U.S. median for this major: $68,118.
College Scorecard field of study; 25 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 37% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $26,486.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,254. College Scorecard.
Western Illinois University Human Resources: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Human Resources nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Western Illinois University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $6,941 | $30,402 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $8,787 | $38,487 | 1.1 years |
| $48–75k | $12,062 | $52,832 | 1.5 years |
| $75–110k | $16,294 | $71,368 | 2.1 years |
| $110k+ | $19,701 | $86,290 | 2.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (31% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Human Resources graduates 4 years after graduating ($70,157) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $34,360 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Human Resources at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Human Resources graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern University | $108,498 | $38,832 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 2 | Benedictine University | $90,891 | $31,872 | $22,313 | 50% |
| 3 | University of St Francis | $90,495 | — | $13,006 | 67% |
| 4 | Loyola University Chicago | $86,190 | — | $36,079 | 73% |
| 5 | Lewis University | $76,485 | $27,000 | $17,028 | 67% |
| 6 | Concordia University-Chicago | $72,050 | $34,419 | $18,436 | 36% |
| 7 | North Central College | $71,555 | $24,314 | $21,044 | 64% |
| 8 | Western Illinois University | $70,157 | $26,000 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 9 | McKendree University | $63,519 | $24,625 | $24,717 | 53% |
| 10 | Northeastern Illinois University | $63,276 | $15,365 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 11 | Greenville University | $55,263 | — | $19,533 | 40% |
11 more Illinois colleges offer Human Resources but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Human Resources graduates
HR specialist
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Training and Development Specialists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +10.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Compliance Officers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Western Illinois University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Illinois University
- Acceptance rate: 71% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 45% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,163
- Full cost breakdown · all 72 majors · overview
Related majors at Western Illinois University
- Business Administration$70,021
- Finance$69,716
- Accounting$71,059
- Marketing$68,306
- Economics—
- Management Science / Analytics—
Western Illinois University Human Resources questions
How much do Western Illinois University Human Resources graduates earn?
Human Resources graduates of Western Illinois University earn a median $70,157 four years after graduating and $47,467 one year after. The U.S. median for Human Resources graduates across 170 colleges is $68,118.
How much debt do Western Illinois University Human Resources graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Human Resources graduates of Western Illinois University is $26,000, about 37% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,486.
Is Western Illinois University a good school for Human Resources in Illinois?
On pay, Human Resources graduates of Western Illinois University earn $70,157 four years out, $1,893 below the median for the same major across 11 Illinois colleges ($72,050) and $2,039 above the U.S. median ($68,118). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Illinois University rank for Human Resources in Illinois?
Of 11 Illinois colleges reporting Human Resources graduate earnings, Western Illinois University ranks 8th. The highest is Northwestern University at $108,498.
What jobs do Human Resources graduates get?
A common career is hr specialist, with a median wage of $76,820 in Illinois and $75,940 nationally. Others include training and development specialists and compliance officers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Western Illinois University Human Resources: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-illinois-university/majors/human-resources (College Scorecard and BLS data).