SOC 1136 Corporate managers and directors

Human resource managers and directors Salary

Median salary £54,474 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £54,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For human resource managers and directors, £57,529 is the typical (median) pay. That is well above the UK full-time median of £39,039 — +47% versus the national average. Experienced human resource managers and directors (top 25%) earn over £75,459.

About this role

Human resource managers and directors lead people strategy within organisations, overseeing recruitment, employee relations, compensation, training and organisational development. They ensure compliance with employment law and drive initiatives to attract, retain and develop talent.

Key responsibilities

Developing and implementing HR strategy aligned with business goals
Overseeing recruitment, onboarding and talent management
Managing employee relations, disciplinary and grievance processes
Ensuring compliance with employment legislation
Leading compensation, benefits and reward strategies

Qualifications and entry routes

Typically requires CIPD qualification (Level 7 for director-level) and extensive HR experience. A degree in HR management, business or psychology is common.

Career outlook

Growing demand driven by evolving employment legislation, hybrid working models and increased focus on employee wellbeing and DEI.

Key skills

Employment law Talent management Organisational development Employee relations Strategic workforce planning

Common industries

All sectors
Professional services
Public sector
Large corporates

Data coverage

SOC code 1136

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 171,000

Median Salary

£54,474

Mean Salary

£65,374

Jobs (000s)

171k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P25: £40,108Median: £54,474P75: £75,459

P10: £29kP25: £40kMedian: £54kP75: £75kP90: --

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£29,324

0-2 years

Mid Level

£40,108

3-7 years

Senior

£75,459

8-15 years

Potential career growth: +157% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +21.8%Real growth: -11.7%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 18.6%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£54,474

Full-time Only

£57,529

Full-time premium: +£3,055

Human resource managers and directors salary: common questions

How much do human resource managers and directors earn in the UK?

Human resource managers and directors earn a median of £57,529 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £40,108 and £75,459.

Is £57,529 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for human resource managers and directors?

Entry-level human resource managers and directors typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £40,108, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £29,324.

Have human resource managers and directors salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median human resource managers and directors pay has risen from £46,888 to £57,529 — +23% in cash terms, or -11% after CPIH inflation. That is behind inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for human resource managers and directors?

Male human resource managers and directors earn a median £62,723 and female human resource managers and directors £51,063 — a gap of +19% in 2025.

Figures: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, gross annual pay. UK full-time median £39,039 (2025).