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Director of Human Resource Salary in the United States

How much does a Director of Human Resource make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Director of Human Resource in the United States is $179,287 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $86.

However, a Director of Human Resource's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $214,812
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $163,464 to $197,882
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $149,058
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Director of Human Resource Salaries

A Director of Human Resource's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Director of Human Resource Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Director of Human Resource's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $126,554
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $158,641
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $177,920
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $203,251
  • Expert (over 8 years): $235,783
Levels Salary
Human Res... Level Director of Human Resource$126,554
Associate... Level Director of Human Resource$158,641
Director ... Level Director of Human Resource$177,920
VP of Hum... Level Director of Human Resource$203,251
SVP of Hu... Level Director of Human Resource$235,783
View as Graph

How Do Director of Human Resource Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Director of Human Resources. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $198,507.
  • California: $197,754.
  • Massachusetts: $195,118.

Top Paying Cities for Director of Human Resources

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $226,135
  • San Francisco: $223,659
  • Oakland: $218,945

What Skills Can Increase a Director of Human Resource's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 14.86% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Onboarding (Mentioned in 2.11% Job Postings): Onboarding, also known as organizational socialization, is management jargon first created in the 1970's that refers to the mechanism through which new employees acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors in order to become effective organizational members and insiders. It is the process of integrating a new employee into the organization and its culture. Tactics used in this process include formal meetings, lectures, videos, printed materials, or computer-based orientations to introduce newcomers to their new jobs and organizations. Research has demonstrated that these socialization techniques lead to positive outcomes for new employees such as higher job satisfaction, better job performance, greater organizational commitment, and reduction in occupational stress and intent to quit.. These outcomes are particularly important to an organization looking to retain a competitive advantage in an increasingly mobile and globalized workforce. In the United States, for example, up to 25% of workers are organizational newcomers engaged in an onboarding process. The term induction is used instead in regions such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and parts of Europe. This is known in some parts of the world as training.
  • Labor Relations (Mentioned in 1.17% Job Postings): Is the term used to define the process between employers and employees, management and unions in order to make decisions in organizations. The decisions taken refer to wages, working conditions, hours of work, and safety at work, security and grievances.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 14.86%
Onboarding 2.11%
Labor Relations 1.17%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Director of Human Resource's salary.

  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Alignment: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Change Management: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Insight $190,044
6%
Alignment $188,251
5%
Change Management $188,251
5%
Get Latest Data

Director of Human Resource Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Director of Human Resource roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Director of Human Resource positions in Insurance or Internet typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Director of Human Resource as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Director of Human Resource

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$215,144$103.020%
Biotechnology$206,180$99.015%
Business Services$200,801$97.012%
Chemicals$197,216$95.010%
Construction$193,630$93.08%

How Education impacts a Director of Human Resource's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Director of Human Resources enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Director of Human Resource with a Bachelor's Degree is between $176,586 and $188,502).

Director of Human Resource Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Director of Human Resource
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.2%
High School 7.1%
Associates 5.1%
Bachelors 45.4%
Masters 37.2%
Doctorate 3.9%
View as Graph

Director of Human Resource Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Director of Human Resource's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$163,464
Average $179,287/year
$197,882
$13,622
Average $14,941/month
$16,490
$3,144
Average $3,448/week
$3,805
$79
Average $86/hour
$95
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $197,882 $16,490 $3,805 $95
Average $179,287 $14,941 $3,448 $86
25th Percentile $163,464 $13,622 $3,144 $79

Most common benefits for Director of Human Resource

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Director of Human Resource

Here are companies hiring for Director of Human Resource and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Director of Human Resource

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Director of Human Resource?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Director of Human Resource roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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