Salary distribution
Where California human resources managers fall on the wage curve.
Distribution not available
The Bureau of Labor Statistics suppresses wage percentiles for this occupation and state when the surveyed cell has too few employers to publish without revealing individual firm pay. National figures and adjacent states below remain a useful reference.
Human Resources Managers in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 81 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $174,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 22 | $129,938 |
| Level II — qualified | 21 | $170,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 11 | $214,198 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 11 | $249,434 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Human Resources Managers in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google LLC | People Partner | 4 | $229,250 |
| Adobe Inc. | VP, Employee Experience | 3 | $264,000 |
| Verkada, Inc | Head of People Partners - US Sales | 2 | $170,000 |
| Autodesk, Inc. | Senior HR Business Partner, Autodesk Construction Solutions | 2 | $188,087 |
| Anthropic, PBC | Partnerships | 2 | $249,599 |
| Pixocial Technology US LLC | Global HR Expert | 2 | $174,000 |
| Databricks, Inc. | Staff Recruiter | 2 | $225,888 |
| Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028 | Senior Director, Games Time Workforce & Volunteers | 2 | $204,568 |
| Sees Candies, Inc. | Sr. Manager, Learning & Development and Employee Comm. | 2 | $167,544 |
| ByteDance Inc. | HR Business Partner - Global E-Commerce (GNE) | 2 | $165,873 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Head of People Partners - US Sales at Verkada, Inc$180,000San MateoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-203-25357-504366
- HR Manager at Parker Hannifin Corporation$134,742Rohnert ParkDecided Dec 15, 2025I-200-25342-464693
- Performance & Incentives Business Partner - USDS at TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc.$200,000San JoseDecided Dec 12, 2025I-200-25340-463005
- Global Resource Manager at Udemy, Inc.$148,000San FranciscoDecided Dec 8, 2025I-200-25335-445607
- Manager - Compensation at Loma Linda University Shared Services$152,173San BernardinoDecided Dec 4, 2025I-200-25331-442209
- VP, Employee Experience at Adobe Inc.$390,000San FranciscoDecided Dec 3, 2025I-203-25329-437999
- Senior HR Business Partner, Autodesk Construction Solutions at Autodesk, Inc.$167,200San FranciscoDecided Nov 20, 2025I-203-25317-404867
- Director, HR Systems and Technology at Sephora USA, Inc.$214,198San FranciscoDecided Nov 18, 2025I-200-25316-399227
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Human Resources Managers pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Human Resources Managers specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 47 certified offers. The most common variant is Senior Director, Games Time Workforce & Volunteers at a median of $212,797.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Director, Games Time Workforce & Volunteers | Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028 | 11 | $212,797 |
| HR Manager | Parker Hannifin Corporation | 6 | $134,004 |
| VP, People & Culture Business Partner | GUMGUM, INC. | 6 | $220,000 |
| Human Resources Manager | Long Shine LLC | 6 | $130,805 |
| Sr. Manager, Learning & Development and Employee Comm. | Sees Candies, Inc. | 6 | $164,116 |
| People Partner | Google LLC | 5 | $240,000 |
| Senior HR Business Partner, Autodesk Construction Solutions | Autodesk, Inc. | 4 | $211,987 |
| People Operations Manager | Ivo AI, Inc. | 3 | $126,610 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Human Resources Managers in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 78 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $198,560.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Google LLC | 40 | $198,560 |
| Professional services | Anthropic, PBC | 11 | $168,000 |
| Manufacturing | Sees Candies, Inc. | 9 | $167,544 |
| Retail and wholesale | Sephora USA, Inc. | 5 | $192,500 |
| Finance and insurance | LendingClub Bank National Association | 3 | $237,000 |
| Education | Loma Linda University Shared Services | 2 | $131,820 |
| Media and entertainment | Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028 | 2 | $204,568 |
| Healthcare | James Ho, DMD, MPH, A Professional Dental Corporation | 2 | $209,500 |
| Transportation and logistics | Bloomsung Inc. | 2 | $113,305 |
| Real estate | Tripalink, Corp. | 1 | $170,000 |
| Energy and utilities | U.S. Borax Inc | 1 | $150,344 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
5 years or more
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.9 / 5
Personnel and Human Resources
Knowledge
- 4.6 / 5
Administration and Management
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.3 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 4.2 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Speaking
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Management of Personnel Resources
Technical
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions, interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems.
- 02
Advise managers on organizational policy matters, such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment, and recommend needed changes.
- 03
Analyze and modify compensation and benefits policies to establish competitive programs and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
- 04
Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures.
- 05
Represent organization at personnel-related hearings and investigations.
- 06
Identify staff vacancies and recruit, interview, and select applicants.
- 07
Negotiate bargaining agreements and help interpret labor contracts.
- 08
Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+5.0%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for human resources managers in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$206,420
- San Diego$163,220
- Los Angeles$161,970
- Sacramento$155,390
- Riverside$134,990
- San Jose—
Compare Human Resources Managers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Human Resources Managers in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Human Resources Managers in California is $169,140.
- How does California compare to the national median for Human Resources Managers?
- The California median is +16.5% versus the BLS national figure of $145,146.
- Is Human Resources Managers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 5.0% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Human Resources Managers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.