National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Human Resources Managers earn a national median of $136,350/year vs Paralegals at $59,200/year. Human Resources Managers earn 57% more nationally. The gap is $77,150 per year — or $6,429 per month.
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Human Resources Manager
$136,350
national median/year
$11,363/mo • $66/hr
VS
Paralegal
$59,200
national median/year
$4,933/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$77,150
Human Resources Managers earn 57% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $874,518.
Best states for Paralegals
vs Human Resources Managers
Mississippi+$-52,150
West Virginia+$-52,150
North Dakota+$-54,150
Wyoming+$-54,150
Arkansas+$-56,150
Best states for Human Resources Managers
vs Paralegals
California+$96,150
New York+$94,150
Virginia+$94,150
Massachusetts+$92,150
Washington+$92,150
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Human Resources Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Human Resources Managers is $136,350 versus $59,200 for Paralegals — a difference of $77,150 per year or $6,429 per month.
The national median salary gap between Human Resources Managers and Paralegals is $77,150 per year. Human Resources Managers earn 57% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $874,518.
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 Paralegals the highest median salary at $76,200 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 Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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 Paralegals earn approximately $28 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
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.
