How Much Does An MBA In HR Make? (With Skills And Job Roles)

Updated 9 July 2022

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Many human resources (HR) professionals choose to get a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree to enhance their management career prospects. People with an MBA are often in demand with employers across different industries and have a greater chance of earning a high salary. By understanding the earning potential of an MBA in HR, you can decide if this is a career option you want to pursue. In this article, we answer, "how much does an MBA in HR make?", learn how to complete an MBA in human resource management, detail its importance and review some well-paying HR job roles.

How much does an MBA in HR make?

If you are considering a career in HR, you may wonder, "How much does an MBA in HR make?". The salary for an employee with an MBA in HR depends on their employer, location, job position, work experience and qualifications. A fresher earns lower than a senior HR manager or an HR vice president. Other factors that affect the salary for an employee with an MBA in HR include the business school they graduate from and whether they have a specialist or generalist role.

How to complete an MBA in HR

You can complete an MBA in human resource management by taking the following steps:

1. Earn a bachelor's degree

To be eligible for admission to an MBA in human resource management, it is necessary to have a four-year bachelor's degree in any stream from a recognised university. Many colleges require applicants to have at least 50% marks at the graduate level. You may also require work experience for some programmes.

2. Clear the college entrance exam

Employers may expect you to earn a passing score in a competitive college entrance examination to gain entry into an MBA college. Some of the exams you can take for admission to the MBA in HR are:

Common Admission Test (CAT)
Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT)
Management Aptitude Test (MAT)
Common Management Admission Test (CMAT)
Symbiosis National Aptitude (SNAP) Test
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies Management Aptitude Test by the Graduate Management Admission Council (NMAT by GMAC)
Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MAHCET)
Punjab University Common Entrance Test (PU CET)

3. Enroll in the MBA in HR

An MBA in HR may take around two years to complete. You can take the following MBA in HR courses:

Executive MBA in HR
Distance MBA in HR
Online MBA in HR
Full-time MBA in HR

There is also a one-year MBA in HR programme that you can complete if you have a bachelor's degree and five to ten years of managerial work experience.

4. Prepare to find a job

Research the companies you want to work in, find out if they have open positions in the HR department and send your job application. If there are no positions available, you can still contact them and express your interest in working with them. You can also search for jobs on job sites, professional networking sites and social media. To improve your chances of getting a job in HR, prepare a well-written cover letter and resume. Prepare for the job interview by practising frequently asked interview questions for MBA professionals.

Why earn an MBA in human resource management?

Reasons to earn an MBA in human resource management might include:

Develop leadership skills

An MBA in human resource management can help you develop strong and effective leadership skills. You can learn effective ways to motivate employees and create an atmosphere of trust in the workplace. You can find out how to become a better communicator and motivate people to perform their best.

Improve managerial skills

An MBA in HR can guide you in becoming a better HR manager. Along with developing communication and interpersonal skills, you can learn how to assign tasks, oversee projects and handle work pressure. You can find out how to take a more empathetic approach in handling challenges with colleagues, subordinates and seniors and develop innovative management strategies.

Achieve job stability

Experienced HR professionals are often in great demand to handle business operations in most companies across different industries. With an MBA in human resource management, you can expect a steady job and an excellent pay package and benefits. Since job satisfaction is generally high in these roles, you may stay with the same company for years. Even if you decide to change to another company, there may be a strong chance that you can earn a high MBA human resources management salary.

MBA in HR job roles

With an MBA degree, you can work in the following human resources management job roles:

1. Technical recruiter

National average salary: ₹20,253 per month

Job duties: A technical recruiter identifies available technical work positions in a company, plans a recruitment budget and works with hiring managers to write job advertisements to fill positions. They review applications from qualified candidates for technical jobs and select the ones that have the preferred technical knowledge and skills. They also assist with the job interview process and arrange phone, video or in-person interviews. Using their knowledge of technology and technical skills, they assess the technical abilities of the candidates. They make job offers to the most suitable candidates and keep the rest on file for future reference.

2. HR generalist

National average salary: ₹20,724 per month

Job duties: HR generalists undertake general human resources work, such as planning job recruitment drives, receiving job applications, reading cover letters and assessing resumes. After short-listing candidates, they may conduct reference checks, invite candidates for interviews and offer employment contracts. They assist with training employees, preparing budgets, ensuring payment of salaries and benefits and approving leaves. They enforce company policies, develop new guidelines maintain employee databases and prepare HR reports. Additionally, they monitor employee performance, implement strategies to motivate employees and investigate employee complaints.

3. Employee relations manager

National average salary: ₹21,561 per month

Job duties: An employment relations manager acts as an intermediary between employees and trade unions and the company management. They gather feedback from all parties and attempt to find appropriate solutions for their concerns, grievances and disputes. They investigate complex or urgent situations, provide counselling sessions and ensure that employees receive fair treatment in line with the company's values and labour practices. They develop, implement and oversee company policies and programs to improve employee relations.

4. Human resources manager

National average salary: ₹26,076 per month

Job duties: They lead the HR team and handle various HR matters in the organisation, such as establishing a talent resources plan, ensuring workplace health and safety, implementing the recruitment process and training new staff. They devise policies for improving employee engagement, undertake performance and wage reviews and prepare detailed HR reports. They provide counselling and conflict resolution sessions to resolve employee issues and take disciplinary actions when necessary.

5. Recruitment manager

National average salary: ₹6,56,635 per year

Job duties: Recruitment managers supervise a recruiting team, manage recruitment operations and ensure compliance with labour laws. They liaise with company management to review recruitment needs and advertise available jobs on different platforms. Using recruitment software, recruitment databases and effective interviewing techniques, they source suitable candidates. If necessary, they modify and improve recruiting procedures or develop new ones. They may attend job fairs and industry events to network with industry professionals.

6. Compensation manager

National average salary: ₹6,90,309 per year

Job duties: The role involves ensuring that the salaries of new and existing employees remain compliant with the required work duties, job positions and labour laws. Compensation managers plan and structure salaries to offer competitive compensation and determine appropriate bonuses and benefits to motivate, attract and retain employees. They research market trends, track compensation data and assess the effectiveness of compensation strategies.

7. Director of human resources

National average salary: ₹1,11,270 per month

Job duties: A director of human resources is in charge of the HR department and manages its personnel, policies and initiatives to achieve overall business goals, ensure employee satisfaction and comply with legal regulations. They forecast staffing requirements, hire employees, negotiate work contracts, structure compensation and benefits and maintain staff records. They organise employee training programs and address and resolve employee grievances and disputes.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.