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Salary comparison

Human Resources Managers vs. General and Operations Managers: Who Earns More?

Human Resources Managerss out-earn General and Operations Managerss by $44K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Human Resources Managerss land at $149,280 and General and Operations Managerss at $105,770. The education gap is real: human resources manager programs typically require bachelor's degree, while general and operations manager programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Human Resources Managerss is District of Columbia ($184,350); for General and Operations Managerss it's New Jersey ($173,690).

Human Resources Managers
General and Operations Managers
Median salary
$149,280
$105,770
Hourly rate
$71.77/hr
$50.85/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$88,200
$50,090
Senior level (90th %)
$267,810
$253,390
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
220,660
3,503,020
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
4.4%
Category
Management
Management
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
New Jersey

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Human Resources Managers median pay.

State
Human Resources Managers
General and Operations Managers
District of Columbia
$184,350
$168,000
Massachusetts
$181,780
$127,220
New York
$176,650
$130,860
New Jersey
$172,440
$173,690
California
$170,080
$124,390
Rhode Island
$167,110
$117,380
Colorado
$166,400
$131,840
Virginia
$165,980
$122,080
Connecticut
$165,930
$137,220
Washington
$165,530
$133,750
Delaware
$153,890
$137,220
Maryland
$152,770
$117,930
New Hampshire
$135,000
$124,680
Wisconsin
$133,490
$118,730
South Dakota
$117,930
$137,400

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Human Resources Managerss or General and Operations Managerss?

Human Resources Managerss earn more nationally. The median is $149,280 for Human Resources Managerss versus $105,770 for General and Operations Managerss, a difference of $44K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Human Resources Managers or General and Operations Managers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Human Resources Managers or General and Operations Managers?

Human Resources Managers typically requires bachelor's degree. General and Operations Managers requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Human Resources Managerss get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Human Resources Managerss at $184,350/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Human Resources Managers vs. General and Operations Managers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Human Resources Managerss earn $184,350 vs. $168,000 for General and Operations Managerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Human Resources Managers salary breakdownView →Full General and Operations Managers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Human Resources Managerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for General and Operations Managerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a human resources managersGuide →How to become a general and operations managersGuide →