# Human Resources Managers

US SOC code 11-3121. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/11-3121

Also called: HR manager, HR director, Director of human resources, VP of people, Vice president of human resources.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **220,660** US human resources managers, with median pay of **$149,280** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2012, the May 2025 count is the highest. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://climbtheladder.com/when-did-hr-become-a-thing-a-history-of-human-resources/) of **25,000** from 1928, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for human resources managers: Cloud HCM + talent management platforms, 1999 to 2020.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 5.5% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=11-3121&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **45%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Human Resources Managers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1901
- Latest US employment: 220,660 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $149,280 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [11]
- Outlook: +5.5% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [31]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 10011)
  - Employment, 2020: 50,390. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [8]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 10011 Human resources managers, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$99,000. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [15]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 10011 Human resources managers, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 22 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1928 | 25,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Climbtheladder.com [1] |
| 1950 | 60,000 | n/a | Decennial Census 1950 [2] |
| 1956 | n/a | $7,200 (estimate) | Est., Approximate median annual earnings for… [9] |
| 1970 | 120,000 | n/a | Decennial Census 1970 [3] |
| 1975 | n/a | $20,000 (estimate) | Est., EEOC History [10] |
| 1990 | 195,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Wikipedia [4] |
| 2010 | 67,700 | $99,180 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 81,750 | $99,130 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 98,020 | $99,720 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 110,650 | $100,800 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 116,610 | $102,780 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 122,780 | $104,440 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 129,810 | $106,910 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 136,310 | $110,120 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 143,580 | $113,300 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 154,800 | $116,720 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 156,600 | $121,220 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 166,530 | $126,230 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 181,360 | $130,000 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 200,600 | $136,350 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 215,520 | $140,030 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 220,660 | $149,280 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (87)

### Employment series

1. [Climbtheladder.com -- "When Did HR Become a Thing? A History of Human Resources" (1928: one-third of plants with 250+ workers had a personnel department)](https://climbtheladder.com/when-did-hr-become-a-thing-a-history-of-human-resources/), Climbtheladder.com / secondary HR history sources
2. [IPUMS USA -- Occupation and Industry Codes and Documentation (1950 Census occupational classification: "managers, personnel and labor relations")](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ_ind.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
3. [U.S. Census Bureau, 1970 Census of Population, Subject Reports PC(2)-7C: Occupation by Industry (personnel and labor relations managers)](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1972/dec/pc-2-7c.html), U.S. Census Bureau
4. [Wikipedia -- Society for Human Resource Management (ASPA founded 1948, renamed SHRM 1989; profession rebranding context)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_for_Human_Resource_Management), Wikipedia / SHRM history
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
7. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
8. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

9. [Approximate median annual earnings for personnel managers/directors, circa 1956 (derived estimate; no single BLS survey table reports this figure)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1950-1959), Derived estimate (secondary/historical literature)
10. [EEOC History: 1964-1969 (Title VII enforcement context that drove personnel management professionalization and wage growth)](https://www.eeoc.gov/history/eeoc-history-1964-1969), US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
11. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
12. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
13. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
14. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
15. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

16. [The 411 HR -- "The Strike That Created America's 1st Personnel Department" (NCR 1901, first formal personnel department in the US)](https://the411hr.com/how-a-1901-strike-gave-birth-to-americas-first-hr-department/), The 411 HR
17. [Dayton Innovation Legacy -- John H. Patterson: NCR welfare programs and personnel management history](https://www.daytoninnovationlegacy.org/patterson.html), Dayton Innovation Legacy
18. [Wikipedia -- Army Alpha: history, scale (1.75 million soldiers tested), and Robert Yerkes' role](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Alpha), Wikipedia
19. [History of Industrial-Organizational Psychology (Pressbooks) -- Army testing and transition to industrial personnel work](https://pressbooks.pub/workplacepsychology/chapter/psy104_ch01/), Pressbooks / Industrial-Organizational Psychology
20. [National Labor Relations Act (1935) -- full text and legislative history](https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act), National Labor Relations Board
21. [HappyOrNot -- "When Did Human Resources Start and Who Created It?" (NLRA, FLSA, and 1940s evolution of personnel management)](https://www.happy-or-not.com/en/insights/blog/beginning-human-resources-although-called-personnel/), HappyOrNot
22. [EEOC -- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Requiring Discrimination-Free Workplaces for 60 Years](https://www.eeoc.gov/title-vii-civil-rights-act-1964-requiring-discrimination-free-workplaces-60-years), US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
23. [EEOC History: 1964-1969 -- creation of EEOC and early Title VII enforcement](https://www.eeoc.gov/history/eeoc-history-1964-1969), US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
24. [Outsail.co -- "What Is PeopleSoft? Legacy and Current Status in the HRIS Landscape" (PeopleSoft 1987 founding and HRIS history)](https://www.outsail.co/post/what-is-peoplesoft-legacy-and-current-status-in-the-hris-landscape), Outsail
25. [HRMSWorld -- "A Brief History of HRMS Software" (SAP R/2, PeopleSoft, and evolution of HR technology)](https://www.hrmsworld.com/history-of-hrms-software-351.html), HRMSWorld
26. [Josh Bersin -- "The HR Software Market Reinvents Itself" (Workday, SuccessFactors, Taleo, and the cloud HCM revolution)](https://joshbersin.com/2016/07/the-hr-software-market-reinvents-itself/), Josh Bersin / Bersin & Associates
27. [Wikipedia -- PeopleSoft (founding 1987, Oracle acquisition 2005, Workday successor context)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PeopleSoft), Wikipedia
28. [Workday -- Illuminate AI Agents Expansion: HR, Finance, and Industry (Sep 2025)](https://newsroom.workday.com/2025-09-16-Workday-Illuminate-TM-Expands-with-New-AI-Agents-for-HR,-Finance,-and-Industry), Workday
29. [EEOC -- Artificial Intelligence and Algorithmic Fairness Initiative; FY 2024-2028 Strategic Enforcement Plan](https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-launches-initiative-artificial-intelligence-and-algorithmic-fairness), US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
30. [Josh Bersin -- "In 2026 AI-Powered Superagents Will Radically Change HR" (Jan 2026)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/in-2026-ai-powered-superagents-will-radically-change-hr-driving-the-largest-hr-transformation-in-decades-302666677.html), Josh Bersin / PR Newswire

### Forecasts and exposure studies

31. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 11-3121 Human resources managers (2025: 224.9 thousand; 2035: 237.4 thousand; +5.5%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=11-3121&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
32. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 11-3121.00, human-rated β 0.45)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

33. [The 411 HR -- "The Strike That Created America's 1st Personnel Department"](https://the411hr.com/how-a-1901-strike-gave-birth-to-americas-first-hr-department/), The 411 HR
34. [Wikipedia -- Army Alpha (development, 1.75 million soldiers tested, significance to industrial personnel work)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Alpha), Wikipedia
35. [NLRB -- National Labor Relations Act (full text and legislative history)](https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act), National Labor Relations Board
36. [Wikipedia -- Society for Human Resource Management (ASPA founding 1948, renamed SHRM 1989)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_for_Human_Resource_Management), Wikipedia
37. [The Drucker Institute -- "About Peter Drucker" (The Practice of Management, 1954, and introduction of "human resources" terminology)](https://drucker.institute/about-peter-drucker/), The Drucker Institute
38. [EEOC -- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (full text and 60-year history)](https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/title-vii-civil-rights-act-1964), US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
39. [Wikipedia -- PeopleSoft (founding 1987, version 1 release 1989, HRIS history)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PeopleSoft), Wikipedia
40. [NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection -- Automated Employment Decision Tools (AEDT): Local Law 144 enforcement from July 5, 2023, bias audit and candidate-notice requirements](https://www.nyc.gov/site/dca/about/automated-employment-decision-tools.page), New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection

### Predecessors & successors

41. [The 411 HR -- "The Strike That Created America's 1st Personnel Department" (NCR 1901)](https://the411hr.com/how-a-1901-strike-gave-birth-to-americas-first-hr-department/), The 411 HR
42. [ConsensusHR -- "The History of Human Resource Management" (Employment Manager emergence 1910s-1920s)](https://www.consensushr.com/the-history-of-human-resource-management-hrm/), Consensus HR

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-23
- [O\*NET 30.3 — Human Resources Managers (11-3121.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/11-3121.00), accessed 2026-05-23
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Human Resources Managers (2024)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/human-resources-managers.htm), accessed 2026-05-23
- [SHRM — The State of AI in HR 2026 (full report)](https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/research/state-of-ai-hr-2026/full-report), accessed 2026-05-23
- [McKinsey — HR Monitor 2025: Strategic Workforce Planning Why It's More Critical than Ever](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/hr-monitor-2025), accessed 2026-05-23
- [McKinsey — HR's Transformative Role in an Agentic Future (2026)](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-organization-blog/hrs-transformative-role-in-an-agentic-future), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Josh Bersin — In 2026 AI-Powered Superagents Will Radically Change HR (Jan 2026)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/in-2026-ai-powered-superagents-will-radically-change-hr-driving-the-largest-hr-transformation-in-decades-302666677.html), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Workday — Illuminate AI Agents Expansion: HR, Finance, and Industry (Sep 2025)](https://newsroom.workday.com/2025-09-16-Workday-Illuminate-TM-Expands-with-New-AI-Agents-for-HR,-Finance,-and-Industry), accessed 2026-05-23
- [EEOC — Artificial Intelligence and Algorithmic Fairness Initiative; FY 2024-2028 Strategic Enforcement Plan](https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-launches-initiative-artificial-intelligence-and-algorithmic-fairness), accessed 2026-05-23
- [AI Hiring Discrimination and EEOC Enforcement 2026 — employer liability for algorithmic tools](https://angelareddock-wright.com/ai-driven-hiring-bias-the-next-frontier-of-eeoc-enforcement/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Moveworks — AI Platform: automated HR policy FAQ resolution, case management, and employee self-service](https://www.moveworks.com/), accessed 2026-06-21
- [ServiceNow — HR Service Delivery AI: Now Assist for HR and intelligent self-service](https://www.servicenow.com/products/hr-service-delivery.html), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Culture Amp — Employee Engagement Platform: 6,500+ companies, AI-powered engagement insights (2025)](https://www.cultureamp.com/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Workday — Recruiter Agent: AI-powered resume screening and candidate ranking (GA 2025)](https://www.workday.com/en-us/products/talent-management/overview.html), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Phenom — Applied AI for Talent: agentic people analytics for hiring, workforce growth, and retention](https://www.phenom.com/artificial-intelligence), accessed 2026-06-21
- [SHRM — AI in Hiring: What SHRM's 2025 Survey Reveals About Talent](https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/research/2025-talent-trends/ai-in-hr), accessed 2026-05-23

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.