Exciting job prospects and salary opportunities await human resources managers and specialists in Alabama. Across all HR management and specialist professions, there were about 13,120 of these professionals working in Alabama in 2016. By 2026, this number is expected to increase to nearly 14,100.
Optimizing Salary Potential as an HR Professional in Alabama
Local employers such as the Alabama Department of Human Resources, EBSCO Industries, the University of South Alabama, Charter Communications, and Keystone Foods often advertise for human resource positions statewide. Because of the competitive job market for human resource professionals, employers are likely to receive an overwhelming number of applicants. As a result, they will frequently bypass candidates that lack solid work experience and education.
Therefore, in order to maximize the volume of job offers and receive high-end salaries in Alabama, human resource professionals are encouraged to build impressive résumés by:
- Earning a Master of Human Resources (MHR) or similar graduate degree
- Accumulating several years of field experience through internships, volunteerism, and various job positions
- Becoming a certified human resources professional from a recognized certifying agency like the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
Human Resources Management Salaries in Alabama
HR management professionals in the Birmingham metro area all enjoyed six-figure salaries at the median level, as of May 2018. The highest earners at the median level were compensation and benefits managers, who earned $113,070.
HR managers in the Birmingham metro area earned a median salary of $101,580, which is nearly $12,000 more than their counterparts in the Montgomery metro area.
Salaries for human resources management professionals in Alabama’s largest metro areas of Birmingham and Montgomery are detailed below:
Birmingham
Montgomery
Human Resources Specialist and Assistant Salaries in Alabama
Human resources specialists were the highest earners in the Montgomery area in May 2018, earning a median salary of $59,570, while training and developmental specialists brought home the highest paychecks at the median level in Birmingham, at $67,220 during this time.
A closer look at salaries for human resources specialists and assistants in Alabama’s largest metro areas of Birmingham and Montgomery is provided below:
Birmingham
Montgomery
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_al.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 Alabama Department of Labor 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.