SOC 11-3121 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Human Resources Managers — Massachusetts
Massachusetts · 6 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Massachusetts comes to $181,780 a year, ahead of the national median of $149,280 by 21.8%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +5.0%
- Openings per year
- 17,900
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- 5 years or more
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Massachusetts.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Massachusetts comes to $181,780 a year, ahead of the national median of $149,280 by 21.8%. Pay ranges from under $99,990 at the tenth percentile to more than $315,700 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $136,600 to $229,510.
Employment stands at 7,540, or 2.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Massachusetts ranks number 2nd out of 51 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Boston records the highest median at $184,990. Of the 717 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 23rd.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $99,990 | −33.0% |
| 25th | $136,600 | −8.5% |
| Median (50th) | $181,780 | +21.8% |
| 75th | $229,510 | +53.7% |
| 90th | $315,700 | +111.5% |
| Mean | $195,110 | +30.7% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Massachusetts
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston | $184,990 | 6,480 | |
| 2 | Worcester | $160,470 | 460 | |
| 3 | Springfield | $152,400 | 210 | |
| 4 | Pittsfield | $145,640 | 50 | |
| 5 | Barnstable Town | $136,260 | 80 | |
| 6 | Amherst Town | $132,280 | 60 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Massachusetts run 5.8% above the national average, so the median of $181,780 buys what $171,815 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 15.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$181,780as reported by BLSLocal price level
105.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$171,815US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $181,780 a year, 21.8% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $99,990 to $315,700 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 7,540 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 2nd of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Boston, at $184,990.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Human Resources Managers in Massachusetts?
The median annual wage is $181,780, or $87.39 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $149,280, so pay in Massachusetts is 21.8% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Massachusetts earns more than $315,700 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $99,990 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Boston, at $184,990 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 7,540 jobs in this occupation in Massachusetts. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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