25 Best Colleges for a Bachelor's in Human Resources 2020
These are the best 25 colleges that offer a Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, based on median salary one year after graduation. The top ranked school is Benedictine University, with a median salary of $62,000. Students of University of Washington - Seattle with this major graduated with a median of $10,192 in student debt, the lowest debt on the list. Median salaries for these schools range from $45,600-62,000.
Tuition, median salaries, and median debt were reported by the U.S. Department of Education in November 2019. View our methodology for more details about these rankings or read more about the top-ranked schools.
| School | Annual Tuition | Median Debt | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benedictine University | $34,290 | $29,688 | $62,000 |
| Michigan State University | $41,958 | $23,225 | $59,700 |
| Bethel University - MN | $41,270 | $22,187 | $59,300 |
| Immaculata University | $27,750 | $33,687 | $55,900 |
| University of Washington - Seattle | $40,740 | $10,192 | $54,900 |
| Colorado State University Global | $8,400 | $20,875 | $54,900 |
| Brigham Young University | $6,304 | Not Reported | $53,700 |
| Colorado Christian University | $37,432 | $29,167 | $52,200 |
| Baylor University | $51,738 | $21,500 | $51,200 |
| Capella University | $14,328 | $30,819 | $50,900 |
| Pennsylvania State University | $38,651 | $27,000 | $49,000 |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | $41,150 | $18,750 | $48,500 |
| University of St. Thomas | $50,366 | $22,482 | $47,300 |
| Concordia University - Wisconsin | $33,062 | $30,410 | $47,100 |
| Concordia University, St. Paul | $24,400 | $25,000 | $46,900 |
| Xavier University | $45,000 | $27,000 | $46,600 |
| Columbia Southern University | $6,600 | $24,181 | $46,200 |
| Wichita State University | $18,226 | $28,000 | $46,100 |
| University of Maryland Global Campus | $12,336 | $23,000 | $46,000 |
| University of Wisconsin - Whitewater | $17,039 | $23,504 | $46,000 |
| Idaho State University | $25,936 | $15,625 | $45,900 |
| University of Minnesota | $35,099 | $19,375 | $45,900 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $37,550 | $17,000 | $45,600 |
2020 Best Colleges Highlights
Learn more about the top colleges for a Bachelor's in Human Resources degree. You can also read student reviews of each school by clicking on the stars. Although student reviews were not used as a ranking factor in this list, we provide ratings and reviews so students can consider the experience of alumni in their decision-making process.
Benedictine University features a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Human Resource Management. Offered through the Goodwin College of Business, this is a 4 + 1 program, for students who wish to combine the BBA with a Master’s.
The focus is a general grounding in all aspects of HR, including recruitment, hiring, training, employee development, retention and evaluation. Among the things students will learn are human relations skills, professional ethics, and data analysis for decision making. Benedictine’s Catholic tradition of academics and service remains strong.
120 credits are required for the degree, with 57 in the major. Courses include Excel for Mere Mortals, Managerial Decision Making Under Uncertainty, Compensation and Performance Management, and Visualization Techniques and Dashboarding. Benedictine has international options in China and Vietnam.
The school’s main campus is located in Lisle, Illinois, in the Chicago metro area. A branch campus is in Mesa, Arizona. Founded in 1887, it retains its Catholic heritage and a relationship with the Benedictine Order.
Through its Broad College of Business, Michigan State University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management. The program is highly rated, as is the Business School.
The program requires a substantial core of business courses that give a solid base in all aspects of management, from entrepreneurship to organizational culture. The HR degree focuses on the personnel aspects of HR, including staffing, compensation, training, development, and retention. The program explicitly emphasizes that effective Human Resources managers must thoroughly understand business. Students will learn organizational theory and principles, and analytical tools to make informed decisions.
Students are encouraged to take electives in psychology, sociology, economics, and statistics because HR increasingly requires behavioral science and understanding of statistics. Courses in the program itself include Compensation and Reward Systems, Global and International Management, Diversity in the Workplace, and Negotiations.
MSU is located in East Lansing, Michigan, in the central part of the state.
Bethel University in Minnesota offers a Bachelor of Arts in Business, with a Human Resource Management emphasis. Students choose electives in one of two forms: either in a modular form, or one oriented to the humanities. Bethel uses the liberal arts model of education, one with a very strong Christian ethos. All students are required to take courses in Biblical studies and religion.
The degree focus is dual, on careers in HR, and also in providing a background appropriate for any management position. Emphasis is placed on the ethical development of human capital, particularly on developing and maintaining an effective workforce. Students will learn data analysis, strategic planning, collaborative skills, conflict resolution, and change management, all within the context of Christian ethics.
Among the courses in Bethel’s program are Principles of Management, Compensation Theory and Practice, Statistical Analysis, and Staffing, Training and Development.
Bethel is located in St. Paul, Minnesota. The school has a strong commitment to evangelical Christianity.
Immaculata University features a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management, available both online and in an on-campus evening program. The evening program is accelerated, and can be completed in about two years, depending on the number of courses taken per term.
The focus of the program is careers in HR. Emphasis is on workforce training, leadership development, compensation systems, labor relations and work place safety. Students will learn communication and marketing skills and acquire statistical tools to help them assess and evaluate personnel, performance, and organizational development.
Courses in the program include Business Training Strategies, Business Employment Law, Managing Human Capital, and Managing Business Conflicts. Immaculata is a Catholic liberal arts school, associated with the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The entire curriculum strongly reflects their Catholic ethos of education, values, and service.
The school is located in Immaculata, Pennsylvania, in the Philadelphia metro area.
Through the Michael G. Foster School of Business, the University of Washington-Seattle offers a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (BABA) with a Human Resource Management concentration.
UW’s BABA has six options, including finance and information systems, as well as HRM. All majors, regardless of concentration, have a thorough grounding in business, which covers leadership, organizational behavior, strategic management, and entrepreneurship.
The HR concentration has a focus on communication skills, data analysis, collaboration, problem-solving and conflict resolution. Special emphasis is placed on managing the human assets of a business. Among the courses offered are Managing Human Resources, Deal Making and Negotiation, Recruiting and Hiring Talent, and Performance Appraisal and Compensation. The program strongly encourages internships.
The Foster School emphasizes that a degree in business is not simply preparation for a career in business, but also is a solid base for any career that requires management skills and data-informed decision making, and for admission to graduate studies.