A bachelor’s degree in human resource management can prepare you for careers focused on one of an organization’s most important resources: its people.
What can you do with a human resource management degree? Depending on your experience and interests, careers in human resources (HR) can include recruiting and talent acquisition, employee relations, compensation and benefits, training and development, HR operations and, with experience, human resource management.
Many professionals begin in roles such as HR specialist, recruiter, HR coordinator or benefits specialist before taking on broader responsibilities. Human resources specialists, for example, commonly recruit and interview applicants and may also work with compensation, benefits, training and employee relations. A bachelor’s degree is the typical entry-level education for this occupation.
Understanding what these roles actually involve can help you decide whether a career in human resources fits your interests and goals.
What Jobs Can You Get With a Human Resource Management Degree?
Human resources degree jobs span several areas of an organization. Some professionals specialize early, while others build experience across multiple HR functions.
Here are several careers in human resource management you may consider.
1. Human Resources Specialist
If you want exposure to several aspects of HR, a human resources specialist role can provide a broad starting point.
Depending on the organization, you may:
- Recruit and screen job candidates
- Coordinate interviews and hiring
- Help onboard new employees
- Maintain employee records
- Answer questions about policies and procedures
- Support benefits, training or employee relations
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment of human resources specialists to grow 6% from 2024 to 2034, with about 81,800 openings projected each year on average. The median annual wage was $72,910 in May 2024.
2. Recruiting and Talent Acquisition
If you like meeting people and helping organizations find the right employees, recruiting may be a natural fit.
Recruiting responsibilities can include:
- Reviewing applications and resumes
- Identifying qualified candidates
- Conducting or coordinating interviews
- Communicating with applicants
- Working with hiring managers
- Supporting offers and onboarding
Recruiting can also give you experience with workforce needs, candidate evaluation and hiring strategy that can support advancement into broader HR roles.
3. HR Coordinator or HR Generalist
Search for entry-level human resources jobs and you may encounter titles such as HR coordinator, HR assistant, HR specialist and junior HR generalist.
Responsibilities vary considerably by employer. In a coordinator role, you might spend more time supporting HR operations, maintaining records and coordinating processes. As your responsibilities broaden, an HR generalist role may involve recruiting, employee relations, benefits, policies and other HR functions.
An HR generalist job description is therefore rarely limited to one specialty. Generalists often serve as a point of contact for employees and managers while helping an organization carry out HR policies and programs.
4. Compensation and Benefits
Are you interested in the analytical and operational side of HR?
Compensation and benefits professionals help organizations administer programs that determine how employees are paid and what benefits they receive. Their work can include researching compensation, evaluating jobs, administering benefits and helping ensure programs follow applicable requirements.
Compensation, benefits and job analysis specialists earned a median annual wage of $77,020 in May 2024, according to BLS.
This path may appeal to you if you enjoy working with data, policies and detailed information while still contributing to the employee experience.
5. Employee and Labor Relations
HR is also about what happens after someone is hired.
Employee relations professionals help organizations address workplace concerns, interpret policies and support communication between employees and management.
Some professionals specialize further in labor relations. Labor relations specialists may work with labor contracts, grievances and disputes between employees and management. BLS reported a median annual wage of $93,500 for labor relations specialists in May 2024.
If you’re interested in conflict resolution, workplace policy and helping people navigate challenging situations, this may be a path worth exploring.
6. Training and Development
Maybe what interests you most isn’t hiring employees but helping them grow after they join an organization.
Training and development specialists help plan and administer programs that improve employees’ knowledge and skills. Their work can include developing training materials, coordinating learning programs and evaluating whether training is effective.
BLS projects employment of training and development specialists to grow 11% between 2024 and 2034. The median annual wage was $65,850 in May 2024.
7. Human Resources Manager
Human resources manager is typically not an entry-level position. Instead, it can represent a longer-term step along a human resource career path.
HR managers may oversee recruiting, employee relations, policies, staffing and other administrative functions while working closely with organizational leadership.
According to BLS, HR managers typically need a bachelor’s degree and five years or more of related work experience. Employment is projected to grow 5% from 2024 to 2034.
Your path to management might begin in recruiting, employee relations, benefits, training or a generalist role before your responsibilities expand.
What Could Your Human Resource Career Path Look Like?
There is no single route through HR.
You might begin in recruiting and eventually oversee talent acquisition. You could start in benefits and move toward compensation strategy. Or you might gain experience across several functions as an HR specialist or generalist before pursuing a management role.
For example:
HR coordinator or specialist → HR generalist → HR manager
Recruiting coordinator → recruiter → talent acquisition specialist or manager
Benefits specialist → compensation and benefits specialist → compensation and benefits manager
Training specialist → learning and development specialist → training and development manager
The path you take will depend on your interests, experience, employer and the opportunities you pursue.
What Skills Do You Need for a Career in Human Resources?
A human resource management degree can help you develop knowledge of hiring, compensation, employee relations and business operations, but successful HR professionals also rely on skills that apply across those responsibilities.
Those can include:
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Organization
- Decision-making
- Conflict resolution
- Attention to detail
- Ethical judgment
- Data analysis
- Collaboration
HR specialists may need to interpret policies and regulations, maintain employee information, evaluate applicants and address employee concerns, making both interpersonal and analytical skills important.
How Can You Prepare for Your First HR Job While Earning Your Degree?
Your degree can give you an academic foundation, but you don’t have to wait until graduation to begin preparing for your career.
Look for opportunities to:
- Complete an internship related to HR or business
- Gain experience recruiting or onboarding through a campus organization or workplace
- Develop your Excel and data analysis skills
- Practice professional writing and communication
- Learn how organizations use HR policies and systems
- Build relationships with professionals working in areas of HR that interest you
Because HR is a broad field, practical experience can also help you discover which part of it you enjoy most.
What Does an Online Human Resource Management Degree Cover?
An online HR degree can be particularly useful if you want to build your knowledge while balancing work or other responsibilities.
Rowan University’s online Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management includes coursework across both business and HR-specific topics, including:
- Management of Human Resources
- Recruitment and Selection
- Legal Aspects of Human Resource Management
- Management of Compensation
- Labor and Employee Relations
- Organizational Behavior
- Business Ethics
- Psychology of Conflict Resolution
That range can help you understand not only individual HR functions, but also how decisions about people connect with broader business operations.
How Can an Online HR Degree Fit Into a Busy Schedule?
Online learning can give working students greater flexibility to balance coursework with professional and personal responsibilities.
“The online courses are set up for people to be able to fit into their already busy personal and work schedules,” said Kate K., a Rowan Online student. “For me, personally, I work a full-time job and have two children, but I always find time to get the work completed.“
An online format can also help you strengthen skills such as time management, organization and self-directed learning, which can be valuable in both academic and professional settings.
Is a Human Resource Management Degree Right for You?
A human resource management degree may be worth exploring if you’re interested in both people and business.
You may enjoy HR if you can see yourself:
- Helping organizations find and develop employees
- Solving workplace problems
- Improving the employee experience
- Working with policies, compensation or benefits
- Supporting training and professional growth
- Using information and data to make workforce decisions
And you don’t have to know exactly which HR specialty you want to pursue before you begin. Building a broad foundation can help you explore different human resource career paths and determine where your strengths and interests fit.
Explore Rowan University’s Online BS in Human Resource Management
Through Rowan University’s online BS in Human Resource Management, you can build knowledge and skills related to staffing, compensation, training and other areas of human resource management.
Rowan’s Rohrer College of Business is AACSB-accredited, reflecting high standards for quality in business education.
Our 120-credit bachelor’s degree includes coursework in human resources along with foundational business subjects such as accounting, finance, marketing, operations management and management information systems.
Transfer students may complete the program in approximately 12 to 24 months, while first-year students may complete the 120-credit program in approximately 36 to 48 months.
Prefer an on-campus experience? Rowan also offers an in-person BS in Human Resources Management.
Frequently Asked Questions About Human Resource Management Careers
What can you do with an HR degree?
A human resource management degree can prepare you for roles in recruiting, HR operations, employee relations, compensation and benefits, training and development and other areas of human resources. With professional experience, you may also pursue HR management and leadership positions.
What are common entry-level human resources jobs?
Common early-career titles can include HR coordinator, HR assistant, human resources specialist, recruiting coordinator, recruiter and benefits specialist. Titles and responsibilities vary by organization.
Do you need a bachelor’s degree to work in human resources?
Education requirements vary by position and employer. For human resources specialists, BLS identifies a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education.
Can you become an HR manager with a bachelor’s degree?
A bachelor’s degree can provide the educational foundation for an HR management career, but HR manager positions generally require professional experience as well. BLS lists a bachelor’s degree and five years or more of related work experience as typical for human resources managers.
Is human resource management only about hiring?
No. Recruiting is one part of HR. Careers in human resource management can also involve employee relations, compensation and benefits, training and development, workplace policies, compliance and HR operations.
About Rowan Online
Rowan Online empowers learners throughout the region with high-quality, accessible and affordable online education backed by the innovation and forward-thinking of Rowan University. Rowan’s flexible online programs seamlessly connect students to award-winning faculty and industry leaders, comprehensive student support services and academic resources—no matter where they are. In collaboration with Rowan’s nationally ranked colleges and schools, Rowan Online delivers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in high-demand, future-focused fields. Guided by employer insight and industry-driven curriculum, Rowan Online prepares students to excel in a rapidly evolving workforce and lead in their professions and communities.