HR Manager Salary in India in 2024 [Average to Highest]

Who are the first point of contact and the last point of contact in any job? Unequivocally, the answer would be a member of your employer’s Human Resources (HR) team. Whether it is the first round of your job interview or your exit interview from the company, you will, in all likelihood, be faced with an HR representative. But that’s not all. 

The HR team helps with onboarding, resolves workplace conflicts, conducts performance and salary reviews, develops and generates awareness about workplace policies, and handles workplace investigations and disciplinary actions. And even this is only a snippet of what the human resources team does within a company. 

They are at the helm of managing the ‘human resources’ (or the employees) of an organisation or business, including effective work culture and environment management. They are the bridge that connects the administration with the employees and vice versa. The position and roles you perform is an important factor that determines the HR salary. The higher up the chain you are, the higher will be your HR manager salary per month.

And the captain of this ship is the HR manager. They lead, organise and direct the HR department in any organisation, and coordinate the administrative activities of the organisation itself. Given that they are part of the upper echelons of the organisational hierarchy, you must be wondering what is an HR manager salary per month.

Human resources management is a pivotal aspect of every organisation. Without effective HR management, a company wouldn’t perform properly – it would eventually crumble. Hence, the role of HR managers is one of the most important ones in an organisation. Their importance is reflected in the human resource manager salary as the pay package they receive is highly remunerative. 

This article will discuss how much an HR manager earns by covering the average HR manager salary in India. You’ll also find out what factors affect the average HR manager salary in India and how you can plan your career accordingly. 

What is the Average HR Manager Salary in India?

The average HR manager salary in India is INR 7 lakh per annum. Your pay in this field would range from INR 2.91 lakh per annum to INR 20 lakh per annum, including shared profits, bonuses and commission, depending on numerous factors.

The demand for HR professionals in India is soaring, so you can expect to see the average income for them go up in the coming years. According to Michael Page India’s Salary Benchmark 2018, HR professionals in India can get a 16 to 20% salary hike when shifting jobs. 

Moreover, they also discovered that the number of job opportunities in the HR industry has risen by 26 per cent from Q1 2017 to Q1 2018. 

The rising demand for HR professionals in India indicates a bright scope in the country for this field. Companies are actively looking for skilled individuals who stay up to date with industry trends. 

Additionally, as companies have started to implement new and different changes due to the pandemic, such as work-from-home policies, the need for HR managers has increased exponentially. They need professionals who can adapt to the evolving work culture and keep the organisation efficient. 

Our Learners also read: Best HR certification courses online!

What Does an HR Manager Do? 

HR managers are responsible for overseeing procedures, policies, and compliance-related to the organisation’s employees. They have to advise and coach managers on HR programs and policies to ensure everything runs smoothly and effectively. 

They are responsible for the human resources activities of their organisation and have to ensure that they remain compliant with the central, state, and local laws. HR managers handle the payroll and manage the benefits offered to the employees. They plan the budget of HR programs and implement them as required.

HR managers have to ensure that their organisation’s HR procedures and policies align with its objectives and comply with professional standards. Some of the responsibilities they handle are insurance programs, flexible work hours, initiatives, maternity leave, vacation, open enrollment programs, sick leaves, etc. 

HR managers also handle the recruitment of new talent in an organisation. They must pick suitable candidates for the interviews, and hence, they must have strong analytical and observation skills. They are responsible for recruiting talented individuals who understand the organisation’s goals and perform accordingly. 

It is a crucial role for any organisation since HR managers analyse the company’s policies and recommend changes if needed. They also keep a close eye on the industry and ensure that their organisation’s offered salaries and benefits are competitive and attractive to retain talent. 

They usually work with a team of HR professionals, such as junior HR managers and HR executives. HR managers have to train and coach junior HR managers. Thus, they must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. 

Check out the scope and career options in HR in the USA.

Factors Affecting the Average HR Manager Salary in India

Your HR manager salary in India depends on many factors. You must know what those factors are to plan ahead and make the right decisions for your career. By understanding the impact of these factors, you can determine how much you can expect to earn in this profession. 

The most prominent factors that affect your HR manager salary in India are:

• Your skills
• Your experience
• Your location (the city you live and work in)
• Your employer

In the following points, we’ll discuss how each one of these factors affects the salary in detail: 

1. Skills

The most prominent factor that determines your salary as an HR manager is the skills you have. Professionals with the latest and in-demand skills earn considerably more than those who don’t have the same. Having in-demand skills not only helps you make better pay but also provides you with better job security. 

The most popular skill among HR managers in India is Employee Relations. Other popular skills among HR managers are Performance Management, Recruiting, and Benefits & Compensation. 

If you have specific skills in your CV, you can expect to get above-average pay as an HR manager. HR managers with the Team Management skill reported earning 98% more than the industry average. 

Another skill that offers great pay is Sourcing. HR managers with Sourcing skills report earning 85% higher than the average salary. Similarly, those with the Administration skill earn 65% more than the average. Here are some additional skills that offer above-average compensation: 

• Vendor Management (58% higher than the average)
• ADP Payroll System (41% higher than the average)
• International Human Resources (43% higher than the average)
• Labor Relations (39% higher than the average)
• Legal Compliance (28% higher than the average)
• Organizational Development (39% higher than the average)

You can certainly get higher pay in this field by developing these skills and adding them to your resume. 

Additionally, it always helps to have specific soft skills that can be crucial in determining the human resource manager salary in India per month. This includes excellent verbal and communication skills, strong leadership and management skills, analytical and problem-solving skills, capability to act with integrity and professionalism, good interpersonal skills, and technical competence. As a result, to earn a high HR salary in India, you must be competent in multiple areas and seek to learn new skills continuously.

2. Experience

Your level of experience has a lot of impact on how much you earn as an HR manager. The more experience you’ll have as an HR manager, the more you’ll earn. 

An entry-level HR manager earns around 47% less than the industry average. On the other hand, an experienced HR manager makes 43% more than the industry average. 

An HR manager with less than a year’s experience makes INR 3.72 lakh per annum on average, while those with one to four years of experience in this industry earn an average compensation of INR 4.47 lakh per year. Those with five to nine years of experience in this sector earn INR 7 lakh per annum on average. 

On the other hand, HR managers with more than ten years of professional experience earn an average salary of INR 10 lakh per annum. 

Keep in mind that as you gain more skills and experience as an HR manager, you can get promoted to senior roles such as senior HR manager or HR director, which offer higher salaries. Therefore, your industry experience is crucial in determining your HR salary in India. 

3. Location

Different cities in India offer different salaries to HR managers. This is primarily because the cost of living varies from city to city. Living in a metropolitan city like Mumbai would be more expensive than a non-metro city like Jaipur. 

HR managers enjoy the highest pay in Gurugram (Gurgaon), which offers 30.2% higher pay than the national average. Other notable cities that offer above-average income are Bangalore (27% higher than the average) and Mumbai (23% higher than the market average). 

Conversely, some cities offer a below-average HR manager salary in India. For instance, while HR managers make 13% less than the national average in Kolkata, they earn 16% less than the market average in Coimbatore. 

Moreover, the demand for HR managers in your employment location can play a role in determining the salary of HR manager in India. This is simple economics of demand and supply wherein high demand and value for a skillset or role will translate to higher salary packages. The next time you are looking for a role of an HR manager, it is important to keep in mind the location of the position to negotiate your pay accordingly. 

HR manager salary in India: City Wise

Here’s an overview of the city-wise average HR manager salary in India:

Name of the Cities	Average Annual Salary (INR)
Chennai	₹798,867
Mumbai	₹871,425
Bengaluru	INR 9,35,000
Delhi	₹801,604
Pune	₹782,773
Kolkata	₹667,868

4. Employer

The average HR manager salary differs from company to company. Some companies offer exceptionally high pay to their HR professionals, while some others pay below-average salaries. However, a lot of it depends on the company’s size, work environment, and requirements. 

Scope of career growth increases in bigger organisations as does the possibility of earning a higher human resources manager salary in India. In fact, with larger organisations, the HR department becomes specialised with separate departments for salary and compensation, recruitment and training, employment law, organisational development, industrial relations, etc. From a generalist role, the responsibilities of an HR manager can take specialist characteristics, which in turn can impact HR salary. 

Moreover, human resources manager salary in India may also depend on which industry your organisation works in, such as the IT sector, banking sector, manufacturing industry, healthcare sector, etc. That’s why you should consider the work culture and other benefits along with the salary package before choosing the right company to work for. 

HR managers in Tata Consultancy Services earn the highest average compensation of INR 12.97 lakh per annum. Capgemini and Wipro also offer significantly high salaries to their HR managers as their average compensations are INR 9.75 lakh per annum and INR 9 lakh per annum, respectively. 

The companies that reported to offer the lowest average HR manager salaries were Accenture and Ernst & Young, with the average HR manager salary being INR 7.25 lakh per annum and INR 8.45 lakh per year, respectively. 

Before making the jump to a specific company, it is wise to research the competitive human resource manager salary in India per month, the sector, and the role or position you will be taking up. Also, keep in mind the scope of career growth in the organisation and the company’s reputation as an employer. This will help you map out your career trajectory in the right way. 

5. Designation-Wise

The designation of an HR manager is often determined by their qualifications and years of experience. Here is an overview of the Highest salary of HR in India based on various HR manager designations:

Designation	Average Annual Salary (INR)
HR Manager	INR 7,20,000
Senior HR Manager	₹1,426,250
Assistant Director of HR	₹1,521,081
Associate Director of HR	INR 29,00,000
Vice President of HR	₹3,541,574

6. Job Profile Wise

The role of an HR manager extends beyond recruiting new staff. They are responsible for various dimensions such as administrative development, performance management, and compensation and benefits management. 

Let’s take a closer look at the top job profiles that HR managers can work in:

HR management:

There’s the recruitment and selection profile. As an HR manager, you get to play a crucial role in finding and hiring the best talent for your organization. You get to source candidates, conduct interviews, and make the final decision on who joins your team. It’s an exhilarating process to shape the future of your company. 

Employee training and development:

In this profile, you have the chance to design and implement training programs that help employees grow both personally and professionally. It’s incredible to witness the transformation as individuals acquire new skills and knowledge, ultimately contributing to the success of the organization. 

Performance management:

As an HR manager, you get to evaluate employee performance, provide feedback, and help individuals improve their productivity. This role is all about fostering a culture of continuous improvement and supporting employees in reaching their full potential. 

Compensation and benefits management:

It is the key area where HR managers excel. You get to develop competitive salary structures, design incentive programs, and ensure the employees are well rewarded for their hard work. 

Here is an overview of the average HR manager salary in India based on their job profiles:

• Training and Development Manager: ₹952,997
• Labour Relations Specialist: ₹591,795
• Administrative Service Manager: ₹900,000
•  Public Relation Manager: ₹571,643
• Compensation Benefits Manager salary: INR 9,00,000

Skills Required to Become an HR Manager

Here are the essential skills required to become an HR manager:

• Strategic Thinking: HR managers must have the ability to think strategically and align HR practices with business objectives.
• Leadership: Effective leadership skills are crucial for HR managers to guide and motivate teams.
• Collaboration: HR managers need strong collaboration skills to work with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Consulting: The ability to provide expert advice and guidance to managers and employees is essential.
• Performance Management: HR managers should possess skills in managing employee performance and implementing performance improvement strategies.
• Excellent Communication: Clear and effective communication is vital for HR managers to convey policies, procedures, and organizational changes.
• Organized: Strong organizational skills are needed to manage multiple tasks and priorities effectively.
• Problem Solving: HR managers must be adept at identifying and resolving complex HR issues and conflicts.

How to Earn the Top HR Manager Salary in India?

In the previous section, we discussed how different factors affect your pay in this field. Out of all of those factors, the one you control the most is the number of in-demand skills you have. 

You can boost your career growth and get high-paying roles as an HR manager by developing the required skills. The best way to learn the necessary human resources skills is through taking an HR course.

A course gives you a structured curriculum so you can learn all the concepts step-by-step. 

At upGrad, we offer multiple management and human resources courses that equip you with the necessary skills and give you a personalised learning experience:

Executive Post-Graduate Program in Human Resource Management

This is an 11-month program we offer with the Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA). You get 300+ hours of study material, five weeks of a capstone project and 8+ case studies and assignments in this. You will study HR Analytics, Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM), Labor Laws, and many other relevant concepts. 

Global Professional Certificate in Effective Leadership & Management

This 3-month program equips you with foundational leadership and management skills, including Analytical Skills, Essential Management Skills and techniques, and Cutting edge Technologies in Effective Leadership. We offer this program with Michigan State University. There’s no entry barrier to join this program. 

Master of Business Administration (MBA) 

This 20-month program is perfect for those who want to pursue senior roles in the HR industry. There are six specialisations available in this program: Marketing, Finance, Operations and Supply Chain Management, HR, Business Strategy & Leadership, and Analytics. 

You can take the HR specialisation track and learn many important concepts, including Business Communication, Enterprise and Risk Management, Digital Business Innovation, Organizational Behaviour, Workforce Planning & Recruitment, and much more. You receive 40+ live sessions and 20+ industry projects in this course. 

Conclusion

The HR department is the team that keeps the ship running effectively and ensures that everyone is happy and performing their roles efficiently. The HR manager’s role is crucial in bridging the gap between the administration and its employees. A good HR manager can advocate for both sides efficiently to ensure that the company runs smoothly and productively. 

The roles and responsibilities of an HR manager are extremely diverse and important. As a result, the salary of HR manager in India is reflective of the role they play in the company. The average HR manager salary in India is considerably high. Moreover, as you gain more experience and expertise, you can easily get senior roles that offer higher pay and more benefits. 

If you’re interested in becoming an HR manager in India, check out the courses we shared above. They’d help you kickstart your career the right way. 

With upGrad, you can learn from the best teachers worldwide and earn a Global MBA in HR without quitting your job. The main highlight here is that you will be trained in the discipline with one-on-one interaction with the experts from top colleges. Enrol in upGrad and ace your career while learning from top mentors.

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