HR professionals who have risen within the ranks or have expertise in a particular specialty have great prospects for being hired – and for being paid well, according to CareerCast's Best HR Jobs in 2019. "Human resource professionals are an invaluable, and sometimes under-appreciated, pillar of an organization's success," says Kyle Kensing, CareerCast's online content editor. "HR pros address a wide array of behind the scenes employment matters -- everything from pinpointing top prospective candidates, to ensuring company benefits are optimized." Related: Turns out, HR professionals are job-hoppers, too All of the top HR jobs have an annual growth outlook 9 percent or higher and some command six-figure salaries. The top-paying job is human resources manager, which typically garners an annual median income of $113,300. "Because all the various specialties in HR are necessary to a company's functionality, careers in HR have solid growth outlook and median salary," Kensing says. While all typically require postsecondary education to land an entry-level position, many of these careers also involve specialized education and training, Kensing says. For example, a professional with an understanding of actuarial science would be able to better compete for compensation and benefits analysis specialist jobs. "Recruiters, meanwhile, seek out talent to meet job openings," he says. "This is a field that differs dramatically from something like compensation and benefits analysis specialist, as a recruiter's primary function is interpersonal communication and the ability to evaluate a prospect's skill sets." Compliance officers who remain up-to-date on employment laws and OSHA safety regulations also would get a leg up. "To meet the demand for HR professionals, the business departments of various universities and colleges have placed an emphasis on HR academic tracts," he says. The University of Nebraska Lincoln – located near America's hub for actuarial professions and in one of CareerCast.com's Best Cities for Return on Salary – offers comprehensive HR courses, Kensing says. So, too, does the University of Washington in Seattle. Click through the slideshow above to check out all the top jobs in HR this year. Read more: |

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