HR Salary in Illinois

In state where employment levels among human resources professionals often top the nation, outstanding opportunities for human resources managers, human resources assistants, compensation and benefits managers, and labor and relations specialists are commonplace. For example, human resources managers here have the third highest employment level in the nation, compensation and benefits managers have the second highest employment level, and the number of human resources specialists is close to 25,000.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that in the 12 months leading to September 2019, nearly 100,000 jobs were added to the state, with the largest growth focused on the Chicago, Elgin, Peoria, Carbondale, Davenport, and Rockford metro areas.

Whether you’re interested in breaking into the human resources field as a high school graduate or career changer, or you’re looking for opportunities to climb the career ladder in your current HR position, you’ll have plenty of opportunities awaiting you in Illinois.

Human Resources Management Salaries in Illinois

More than ever, human resources professionals in Illinois are pursuing graduate degrees in order to qualify for high paying managerial jobs. Local employers looking to hire HR directors, supervisors, and executives will often require a Master of Business Administration in Human Resources Management or an equivalent degree as a prerequisite for employment.

HR management professionals in Illinois reap the rewards of extensive experience and advanced degrees in the form of salaries that often top six figures. For example, the median salaries for compensation and benefits managers ($113,700), human resources managers ($106,370), and training and development managers ($108,990) are all well into the six figures.

A closer look at what these pros are earning in Illinois’ largest metro areas of Chicago and Rockford is detailed in the following tables:

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Chicago

Chicago’s human resources management professionals earn more than their counterparts in the Rockford metro region, in nearly all cases. For example, the median salary for human resources managers here is $110,370, while in the Rockford area, it’s $86,010.

Occupation
Employment
Hourly median wage
Compensation and Benefits Managers
930
54.88
Human Resources Managers
8030
53.06
Training and Development Managers
1990
53.59

 

Rockford

In the Rockford metro area, human resources managers are the top earners among human resources management professionals, earning a median salary of $86,010. However, the top earners here (90th percentile) are training and development managers, who earn an average salary of $142,040.

Occupation
Employment
Hourly median wage
Human Resources Managers
160
41.35
Training and Development Managers
30
40.95

 

Human Resources Specialist and Assistant Salaries in Illinois

Human resources specialists and assistants in Illinois enjoy both competitive salaries and high employment levels. Some of these HR pros earn salaries that beat out the national average. For example, training and development specialists here earn a median salary of $63,200, which is about $3,000 more than the national median.

Additional information on salaries for HR specialists and assistants in Illinois’ largest metro area of Chicago and Rockford is available through the following tables:

Chicago

The number of human resources specialists in Chicago is an impressive 20,000. The biggest paychecks, however, are among labor relations specialists here, who earn a median salary of $84,920 – more than $25,000 higher than the state average for these professionals.

Occupation
Employment
Hourly median wage
Human Resources Specialists
20000
27.94
Labor Relations Specialists
4160
31.37
Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists
3070
30.05
Training and Development Specialists
7870
30.66
Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping
2200
19.36

 

Rockford

Labor relations specialists are the top earners in the Rockford metro area, bringing home a median salary of $72,110 and a top (90th percentile) salary of $121,420.

Occupation
Employment
Hourly median wage
Human Resources Specialists
510
24.21
Labor Relations Specialists
110
34.67
Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists
60
27.20
Training and Development Specialists
210
19.67
Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping
50
17.18

 

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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_il.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. 

All salary and job growth data accessed in September 2019.

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