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Human Resources Manager vs Operations Manager Salary

National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data

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Human Resources Managers earn a national median of $136,350/year vs Operations Managers at $107,580/year. Human Resources Managers earn 21% more nationally. The gap is $28,770 per year — or $2,398 per month.

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Human Resources Manager
$136,350
national median/year
$11,363/mo • $66/hr
VS
Operations Manager
$107,580
national median/year
$8,965/mo • $52/hr

Annual salary gap

$28,770

Human Resources Managers earn 21% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $326,116.

Best states for Operations Managers

vs Human Resources Managers

West Virginia+$-15,770
Wyoming+$-15,770
Mississippi+$-17,770
North Dakota+$-17,770
South Dakota+$-17,770

Best states for Human Resources Managers

vs Operations Managers

Virginia+$35,770
California+$33,770
Maryland+$31,770
Massachusetts+$31,770
New Jersey+$31,770

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Frequently Asked Questions

Human Resources Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Human Resources Managers is $136,350 versus $107,580 for Operations Managers — a difference of $28,770 per year or $2,398 per month.

The national median salary gap between Human Resources Managers and Operations Managers is $28,770 per year. Human Resources Managers earn 21% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $326,116.

Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Human Resources Managers the highest median salary at $172,350 per year.

Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Operations Managers the highest median salary at $138,580 per year.

Salary is one factor — Human Resources Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Human Resources Managers and General and Operations Managers both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.

Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Human Resources Managers earn approximately $66 per hour nationally and Operations Managers earn approximately $52 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.

Last updated: June 2026

Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.