Human resources salary benchmarks and trends

Name: Data at a glance
Creator: Robert Half

2027 Salary Guide

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This is not the final Salary Guide. Do not share this preview before September 10 to avoid distributing information that may change before launch. This draft version is intended for internal review and training purposes only.

Human resources (HR) compensation is being influenced by the expanding scope of the field and growing use of AI tools, HRIS platforms and data-driven workforce planning. Employers need HR professionals with technical fluency, specialized knowledge and sound judgment across talent acquisition, employee relations, benefits and compliance.

Pay can become misaligned when one role spans multiple specialized functions without compensation reflecting the level of expertise required. Current salary data helps employers benchmark HR roles based on responsibilities, technology requirements and overall complexity—not just title or years of experience.

Hiring managers: Meet with us to get customized salary insights and guidance so you can build offers candidates say yes to.

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The salaries below default to national averages. Select a job category and city to find figures for a specific market. Starting compensation can vary significantly based on a candidate’s skills, experience and certifications, as well as other factors including industry; company size, complexity or revenue; and demand for the role. To reflect this variability, we report our compensation data in 3 levels: low, mid and high.

Compensation and Benefits

HRIS

Human Resources

Talent Acquisition

Job Title

Low

Mid

High

Director of Total Rewards

110250

134750

155500

Compensation Manager

106000

118000

130000

Senior Compensation Analyst

90000

105000

120000

Compensation Analyst

63750

72750

88250

Benefits Manager

76500

92750

113000

Benefits Specialist

53000

66000

80750

Low

The candidate is new to the role or has limited experience and is still developing core skills.

Mid

The candidate has moderate experience in the role or one similar, meets most requirements, and may hold transferable skills or relevant certifications.

High

The candidate has extensive experience in the role, demonstrates advanced skills, and often brings specialized certifications or industry experience.

Human resources compensation trends

Data at a glance

61%

of HR leaders are making more competitive offers, especially for business-critical roles with limited talent pools.

52%

are offering salaries above their planned range, citing the need to secure candidates with specialized skills as a top reason.

66%

are offering higher pay for relevant AI skills, with over one-third (35%) offering more for AI-related expertise than for other tech skills.

Specialized skills

Compensation and Benefits

Organizations are paying more for high-impact skills tied to critical initiatives and to compete for in-demand talent.

Advanced data analytics

Global compensation

Pay equity benchmarking

Experience with HRIS systems

Human Resources

Organizations are paying more for high-impact skills tied to critical initiatives and to compete for in-demand talent.

Compensation and benefits

People management strategy

Experience with HRIS systems such as Workday

Talent Acquisition

Organizations are paying more for high-impact skills tied to critical initiatives and to compete for in-demand talent.

Employer Value Proposition (EVP) development

Full-cycle recruitment

ATS platform proficiency

Technical recruiting

Rewards that prompt career moves

When base pay is similar, human resources professionals weigh the full compensation package, as well as a company’s employee experience, before deciding to accept a job offer or change employers. Top benefits and perks that influence a job change:

Financial incentives

Bonuses, profit-sharing programs, stock options

Work‑life balance and flexibility

Paid time off, hybrid or remote work options, flexible hours

Explore more total rewards insights

Roles, industries, certifications on the rise

Roles requiring specialized skills in areas such as talent acquisition, employee relations, compensation, benefits, HRIS, compliance and workforce planning are expected to have salary growth above the projected +1.8% average for HR positions.

+2.8% Compensation Analyst

+2.8% Senior HRIS Analyst

+2.5% Benefits Manager

+2.1% HR Manager

Employers in these industries need skilled professionals to navigate workforce growth, regulatory requirements, retention, organizational change and complex benefits.

Manufacturing and distribution

Healthcare and social services

Business and professional services

Construction

Financial services

Certifications can justify higher pay when they validate benefits expertise, regulatory alignment or leadership capability.

Certified Benefits Professional (CBP)

Human Resources Information Professional (HRIP)

Professional in Human Resources (PHR)

SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)

Talent Management Practitioner (TMP)

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Salaries and trends by profession

Get 2027 starting salaries and salary insights in our other professional fields.

Finance and accounting

Technology

Marketing and creative

Legal

Administrative and customer support

Non-clinical healthcare

The salary benchmarks in the Salary Guide From Robert Half are the result of a rigorous, multistep process designed to reflect projected market trends for 2027. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has matched with employers across the country and third-party job posting data from Textkernel that we use to independently validate the salary levels. Learn more about our methodology.

Non-salary data is based on online surveys developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. Respondents include hiring managers and workers at small (10-99 employees), midsize (100-999 employees) and large (1,000-plus employees) private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across the United States.