Human Resources
What you'll do in college
These majors study how organizations recruit, develop, motivate, and retain people. Coursework covers organizational behavior, labor relations, compensation and benefits, employment law, training and development, and workforce analytics, alongside core business classes.
Many programs include case studies, role-play negotiations, and internships at HR departments or consulting firms. Some schools house the major in a business school; others in an industrial-and-labor-relations school that emphasizes unions, policy, and organizational psychology.
What you'll do after college
Grads work as HR generalists, recruiters, talent management specialists, compensation analysts, and labor relations specialists at companies of every size, plus consulting firms and government agencies. Day-to-day work mixes people conversations, policy design, and increasingly data-driven workforce analysis.
Pay is moderate early on but rises steadily into senior HR leadership roles like VP of People or Chief Human Resources Officer. The field is steady because every organization needs it.
Famous graduates
- Gary Bettman - Commissioner of the NHL, B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University
- Sara Horowitz - Founder of the Freelancers Union, B.A. in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Earnings vs. selectivity rank
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human Resources | 387 | 8,257 | 41% / 59% | 3% | $69,378 | 95% |
| Organizational Leadership | 174 | 3,193 | 55% / 45% | 2% | $66,918 | 95% |
| Human Resources Management | 174 | 2,222 | 26% / 74% | 4% | $67,670 | 96% |
| Human Resource Management | 30 | 632 | 25% / 75% | 3% | $67,576 | 97% |
| Organizational Behavior Studies | 24 | 483 | 40% / 60% | 3% | $71,107 | 96% |
| Labor and Industrial Relations | 8 | 317 | 46% / 54% | 5% | $69,571 | 94% |
| Human Resources Development | 14 | 307 | 29% / 71% | 2% | $66,993 | 94% |
| Industrial and Labor Relations | 1 | 256 | 45% / 55% | 4% | $114,587 | 95% |
| Organizational Behavior | 12 | 225 | 50% / 50% | 9% | $73,062 | 95% |
| Human Resource Development | 3 | 124 | 35% / 65% | 1% | $59,620 | 98% |
| Human Resources | 2 | 101 | 33% / 67% | 4% | $68,934 | 95% |
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration | 3 | 78 | 19% / 81% | 1% | $63,550 | |
| Organizational Studies | 4 | 72 | 47% / 53% | 4% | $77,650 | 95% |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 3 | 66 | 33% / 67% | 3% | $75,151 | 89% |
| Human Capital Management and Leadership | 1 | 60 | 38% / 62% | 3% | $88,706 | |
| Labor Studies | 11 | 49 | 29% / 71% | 4% | $66,369 | 93% |
| Organizational Management | 9 | 36 | 47% / 53% | 0% | $57,714 | 94% |
| Organizational Behavior and Leadership | 1 | 15 | 67% / 33% | 0% | $73,844 | |
| Leadership & Service | 1 | 8 | 50% / 50% | 0% | ||
| Leading Across Differences | 1 | 7 | 14% / 86% | 14% | $80,236 | 95% |
| Learning and Organizational Change | 1 | 6 | 33% / 67% | 0% | $105,453 | 92% |