At over 18 million strong, California’s workforce is the biggest in the country and bigger than many entire nations. But while AI innovators, consumer tech moguls, and investment firm partners push around capital, they’re not necessarily the ones in charge of the Golden State’s most valuable resource. Human resource professionals are.
They’re the ones who recruit talent and keep it. They design compensation packages, settle disputes big and small, and do whatever they can to create a positive, supportive working culture. Some of the aforementioned moguls might scoff at the idea of prioritizing positivity in the workplace, but according to research, they’re just hurting their bottom lines.
In a 2023 study published in Management Science, researchers asked workers to track and rate their happiness on a scale of 0 to 10. Overall, a one point increase in happiness also came with a 10% to 12% increase in productivity.
Professionals who know how to tap into this power are some of the most impactful and highly-paid members of their organizations. With a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Human Resource Management, you can be one of them.
An MBA in HR Management Comes with a Lot of Advantages in the California Job Market
If you’re thinking about earning an MBA in Human Resource Management, your main goal is probably the same as MBA students in all specialties: you want to take on high-level roles. MBAs of all kinds can help you do that, but specializing in HR management can come with some benefits you might not expect.
The HR Skill Set is Always in High Demand in California Companies
In the Data Age, data skills are in high-demand. As such, data analysis has become a central part of many MBA in HR management programs. But despite that, analytical skills only placed ninth on the National Association of College and Employers’ 2024 employer survey.
The three most sought-after skills are actually much more fundamental:
- Problem-solving skills.
- Teamwork skills.
- Communication skills (specifically written communication skills).
Of course, pretty much anyone with any MBA earned at one of California’s respected business schools has these skills on some level. But if you pursue an MBA in HR Management, you’ll graduate with the ability to foster and encourage these skills with your colleagues. You’ll know how to bring departments together and bring out the best in teams. In short, you’ll be the binding agent that holds your organization together and the motor that keeps gears turning.
HR Administrator Salary Expectations in California are Among the Highest in the Nation
It’s one thing to say employers value the HR skill set, but proving it is an entirely different matter. Fortunately, salary data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that yes, employers value skilled HR professionals — especially in the competitive economic arena of California.
At every level, HR salaries in California are, on average, higher than they are at the national level. As of May 2024, the BLS reports that the average salary in California for:
- Mid-level human resource specialists is $90,110 (national average: $76,060).
- Advanced and senior-level human resource managers is $182,460 (national average: $154,740).
Of course, the cost of living in most parts of California is higher than in many other states. However, your salary potential as an HR professional isn’t capped at the state average.
The highest-earning HR specialists in California make around $140,450 — not bad at all for a mid-career professional. At the top, the highest-paid HR managers make upwards of $239,200 (the BLS doesn’t even record salary figures higher than that). If you’re looking for a great ROI on your MBA, specializing in HR management in California seems to be an excellent way to get it.
An MBA in HR Management Can Prepare You to Vet Leaders for California’s Most Competitive Industries
With an MBA in Human Resource Management, many of your career options are pretty obvious. You could become an HR director, Chief Human Resources Officer, or recruiting director amongst other more specialized positions such as employee relations manager.
But in California, there’s another even more exciting possibility for those how like the challenge of the hunt: executive recruiter.
Executive recruiters are head-hunters who specialize in retaining high-level personnel like CEOs and CFOs. In some industries such as tech, healthcare, and finance, recruiters also set their sights on specialists — researchers, surgeons, portfolio managers, software developers, and more.
However, these professionals don’t come cheap, and they aren’t swayed easily. As such, organizations only trust the best of the best to negotiate with them. Some even hire outside firms to do their headhunting for them.
In fact, 22 out of the 100 best executive recruiting firms on Forbes’ 2024 list are in California. While these organizations have plenty to do in California, most extend their services to multi-billion-dollar companies overseas. So if you have a taste for closing deals and earning the resulting bonuses, a career in HR might be more your speed than you think.
MBA in HR Management Programs: Curriculum and an Overview of Your Options in California
All of California’s MBA programs cover leadership and people management to a certain extent. But when you enroll in an MBA program that offers a concentration in human resources, you’ll get a much more in-depth education on both of those topics.
For example, most MBA students take one or two classes on basic principles like interviewing and retention. Students who specialize in HR management take multiple classes on topics like:
- Data analysis as it applies to recruitment, retention, performance, and related topics.
- Creating training and professional development programs.
- Organizational behavior.
- Employment and labor laws.
- Negotiation and bargaining.
- Mediation and conflict resolution.
However, in an MBA in HR Management program, you’ll also take more general business classes covering managerial accounting, marketing, and strategic decision-making. So no matter what size or type of organization you’re looking at, you’ll have a well-rounded skill set you can leverage for high-level HR management positions.
MBAs in Human Resource Management in California Offered Online and in Formats for Every Career Stage
California is home to dozens of MBA programs and some of the county’s most well-respected business schools. Even better, quite a few of them offer concentrations in human resource management.
But while many of these programs offer a similar curriculum, they’re not completely identical. As you explore your options, you’ll find programs custom tailored to the career stage you’re in – whether early in your career or after having gained several years of experience.
For instance, if you’re mid-career and have a good amount of leadership experience under your belt, an Executive MBA in Human Resource Management is your best. In these programs, you’ll take classes on nights and weekends and skip some of the more basic business courses. Some schools, including California State University, Bakersfield, offer accelerated options that can be completed in as little as 15 months.
Most online programs offer a mix of asynchronous and live interactive lectures so you’ll still get the chance to network and get support, no different than you would in a campus-based program. The University of Massachusetts Global (headquartered in Aliso Viejo) offers a 100% online MBA in Human Resources program, but these days, plenty of brick-and-mortar business schools offer online and hybrid options too.
The Difference Between an MS and MBA in Human Resources
Earning an MBA in Human Resource is only one path to taking on high-level HR positions. For example, Golden Gate University in San Francisco has an MBA in Industrial-Organizational Psychology program that teaches students how to use psychological principles to improve operations and organizational efficiency.
Alternatively, you might elect to forgo the MBA altogether and earn a Master of Science in Human Resource Management, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, or a similarly people-focused domain.
The main difference between MS and MBA in Human Resources programs is that MBA programs typically offer a more generalized business focus in addition to the specialized HR curriculum, making them better suited to leadership roles, both within HR departments, and at executive levels. MS programs focus entirely on people management.
Keep in mind that by choosing one type of program over another, you won’t be blocking yourself out of any HR career options. But by learning more widely-applicable skills through an MBA program, you will be better prepared ed to solve complex, big-picture issues. If you take the MS route, on the other hand, you might gain a bit more specialty knowledge that’ll prepare you for consulting and niche HR roles earlier in your career.
A Comprehensive List of Accredited MBA in HR Management Programs in California
MBA in HR programs are available from schools all over California and in all formats: traditional on-campus, online, executive, part-time, and hybrid. So whether you’re a mid-career professional looking for growth opportunities or fresh out of undergrad, there’s a program out there tailored to meet your goals.
California State University, East Bay
College of Business and Economics
Hayward, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Human Resources and Organizational Behavior
California State University, San Bernardino
Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration
San Bernardino, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in HR Management
California State University, Long Beach
College of Business
Long Beach, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Human Resources Management
California State University, Fullerton
College of Business and Economics
Fullerton, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in HR
University of Massachusetts Global
School of Business and Professional Studies
Online
WASC
Master of Business Administration in HR
California State University, Los Angeles
College of Business and Economics
Los Angeles, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in HR Management
California State University, Stanislaus
College of Business Administration
Turlock, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in HR Management
Claremont Graduate University
Drucker School of Management
Claremont, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in HR Management
Golden Gate University
Ageno School of Business
San Francisco, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in HR Management
La Sierra University
Tom and Vi Zapara School of Business
Riverside, CA
WASC
Master of Business Administration in HR Management
University of Redlands
School of Business and Society
Redlands, CA
ACBSP
Master of Business Administration in HR
University of La Verne
College of Business
La Verne, CA
WASC
Master of Business Administration in HR Management
DeVry University
Keller Graduate School of Management
Newark, Ontario, San Diego, San Jose, and Encino, CA
ACBSP
Master of Business Administration in HR
National University
School of Business and Economics
San Diego, CA
ACBSP (online), IACBE (campus)
Master of Business Administration in HR Management
University of Phoenix-California
College of Business and Information Technology
Ontario, CA
ACBSP
Master of Business Administration in HR Management
Lincoln University
Oakland, CA
IACBE
Master of Business Administration in HR Management
Touro University Worldwide
School of Business and Management
Los Alamitos, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in HR Management
2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Projections Central salary and employment figures for human resource assistants, human resource managers, and human resource specialists reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed December 2024.