Chief Human Resources Officer Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$245,000
estimated national base salary
$185,000 to $318,000. Last updated September 2026.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $213,990 for Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011) across the United States, based on 204,350 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$75,700
25th percentile
$129,540
Median
$213,990
75th percentile
$356,200
90th percentile
$507,730
Workers surveyed
204,350
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$206,420
May 2025 release
$213,990
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011) rather than Chief Human Resources Officer specifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 11-1011Highest Paying
$341,000
San Francisco, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$255,000
Albany, NY
Lowest Paying
$194,000
Jackson, MS
The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated September 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 11-1011. Full methodology.
Orbyt estimates the average Chief Human Resources Officer salary in the United States at $245,000 in 2026, within a range of $185,000 to $318,000. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page. San Francisco is the highest of the 81 cities at $341,000, while Albany offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Company size and workforce headcount are the dominant salary drivers for CHROs.
Chief Human Resources Officer salary by city.
Skills that increase Chief Human Resources Officer pay.
The premiums below are Orbyt's modelled scenarios for Chief Human Resources Officers, not effects measured from job postings: each is a fixed percentage applied to the estimated base. At the top premium that works out to $34,300 a year.
≈ +$34,300 per year
≈ +$31,850 per year
≈ +$29,400 per year
≈ +$26,950 per year
≈ +$26,950 per year
≈ +$24,500 per year
≈ +$24,500 per year
≈ +$22,050 per year
What you should know.
Company size and workforce headcount are the dominant salary drivers for CHROs. Organizations with over 5,000 employees typically pay 30 to 50% more than mid-market firms. Industry regulation intensity, M&A activity, and global workforce complexity also push compensation upward significantly.
HR directors earn $130,000 to $180,000 before reaching VP of HR at $170,000 to $250,000. SVP of HR roles pay $220,000 to $320,000 in base salary. CHROs at large enterprises command $280,000 to $400,000 base, with total packages often doubling that figure.
CHROs receive comprehensive executive packages including 30 to 50% annual bonuses, equity grants worth $100,000 to $500,000, deferred compensation plans, and supplemental executive retirement benefits. Total compensation often reaches $400,000 to $800,000.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote Chief Human Resources Officers typically earn $233,000 (5% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
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Common questions about Chief Human Resources Officer pay.
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