DOCTORAL DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a doctoral degree in Human Resources Management and Services worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 5 college programs with reportable data.
Personal baseline needed
$119,182 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$119,182Median year-4 earnings
$26,433Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
Outcomes at a glance
$119,182Typical earnings four years after completion
$119,974Average earnings five years after completion
Not availableTypical federal student debt
70thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
171Degrees awarded in 2024–25
5College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 5 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Human Resources Management and Services
How much do Human Resources Management and Services doctoral degree graduates earn?
The national median is $119,182 four years after completion across reportable doctoral degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
A national median federal-debt figure is not reportable for this degree in the current release.
Does the college matter for Human Resources Management and Services?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $104,912 to $159,344 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Human Resources Management and Services?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 12 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $65,674
- Federal debt
- $18,202
- Programs in the comparison
- 21
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $51,118
- Federal debt
- $26,536
- Programs in the comparison
- 35
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,012
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Programs in the comparison
- 209
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $79,454
- Federal debt
- $20,250
- Programs in the comparison
- 3
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $81,091
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 178
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $119,182
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 5
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $66,776
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 22
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $59,962
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 2
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$104,912National median$119,18275th percentile$159,344
5 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
5 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 5 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1George Washington University$177,8672Capella University$159,3443Alliant International University-San Diego$119,1824Regent University$104,9125The University of Arizona Global Campus$72,769Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-8%Projected employment growth →13%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Human Resources Managers$149,280 median wage220,660 jobs nationwide+5.5% projected growth through 2035 · 16,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$88,200–$267,810 typical wage rangeBusiness Teachers, Postsecondary$99,080 median wage82,150 jobs nationwide+5.9% projected growth through 2035 · 7,600 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$47,180–$209,470 typical wage rangeHuman Resources Specialists$75,940 median wage912,430 jobs nationwide+6.4% projected growth through 2035 · 73,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$47,180–$128,720 typical wage rangeCompensation and Benefits Managers$149,230 median wage22,940 jobs nationwide+1.1% projected growth through 2035 · 1,600 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$89,160–$256,570 typical wage rangeTraining and Development Managers$133,000 median wage48,050 jobs nationwide+6.4% projected growth through 2035 · 4,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$79,550–$233,600 typical wage rangeLabor Relations Specialists$95,420 median wage64,810 jobs nationwide+2.1% projected growth through 2035 · 4,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$50,490–$156,180 typical wage rangeTraining and Development Specialists$69,280 median wage458,300 jobs nationwide+10.8% projected growth through 2035 · 46,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$38,760–$123,250 typical wage rangeCompliance Officers$80,730 median wage417,070 jobs nationwide+3.8% projected growth through 2035 · 32,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$48,220–$133,720 typical wage rangeHuman Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$50,610 median wage90,220 jobs nationwide-6.2% projected growth through 2035 · 7,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Associate's degree$37,340–$68,280 typical wage rangeLaw Teachers, Postsecondary$128,500 median wage20,060 jobs nationwide+2.6% projected growth through 2035 · 1,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$64,250–$287,900 typical wage rangeCompensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists$78,210 median wage112,380 jobs nationwide+6.0% projected growth through 2035 · 9,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$49,480–$128,920 typical wage rangeEducational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$64,330 median wage353,310 jobs nationwide+2.9% projected growth through 2035 · 27,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$45,020–$104,770 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.