From Susan M. Heathfield,
Your Guide to Human Resources.
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Job prospects for various Human Resources positions vary by position but they range from growing as fast as the average of other occupations to growing faster than average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Sample Human Resources Job Prospects and Earnings

• Human Resources Assistant: expected to grow by 11 percent between 2006 and 2016, as fast as the average for all occupations.
  
  The median of wages paid to HR Assistants was $33,750 in 2006. The range was $22,700 to more than $48,670.

• Human Resources Generalists, and Training or Labor Relations Managers: according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment is "expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations. College graduates who have earned certification should have the best job opportunities. Overall employment is projected to grow by 17 percent between 2006 and 2016."
  
  --Compensation and benefits managers made a median income of $74,750 in May, 2006 with a range from $55,370 to $99,690. The lowest paid 10% were paid less than $42,750; the highest 10% earned more than $132,820.
  
  --The median earnings of training and development managers were $80,250 in May, 2006. Salaries ranged from $43,530 to $141,140.
  
  --The median annual earnings of human resources managers in other specialty areas were $88,510 in May, 2006. The range was $51,810 to $145,600. The middle 50% made between $67,710 and $114,860 annually.

How to Research Human Resources Jobs and Careers

You can research any job title at the the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Here's a hint to save you research time. While most Human Resources jobs including managers, generalists, training specialists and labor relations specialists, appear under "Human Resources," higher level jobs, such as Vice President and Director, appear in the index under "Vice President" and "Director."

The site provides the most current information about these job occupation areas.

• Nature of the Work
• Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
• Employment
• Job Outlook
• Projections Data
• Earnings
• Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Data
• Related Occupations
• Sources of Additional Information

More About Potential Salary and Earnings in Human Resources

My only cautionary note, as you can see from the above examples, is that the range within a specific occupation for salaries is broad. You can obtain more specific salary information for your occupation, level, years of experience, region, market competition, skills, and education by researching at job boards, in your Human Resources office from salary surveys, and at sites that provide market research and salary calculators.

The pay for Human Resources jobs generally ranges from around $30,000 for an entry-level job to millions of dollars for a corporate executive with leadership responsibility for thousands or hundreds of thousands of employees, and often responsibility for multiple departments.

Summary of Human Resources Career Opportunities

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the three key points for people who want to work in Human Resources include:

• "The educational backgrounds of these workers vary considerably, reflecting the diversity of duties and levels of responsibility.
• "Certification and previous experience are assets for most specialties, and are essential for more advanced positions, including managers, arbitrators, and mediators.
• "College graduates who have earned certification should have the best job opportunities."

Human Resources is a field that offers multiple job opportunities: see these descriptions of the range of jobs in Human Resources. Human Resources jobs also offer the opportunity to make significant income and to contribute to business culture, business strategy, and the overall happiness and motivation of employees.

More About Salary and Earnings in Human Resources

• Make More Money: Your Lifetime Income Potential.
• Salary Research.
• Tips for a Successful Salary Negotiation.
• How to Ask for a Pay Raise.