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Human Resources Development

Types of Degrees Human Resources Development Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Human Resources Development have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	25
Associate’s Degree	4
Bachelor’s Degree	468
Master’s Degree	1,082
Doctor’s Degree	25

What Human Resources Development Majors Need to Know

Studies in Human Resources Development build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Human Resources Development graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Human Resources Development emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Education and Training — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.7 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Personnel and Human Resources — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Human Resources Development program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Human Resources Development careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Human Resources Development graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.6 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.6 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Providing Consultation and Advice to Others	4.2 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Developing Objectives and Strategies	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Human Resources Development professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Blackboard software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Kahoot!	Multi-media educational software	—
Cisco Webex	Video conferencing software	—
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Moodle	Computer based training software	—
Google Meet	Video conferencing software	—
JavaScript	Web platform development software	—
Hypertext markup language HTML	Web platform development software	—
dominKnow Learning Center	Computer based training software	—
Microsoft Dynamics	Customer relationship management CRM software	—
Apple Final Cut Pro	Video creation and editing software	—
Microsoft OneNote	Word processing software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Human Resources Development graduates include:

• Security Awareness Training Specialist
• Development Associate
• Applications Trainer
• Workforce Development Analyst
• Cyber Workforce Developer
• Scheme Technician
• Employee Development Specialist
• Auxiliary Personnel Inservice Coordinator
• Technical Instructor
• Apprenticeship and Training Representative
• Insurance Employee Trainer
• Employee Training Specialist
• Software Trainer
• Training Developer
• Development Specialist

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Human Resources Development graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	78.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	8.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	8.7%
Some college courses	4.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Human Resources Development?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 74.9% of Human Resources Development degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,202	74.9%
Men	402	25.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Human Resources Development graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	869	54.2%
Asian	73	4.6%
Hispanic or Latino	230	14.3%
Black or African American	275	17.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	2	0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.1%
Two or More Races	55	3.4%
Race Unknown	29	1.8%
International Students	69	4.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Human Resources Development Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Human Resources Development graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$56,722
4 years	$57,321
5 years	$65,449

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $65,449 — roughly 15% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Human Resources Development Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Human Resources Development. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	0
Bachelor’s	11	2
Master’s	20	5
Doctoral (Research)	2	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Human Resources Development Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Human Resources Development graduates earn a median of $57,321 four years after completion — roughly 51% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Human Resources Management and Services	52.10
Executive/Career Coaching	52.1006
Human Resources Management and Services, Other	52.1099
Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General	52.1001
Labor and Industrial Relations	52.1002
Labor Studies	52.1004
Organizational Behavior Studies	52.1003

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.