According to the Oregon State Department of Administrative Services, as of September 2019 the state was in the midst of the longest economic expansion on record, with no clear end in sight. The state has healthy rates of economic growth with a handful of pinnacle corporations pinning up record levels of employment growth, along with a crop of up-and-coming businesses poised to advance into new and innovative areas that will keep HR professionals innovating in their own right.
Beaverton’s own Nike Corporation brings in three times the revenue of the next largest company in the state, and is one of the top employers of skilled professional staff in Western Oregon. Other top local employers that are contributing to rebuilding Oregon’s skilled workforce include: The Clymb, Hydro Flask, Act-On Software, Zapproved and Vacasa.
Both large established companies such as Nike and new start-ups that are rapidly growing require the services of headhunters, training and development specialists, benefits managers and other HR professionals to attract and manage top talent.
Salaries for Oregon’s HR Managers and Specialists
HR professionals in Oregon can find that their salaries vary considerably based on the industry in which they are working and the location where they are based. Urban areas, such as along the Portland/Eugene corridor, tend to offer some of the highest salaries in the state.
With double-digit percentage growth forecasts on the horizon for many HR specializations, both openings for HR professionals and salaries should be plentiful in the coming years throughout the state, however. In particular, training and development managers should be a hot position to fill, with a forecast of more than 21 percent growth through 2026.
Human Resources Manager Salaries Throughout Oregon
Management roles in human resources consistently pull in some of the highest salaries in any given company. With the additional experience and education often required for such roles, HR managers in Oregon find their investments paying off.
Portland
Every HR management role in the Portland area commands six-figure salaries even at the median level.
Eugene
HR managers in Eugene form a fairly small pool of experts, but also enjoy increased responsibility and prestige in their organizations.
Salaries for Human Resources Specialists and Assistants in Oregon
Oregon expects job growth in every category of HR specialization in the coming decade, with training and development specialists and compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists taking the lead with 18.2 percent and 14.6 percent growth rates respectively.
Portland
As the largest market for HR specialists and assistants in Oregon, Portland supports high wages and many opportunities for employment.
Eugene
Labor relations specialists in Eugene can pull down six-figure salaries once they reach the top ten percent tier.
Salary and employment data compiled by the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics in May of 2018 for human resources managers, specialists, and assistants – https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_or.htm#11-9111. The BLS salary data shown here represents median – 90th percentile salary ranges for the state and its MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Areas) and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries.
Job growth projections sourced from the Oregon Employment Department and published in the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Long Term Occupational Projections (2016-2026) database – https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
All salary and job growth data accessed in October 2019.