Ohio has been really making a name for itself when it comes to creating an environment favorable to business. In fact, Chief Executive Magazine named the state among the top ten in the nation according to a survey of CEOs, while CNBC ranked the state 15th overall in terms of business climate. With no corporate income tax and billions of dollars in investments available, there’s even more sunshine for corporations here in the future.
That’s important for HR professionals in the state, who find their fortunes tied to overall business growth and strength, regardless of the industries involved. A strong business environment means high demand for professionals who can advise and administer hiring and firing, develop training programs, and handle compensation requirements.
HR Professional Salaries and Employment Levels in Ohio
Ohio industry has plenty of opportunities for HR managers and specialists in every role. As a heavily industrialized state, Ohio has a lot of opportunities in traditional industries like retail and manufacturing—grocery giant Kroger is headquartered in Cincinnati, for example.
But the state is also on the forefront of growing trends in expanding fields like healthcare, as well. It adds up to an environment where certain specialties within HR here are set to expand at well-above the national rate. Among these are compensation and benefit specialists, a role that’s expected to see a 14.3 percent increase in the number of jobs during the ten-year period leading up to 2026.
Human Resources Manager Salaries Throughout Ohio
HR managers generally make better money than any other position in HR, and that’s just as true in Ohio as anywhere, especially for those in certain specialized roles working in the major urban centers.
Cleveland
Human resources managers in Cleveland can expect $118,130 at the median, which is comfortably above the state median of $109,630 for this role.
Cincinnati
Cincinnati has higher employment levels in every area of human resource management than Cleveland, and training and development managers have a very similar median salary.
Ohio Human Resources Specialist and Assistant Salaries
Human resources specialists are the most common HR workers in Ohio, with more than 23,000 scattered around the state. With a median annual income of $57,830, they make only slightly below the highest paying specialization in the state, that of compensation and benefits specialists, who bring in $58,440 at the median.
Cleveland
Cleveland offers many opportunities for HR specialists of all stripes with wages above the state median.
Cincinnati
Training and development specialists in Cincinnati have the distinction of making the highest salary out of any HR specialist role in the state, with the top ten percent making $100,890.
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_oh.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 Ohio Department of Job and Family Services 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.