive private-school debt for a generalist degree, the starting salaries in entry-level recruiting or onboarding roles won't easily cover your monthly payments. The value in this field overwhelmingly belongs to major public university systems and highly specialized labor-relations colleges that carry massive weight with corporate recruiters. If you choose a school with a built-in corporate pipeline, the degree pays for itself rapidly.

Filter by state

#	School	State	Score	Median earnings	Net price / yr	10-yr net ROI
1	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	MI	79	$82,714	$13,138†	+$775K
2	Cornell University	NY	75	$73,436	$28,690	+$620K
3	Brigham Young University	UT	74	$59,842	$15,564	+$536K
4	Colorado State University Global	CO	72	$61,802	$16,510†	+$552K
5	Weber State University	UT	72	$59,158	$10,258†	+$551K
6	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre	PA	71	$58,884	$16,448†	+$523K
7	Benedictine University	IL	70	$83,475	$22,313	+$745K
8	Waldorf University	IA	70	$77,897	$19,693	+$700K
9	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver	PA	70	$58,884	$17,418†	+$519K
10	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton	PA	70	$58,884	$17,597†	+$518K
11	Michigan State University	MI	70	$56,501	$19,680†	+$486K
12	Portland State University	OR	70	$49,696	$9,552†	+$459K
13	Bethel University	MN	69	$76,000	$28,556	+$646K
14	Pennsylvania State University-World Campus	PA	69	$58,884	$19,550†	+$511K
15	Fresno Pacific University	CA	69	$55,616	$13,630	+$502K
16	Oakland University	MI	69	$51,010	$9,120†	+$474K
17	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	68	$58,991	$17,339†	+$521K
18	The University of Texas at San Antonio	TX	68	$56,961	$10,836†	+$526K
19	University of Arizona	AZ	68	$53,971	$16,674†	+$473K
20	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	NC	68	$52,217	$11,655†	+$476K
21	Northern Kentucky University	KY	68	$49,803	$8,191†	+$465K
22	Florida International University	FL	68	$47,062	$9,288†	+$433K
23	University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh	WI	67	$55,263	$14,305†	+$495K
24	Texas Woman's University	TX	67	$50,403	$11,963†	+$456K
25	Rutgers University-Camden	NJ	67	$49,441	$18,745†	+$419K
26	California State University-Fresno	CA	67	$43,848	$7,000†	+$410K
27	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks	PA	66	$58,884	$24,356†	+$491K
28	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg	PA	66	$58,884	$23,330†	+$496K
29	Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia	PA	66	$58,528	$29,689	+$467K
30	Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global	IN	66	$56,752	$16,898	+$500K
31	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater	WI	66	$52,071	$14,158†	+$464K
32	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	MN	66	$50,946	$16,778†	+$442K
33	Wayne State University	MI	66	$48,324	$12,766†	+$432K
34	California State University-Long Beach	CA	66	$46,453	$10,440†	+$423K
35	Concordia University-Saint Paul	MN	65	$65,730	$18,462	+$583K
36	Idaho State University	ID	65	$62,033	$12,193†	+$572K
37	Southern Nazarene University	OK	65	$61,939	$22,084	+$531K
38	George Washington University	DC	65	$57,219	$36,586	+$426K
39	Bellevue University	NE	65	$53,007	$17,550	+$460K
40	University of Akron Main Campus	OH	65	$51,422	$13,946†	+$458K
41	Grand View University	IA	65	$49,917	$21,774	+$412K
42	Wichita State University	KS	65	$48,817	$13,194†	+$435K
43	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	WI	65	$48,505	$15,014†	+$425K
44	California State University-San Bernardino	CA	65	$45,144	$4,564†	+$433K
45	University of Iowa	IA	64	$52,945	$22,531†	+$439K
46	Texas A&M University-College Station	TX	64	$51,664	$21,315†	+$431K
47	Baker College	MI	64	$50,383	$13,157	+$451K
48	Lewis University	IL	64	$50,361	$17,028	+$435K
49	University of Idaho	ID	64	$49,442	$14,831†	+$435K
50	University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus	OK	64	$45,107	$15,300†	+$390K
51	Walsh University	OH	63	$80,566	$20,493	+$724K
52	Wilmington University	DE	63	$58,049	$15,644	+$518K
53	University of Michigan-Dearborn	MI	63	$55,944	$9,492†	+$521K
54	North Central College	IL	63	$53,587	$21,044	+$452K
55	Utah Valley University	UT	63	$52,194	$6,376†	+$496K
56	Central Michigan University	MI	63	$50,612	$17,597†	+$436K
57	Rutgers University-New Brunswick	NJ	63	$49,441	$24,406†	+$397K
58	Ball State University	IN	63	$47,451	$14,940†	+$415K
59	University of Houston	TX	63	$46,700	$14,276†	+$410K
60	University of North Texas	TX	63	$45,745	$15,649†	+$395K
61	University of Hawaii at Manoa	HI	63	$44,615	$15,664†	+$383K
62	Roberts Wesleyan University	NY	62	$66,063	$23,130	+$568K
63	University of Massachusetts Global	CA	62	$65,673	$32,654†	+$526K
64	Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion	IN	62	$56,752	$22,866	+$476K
65	University of Maryland Global Campus	MD	62	$53,685	$22,063†	+$449K
66	Davenport University	MI	62	$51,681	$17,707	+$446K
67	Purdue University Global	IN	62	$50,810	$7,770†	+$477K
68	Winona State University	MN	62	$50,241	$17,503†	+$432K
69	Metropolitan State University	MN	62	$48,999	$16,863†	+$423K
70	Wright State University-Main Campus	OH	62	$47,898	$15,415†	+$417K
71	Youngstown State University	OH	62	$45,244	$12,767†	+$401K
72	Indiana University of Pennsylvania	PA	62	$42,542	$16,804†	+$358K
73	Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	PA	61	$58,884	$32,875†	+$457K
74	Saint Louis University	MO	61	$52,377	$24,398	+$426K
75	Ferris State University	MI	61	$50,089	$8,624†	+$466K
76	Purdue University Northwest	IN	61	$47,640	$6,079†	+$452K
77	University of the Incarnate Word	TX	60	$58,499	$22,775	+$494K
78	University of St Thomas	MN	60	$52,667	$29,155	+$410K
79	Temple University	PA	60	$50,128	$28,198†	+$388K
80	Western Michigan University	MI	60	$48,115	$15,273†	+$420K
81	Rowan University	NJ	60	$47,983	$22,408†	+$390K
82	Baylor University	TX	59	$62,562	$41,104	+$461K
83	University of Richmond	VA	59	$55,123	$31,309	+$426K
84	Seton Hall University	NJ	59	$52,285	$31,446	+$397K
85	University of Arkansas Grantham	AR	59	$46,524	$8,370†	+$432K
86	University of Central Oklahoma	OK	59	$45,556	$18,309†	+$382K
87	State University of New York at Oswego	NY	59	$42,900	$16,236†	+$364K
88	Texas A&M University-Central Texas	TX	59	$41,378	$1,300†	+$409K
89	Northwestern University	IL	58	$82,255	$29,167	+$706K
90	Bryant University	RI	58	$62,176	$41,219	+$457K
91	Sam Houston State University	TX	58	$43,750	$16,404†	+$372K
92	Saint Leo University	FL	57	$53,258	$21,293	+$447K
93	Park University	MO	57	$51,169	$21,032	+$428K
94	Franklin University	OH	57	$50,827	$25,243	+$407K
95	University of Toledo	OH	57	$42,714	$17,249†	+$358K
96	Concordia University Ann Arbor	MI	56	$58,982	$32,811	+$459K
97	Marquette University	WI	56	$54,242	$31,487	+$416K
98	Lindenwood University	MO	56	$50,426	$19,638	+$426K
99	Dickinson State University	ND	56	$50,122	$14,092†	+$445K
100	Concordia University-Wisconsin	WI	55	$58,982	$36,201	+$445K
101	DeSales University	PA	55	$49,480	$31,643	+$368K
102	Northeastern Illinois University	IL	55	$49,131	$14,109†	+$435K
103	Western Illinois University	IL	55	$47,467	$12,937†	+$423K
104	San Francisco State University	CA	55	$46,041	$12,278†	+$411K
105	Rider University	NJ	55	$40,941	$24,792	+$310K
106	University of Mount Olive	NC	55	$40,860	$18,853	+$333K
107	University of Michigan-Flint	MI	55	$39,385	$7,007†	+$366K
108	Indiana State University	IN	55	$38,296	$10,873†	+$339K
109	Georgia Southwestern State University	GA	55	$37,917	$12,019†	+$331K
110	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus	PA	54	$53,339	$30,434†	+$412K
111	Regent University	VA	54	$51,631	$19,923	+$437K
112	Grand Valley State University	MI	54	$50,259	$16,317†	+$437K
113	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville	TN	54	$49,956	$18,976†	+$424K
114	Upper Iowa University	IA	54	$49,106	$20,942	+$407K
115	Mount Mercy University	IA	54	$48,722	$20,168	+$407K
116	Pennsylvania Western University	PA	54	$44,114	$18,256†	+$368K
117	Eastern Mennonite University	VA	53	$60,136	$24,588	+$503K
118	Concordia University-Chicago	IL	53	$51,763	$18,436	+$444K
119	The University of Texas at Dallas	TX	53	$51,732	$18,267†	+$444K
120	Columbia College	MO	53	$49,326	$22,715	+$402K
121	Le Moyne College	NY	52	$53,317	$22,277	+$444K
122	Stephen F Austin State University	TX	52	$45,516	$14,260†	+$398K
123	Geneva College	PA	51	$56,414	$25,890	+$461K
124	McKendree University	IL	51	$49,505	$24,717	+$396K
125	Colorado Christian University	CO	50	$55,261	$29,500	+$435K
126	Meredith College	NC	50	$50,635	$22,488	+$416K
127	Seton Hill University	PA	50	$41,087	$22,204	+$322K
128	University of Arkansas	AR	50	$40,007	$18,209†	+$327K
129	The University of Texas at Tyler	TX	50	$34,085	$13,323†	+$288K
130	Bluffton University	OH	49	$55,253	$19,943	+$473K
131	Friends University	KS	49	$54,539	$27,715	+$435K
132	University of Dubuque	IA	49	$48,657	$23,386	+$393K
133	Kent State University at Kent	OH	49	$47,983	$20,787†	+$397K
134	Minnesota State University-Mankato	MN	49	$46,691	$19,139†	+$390K
135	Johnson & Wales University-Online	RI	49	$46,645	$20,252	+$385K
136	University of Alabama at Birmingham	AL	49	$45,343	$18,749†	+$378K
137	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	OH	49	$44,171	$25,648†	+$339K
138	Lipscomb University	TN	49	$38,493	$24,739	+$286K
139	John Carroll University	OH	48	$50,938	$28,746	+$394K
140	Mercer University	GA	48	$47,538	$23,847	+$380K
141	Cleveland State University	OH	48	$40,869	$14,764†	+$350K
142	Tarleton State University	TX	48	$38,622	$20,783†	+$303K
143	Ottawa University-Ottawa	KS	47	$49,063	$27,963	+$379K
144	Tiffin University	OH	47	$47,095	$26,500	+$365K
145	Anderson University	SC	47	$45,697	$23,544	+$363K
146	University of Southern Mississippi	MS	47	$44,709	$21,708†	+$360K
147	Ottawa University-Surprise	AZ	46	$49,063	$33,393	+$357K
148	Johnson & Wales University-Providence	RI	45	$46,645	$31,027	+$342K
149	Ohio University-Main Campus	OH	45	$43,125	$21,637†	+$345K
150	Emporia State University	KS	44	$38,538	$16,261†	+$320K
151	Faulkner University	AL	38	$40,764	$22,085	+$319K
152	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	NY	37	$33,658	$15,016†	+$277K

Top 10 programs by 10-year net ROI

How to read this: Median earnings = typical pay one year after graduation. Net price = average annual cost after grant aid, incl. living costs — not sticker tuition. 10-yr net ROI = ten years of earnings minus four years of net price. Score = the CollegeRanked Score (0–100) that sets the order — it blends ROI with longer-run earnings, job demand and automation resilience, so a school can outrank one with a slightly higher 10-yr ROI. † = public university — net price shown is the in-state cost; out-of-state students pay more. See the full methodology.

Why these schools rank where they do

The University of Michigan claims the #1 spot because of its unmatched corporate pipeline. Michigan graduates are aggressively recruited by major corporations in Chicago, New York, and Detroit for elite HR leadership development programs. When Fortune 500 companies need to stock their talent pipelines with future executives, Ann Arbor is one of their first stops.

But the most notable name on this list is Cornell University at #2. Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the HR world. It is the only Ivy League institution with a college dedicated entirely to the workplace, and it produces Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) at an astonishing rate. It only misses the top spot here because Michigan’s public-school tuition gives it a slight edge in raw, aid-adjusted value—but in terms of sheer industry prestige, Cornell is in a league of its own.

You will also notice Pennsylvania State University completely dominating the top tier, taking up four of the top 15 spots across its Wilkes-Barre, Beaver, Hazleton, and World campuses. This is no accident. Penn State houses a dedicated, highly respected School of Labor and Employment Relations. Because they standardize this rigorous curriculum across their branch and online campuses, students get the full weight of Penn State's massive alumni network and employer partnerships without having to pay Main Campus living expenses.

Further West, Brigham Young University (#3) punches far above its weight. The Marriott School of Business runs an incredibly tight HR management program with a notoriously loyal alumni network, feeding graduates directly into tech and manufacturing giants who value the program's strong emphasis on organizational behavior and ethics.

What is Human Resources?

Human Resources is the business of managing a company’s most expensive and complicated asset: its people. Graduates spend their days navigating labor laws, designing compensation packages, resolving workplace conflicts, and recruiting top talent to keep organizations running smoothly and legally.

Frequently asked questions

Should I major in HR or just get a general Business Administration degree?

If you know you want to work in talent acquisition, labor relations, or compensation, the specialized HR degree gives you a distinct edge in landing internships and entry-level roles. However, a general business degree with an HR concentration is perfectly fine and often indistinguishable to recruiters, provided you get the right hands-on internship experience before you graduate.

Do I need a master's degree to move up in HR?

Not immediately, and often not ever. While a Master of Human Resources and Labor Relations (MHRLR) or an MBA can accelerate a push into the C-suite later in your career, a bachelor's degree is the standard entry credential. Industry certifications—like those from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)—and a proven track record of handling complex employee relations matter far more than graduate degrees in your first decade on the job.

What is the highest-paying specialty within Human Resources?

Compensation and benefits. While corporate recruiters and employee relations managers are highly visible, the professionals who analyze market data to design salary structures, bonus pools, and executive compensation packages command the highest premiums. It requires strong quantitative skills, making it a highly lucrative niche for graduates who are comfortable with data and financial modeling.