The Best Bachelor's in Human Resources Programs for 2026

Penn's Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences offers an Organizational Studies concentration built for working adults, delivered through Penn LPS Online. The 12-course concentration splits into four courses in Applied Positive Psychology, four in Organizational Studies (Introduction to Team Culture, Virtual Collaboration, Anthropology of Organizations, and Building Influence Across Cultural Boundaries in Organizations), two in Professional Writing, and two advisor-approved electives. Along the way, students can stack three certificates, in Applied Positive Psychology, Team Culture and Collaboration, and Professional Writing, and the program's own materials list human resource manager among the careers it targets.

The 97% graduation rate is the highest of the four programs here, though the 5% admit rate makes it the most selective; together they support a Hakia Score of 96.4 (per IPEDS data). Tuition is flat at $60,920 a year with no in-state discount, since it is a private program, a $48,660 premium over UCLA's in-state rate and $24,751 above Texas A&M's out-of-state rate. Nationally, human resources managers earn a median $99,080 a year per BLS Occupational Outlook, a fixed benchmark against which that tuition premium has to be weighed.

Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations awards a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations, delivered in person in Ithaca. The 120-credit degree builds on a 40-credit core spanning labor economics, employment law, labor relations, and the psychology and sociology of work, plus required coursework in U.S. labor history, diversity dynamics, and international and comparative labor. Students then complete 40 credits of advanced ILR electives split across three required tracks, quantitative policy, international and comparative labor, and labor history, with up to 12 credits available through approved internships and up to 15 through ILR exchange programs.

Cornell posts a 95% graduation rate and a 9% admit rate, the most selective program in this group by a wide margin. Tuition runs $68,380 flat, since Cornell's ILR school does not distinguish in-state from out-of-state pricing. That combination is why Cornell's Hakia Score of 96.3 ties for the top spot in this ranking: the program fits students who already have the academic record to clear a 9% admit bar and want the deepest, most structured labor relations curriculum on this list.

Nationally, the BLS reports a $99,080 median wage for human resources managers, the kind of senior role ILR's labor relations and employment law training is built to reach.

Michigan's Organizational Studies program sits in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, housed on the 8th floor of Weiser Hall, and lets students design their own path through the study of how organizations function. The curriculum centers on a Quantitative Skills requirement and a Senior Research Capstone that puts students into real organizational research, backed by internship placement help, alumni networking events, and study abroad options.

The program posts a 93% graduation rate and a 16% admit rate, and its Hakia Score of 96.3 ties Cornell for the top spot in this group. The price story diverges sharply by residency: in-state tuition is $18,516 against $62,749 out-of-state, a $44,233 gap. That makes this program a standout value for Michigan residents who clear its 16% admit bar, and a much harder case for nonresidents paying more than triple the resident rate for the same capstone-driven curriculum.

Nationally, the BLS reports a $99,080 median wage for human resources managers, useful context for graduates of a research-driven organizational program moving toward leadership roles.

The University of Washington's Foster School of Business offers Human Resources Management as one of eight majors within its Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, alongside accounting, finance, marketing, and entrepreneurship. The 180-credit degree runs on a common business core that includes ACCTG 215, ACCTG 225, MGMT 200, and QMETH 201, and admission to upper-division standing is competitive: applicants need at least 60 graded credits, a 2.00 cumulative GPA, and completed prerequisites in accounting, economics, math, and English composition before Foster will consider them for the major.

UW posts an 85% graduation rate and a 39% admit rate, the most accessible entry point among the programs in this group, with a Hakia Score of 96.2. Tuition is $11,869 in-state against $42,105 out-of-state, a $30,236 gap and the lowest resident price of any program here. It fits students who want a named HR major inside a large, broad-based business school rather than a stand-alone labor relations or organizational studies degree.

Ohio State's Fisher College of Business awards a BS in Human Resources, with Columbus campus admits placed directly into the Fisher major and the HR specialization. Major coursework covers Compensation and Benefits, Human Resources Practices and the Law, Staffing, Strategic Human Resources, and Training and Development, layered on a business core in law, finance, international business, logistics, and marketing. Internships aren't required, but Fisher reports that more than 90% of students registered with its Office of Career Management complete one before graduating, often converting it into a full-time offer.

Ohio State posts an 88% graduation rate and a 61% admit rate, the most accessible admissions of any program in this group, with a Hakia Score of 95.6. In-state tuition is $12,180 against $38,958 out-of-state, a $26,778 gap. Fisher's own program page cites an average beginning salary of $52,327 for its 2019-20 human resources management graduates, a starting figure well below the BLS's $99,080 national median for human resources managers, a role that typically takes years of experience to reach.

Northwestern's undergraduate Organization Behavior major runs through the School of Professional Studies as a part-time, transfer-friendly completion degree, built jointly by the Kellogg School of Management, the School of Communication, and Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. The 45-unit curriculum pairs a communication foundation (persuasion theory, team leadership and decision making, organizational communication, business writing) with a core in organization behavior, leadership principles, organizational change, social psychology, and the sociology of organizations, plus an analytical foundation in accounting, finance, and statistics. Classes run online, with occasional sessions on the Evanston or downtown Chicago campus, and the program is explicitly built for students applying transfer credit toward a shorter path to the degree.

Hakia Score 95.1 places this program at #9 nationally, driven by a 95% graduation rate against an 8% admit rate. Tuition is a flat $67,158 regardless of residency, reflecting Northwestern's private pricing rather than a per-course SPS rate. The major does not award a stand-alone HR credential; its scraped page frames human resources as one of several career paths, alongside management, consulting, and entrepreneurship, so it fits a working adult or transfer student who wants a Kellogg-affiliated organizational theory foundation more than a narrowly HR-titled degree.

Miami Herbert Business School's BBA in Human Resource Management sits inside a standard 120-credit BBA: the university's general education core, the full BBA business core, and a specialization track in HRM taught within the Management department, with faculty including Valeria Alterman, Stephen Cerrone, and Marie Dasborough. The scraped program page describes the major as building administrative, communication, leadership, and teamwork skills for careers in staffing, personnel, or human resources, layered onto the core business curriculum rather than delivered as a stand-alone HR-only degree.

Hakia Score 94.9 ranks it #10, backed by an 84% graduation rate at a 19% admit rate, among the more selective schools in this group. Tuition is a flat $60,720 a year with no in-state discount, typical of a private university BBA. That combination, business-core rigor plus a real acceptance filter, fits an applicant who wants an HR specialization wrapped inside a full BBA rather than a freestanding HR major, and who can clear a sub-20% admit bar.

Villanova's Human Resource Management major is a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies concentration offered through the College of Professional Studies, in partnership with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences' Master's in Human Resource Development program. It runs on campus, online, and in hybrid format, and the school states that every course in the major maps to at least one competency in SHRM's Body of Competency and Knowledge, aligned with the SHRM Curriculum Guidebook. Students can also add HRM as a minor or complete a stand-alone four-course, 12-credit HRM certificate that does not require a bachelor's degree, and the major is built to roll directly into Villanova's combined BIS/MS in Human Resource Development with prerequisite courses waived.

Hakia Score 94.2 ranks it #11, on a 92% graduation rate against a 27% admit rate, the most accessible admit rate among the private schools in this group. Tuition runs a flat $66,838 with no in-state break. The SHRM-aligned coursework and the built-in bridge to a master's degree make this a fit for a student who wants an accelerated bachelor's-to-master's HR track benchmarked against professional HR competencies, not just a general business elective.

Rutgers' bachelor's in Human Resource Management runs through the School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR) as a multidisciplinary major drawing on business strategy, psychology, economics, and sociology. Core coursework covers Intro to Human Resource Management, Talent Acquisition, Training and Development, Compensation and Rewards, Global HRM, Career Management, HRM and Benefits, and HRM and Finance, with special topics in employee ownership, ethics and HRM, diversity and inclusion, conflict management, and the future of work. Students can extend directly into SMLR's Master's Advantage Plan, an accelerated path into the school's Master's in HRM.

Hakia Score 94 ranks it #12, on an 84% graduation rate and a 58% admit rate, by far the most accessible school in this group. As a public university, Rutgers prices by residency: $14,222 in-state versus $33,734 out-of-state, a $19,512 annual gap. Over four years that is a $78,048 cost difference between an in-state and out-of-state student earning the identical degree, the single largest cost lever on this list. For a New Jersey resident, it pairs an 84% graduation rate with the lowest tuition of the four programs by a wide margin.

Trinity University is a private, nonprofit institution in San Antonio, TX. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #13 of the 25 analyzed here with a 92.6 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs, 6.7 points behind top-ranked University of California-Los Angeles. The program graduates 84% of its students, below the 86% average across the ranked schools. Trinity University admits 26% of applicants, more selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, Trinity University charges $53,352 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $213,408 in tuition. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its genuine selectivity.

Baylor University is a private, nonprofit institution in Waco, TX. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #14 of the 25 analyzed here with a 92.5 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs, 6.8 points behind top-ranked University of California-Los Angeles. The program graduates 80% of its students, below the 86% average across the ranked schools. Baylor University admits 51% of applicants, less selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list.

On cost, Baylor University charges $58,100 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $232,400 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 25 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

University of Richmond is a private, nonprofit institution in University of Richmond, VA. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #15 of the 25 analyzed here with a 92.4 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs, 6.9 points behind top-ranked University of California-Los Angeles. The program graduates 85% of its students, below the 86% average across the ranked schools. University of Richmond admits 22% of applicants, more selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list.

On cost, University of Richmond charges $65,230 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $260,920 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its genuine selectivity.

Based in Newark, DE, University of Delaware is a public institution. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program lands at #16 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 91.6 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the middle third of the 25 ranked programs, 7.7 points behind top-ranked University of California-Los Angeles. The program graduates 81% of its students, below the 86% average across the ranked schools. University of Delaware admits 71% of applicants, less selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, University of Delaware charges $14,600 a year in-state, roughly 2.7x the $39,190 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $58,400 in tuition for residents, against $156,760 for non-residents. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 25 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

Based in Oxford, OH, Miami University-Oxford is a public institution. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program lands at #17 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 91.1 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 80% of its students, below the 86% average across the ranked schools. Miami University-Oxford admits 75% of applicants, less selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, Miami University-Oxford charges $14,420 a year in-state, roughly 2.5x the $35,866 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $57,680 in tuition for residents, against $143,464 for non-residents. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 25 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

Based in Baton Rouge, LA, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is a public institution. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program lands at #18 of the 25 ranked here, earning a 90.9 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 69% of its students, below the 86% average across the ranked schools. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College admits 73% of applicants, less selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list.

On cost, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College charges $8,038 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $32,152 in tuition. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with an online option.

Thomas Edison State University is a public institution in Trenton, NJ. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #19 of the 25 analyzed here with a 90.7 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. Thomas Edison State University holds an open-admission policy, accepting every qualified applicant. The university enrolls 7,544 students overall. The degree is also offered online, which widens access for working students.

On cost, Thomas Edison State University charges $6,838 a year in-state, versus $8,856 for out-of-state students. Over four years that is about $27,352 in tuition for residents, against $35,424 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. That median runs roughly 14x the program's annual in-state tuition. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with an online option.

Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a public institution in New Brunswick, NJ. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #20 of the 25 analyzed here with a 90.1 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 84% of its students, below the 86% average across the ranked schools. Rutgers University-New Brunswick admits 58% of applicants, less selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, Rutgers University-New Brunswick charges $14,222 a year in-state, roughly 2.4x the $33,734 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $56,888 in tuition for residents, against $134,936 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.

George Washington University is a private, nonprofit institution in Washington, DC. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #21 of the 25 analyzed here with a 90.1 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 84% of its students, below the 86% average across the ranked schools. George Washington University admits 47% of applicants, less selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, George Washington University charges $67,420 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $269,680 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 25 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.

University of Richmond is a private, nonprofit institution in University of Richmond, VA. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #22 of the 25 analyzed here with an 89.9 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 85% of its students, below the 86% average across the ranked schools. University of Richmond admits 22% of applicants, more selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, University of Richmond charges $65,230 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $260,920 in tuition. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its genuine selectivity.

The University of Texas at Dallas is a public institution in Richardson, TX. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #23 of the 25 analyzed here with an 89.4 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 76% of its students, below the 86% average across the ranked schools. The University of Texas at Dallas admits 65% of applicants, less selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list.

On cost, The University of Texas at Dallas charges $10,639 a year in-state, roughly 3x the $36,139 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $42,556 in tuition for residents, against $144,556 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.

Based in University Park, PA, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is a public institution. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program lands at #24 of the 25 ranked here, earning an 89.4 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 86% of its students, above the 86% average across the ranked schools. Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus admits 61% of applicants, less selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus charges $20,066 a year in-state, roughly 2.1x the $41,212 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $80,264 in tuition for residents, against $164,848 for non-residents. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its above-average completion.

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is a public institution in Minneapolis, MN. Its Bachelor's in Human Resources program ranks #25 of the 25 analyzed here with an 89.3 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 93.4 group average, in the lower third of the 25 ranked programs. The program graduates 85% of its students, below the 86% average across the ranked schools. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities admits 80% of applicants, less selective than the 41% average for the group. That is more open than the 5% rate at University of Pennsylvania, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 69% to 97%.

On cost, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities charges $15,148 a year in-state, roughly 2.4x the $36,296 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $60,592 in tuition for residents, against $145,184 for non-residents. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,838 at Thomas Edison State University to $68,380 at Cornell University. Graduates step into a field with a $99,080 national median salary reported by the BLS. It earns its place in the top 25 on the balance of cost, completion, and outcomes.