According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, there were 35,640 human resources professionals at all levels in Minnesota in 2016; by 2026, this number is projected to rise to 37,250, with compensation, benefits and job analysis specialists and training managers showing the largest gains during this time.
This type of impressive growth among HR professionals is befitting of a state whose jobs are projected to increase by 181,600 between 2016 and 2026, reaching 3.2 million by 2026. Job growth during this period is projected to be about 28 percent higher than the previous decade (2006-2016).
Along with promising job growth numbers, salaries for human resources in Minnesota are just as strong, with many average salaries among HR pros topping national averages. For example, Minnesota’s compensation and benefits managers here earn a median salary of $129,240, which is about $10,000 more than the national median salary of $119,120 for this profession.
Human Resources Management Salaries in Minnesota
Human resources management salaries in Minnesota top six figures at the median level across the board. For example, HR managers earn a median salary of $109,950, and training and development managers earn a median salary of $103,880.
A closer look at what HR management professionals earn in Minnesota’s largest metro areas of Minneapolis and Rochester is available in the following tables:
Minneapolis
Minneapolis’ HR management professionals often earn salaries that beat out the state and national averages. For example, compensation and benefits managers here earn a median salary of $133,330, which is about $4,000 more than the state median salary and about $14,000 more than the national median salary for this profession.
Rochester
HR managers in Rochester earn less than their counterparts in Minneapolis, earning a median salary of $105,590, or about $28,000 less than the median salary of those HR professionals in Rochester.
Human Resources Specialist and Assistant Salaries in Minnesota
Salaries among Minnesota’s HR specialists and assistants, while less than HR management professionals, remain competitive with national averages. In some cases, these professionals earn more than the national average. For example, labor relations specialists earn a median salary of $75,670 – that’s about $12,000 more than the national median salary for this profession.
Additional insight into what HR specialists and assistants earn in the state’s largest metro areas of Minneapolis and Rochester is found in the following tables:
Minneapolis
Some of the highest salaries for Minnesota’s HR specialists and assistants can be found in Rochester. For example, labor relations specialists here earn a median salary of $78,780, which surpasses the state’s median salary of $75,670 for these professionals.
Rochester
Rochester’s highest earners among HR specialists and assistants are labor relations specialists, who earn a median salary of $66,320 and a top (90th percentile) salary of $114,360.
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_mn.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 Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development 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 September 2019.