Human Resources Degree in Chicago, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Human Resources degree analysis for Chicago, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$55K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$85K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.9 yrs
in Chicago
Cost of Living
109
index (100 = avg)
Human Resources in Chicago, IL Overview
Chicago is one of Illinois's top college towns, with 98 institutions and a student population of 177,322. Public tuition averages $14,816/year here — near the national average for public universities. Human Resources enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Recruiting and Employee Relations. The adjusted starting salary in Chicago is approximately $54,500, growing to $85,020 by mid-career.
Category
Business
Local Colleges
98
Public Tuition
$14,816/yr
Private Tuition
$62,666/yr
Room & Board
$9,117/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,009/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
63%
Human Resources Salary in Chicago (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Chicago's cost of living index of 109 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Human Resources salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $100,000 senior level.Chicago adjustment factor: 1.09x based on the local cost of living index.
Human Resources ROI Calculator for Chicago
Estimate your return on investment for a Human Resources degree using local Chicago tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,816 | Private avg: $62,666
Chicago avg aid: $16,009/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,732
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,350
vs HS diploma in Chicago
ROI Payback Period
5.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Chicago
$449,268
Lifetime earnings premium ($545,000) minus total education cost ($95,732)
Student Loan Payoff for Human Resources in Chicago
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Chicago for Human Resources
University of Chicago
private
$62,940/yr
$251,760 total
Northwestern University
private
$62,391/yr
$249,564 total
University of Illinois at Chicago
public
$14,816/yr
$59,264 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
City Colleges of Chicago
$3,918/yr
Top Employers for Human Resources in Chicago
Chicago offers opportunities in Financial services, Consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies for Human Resources graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Chicago Hiring Sectors for Business
Financial services
Consulting firms
Fortune 500 companies
Startups
Marketing agencies
Common Human Resources Job Titles
Human Resources in Nearby Illinois Cities
Aurora, IL
$46K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$54K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$51K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$45K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$40K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$46K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$52K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$45K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other Business Majors in Chicago
Business Analytics
$85K starting · 2 yr ROI
Finance
$76K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Economics
$71K starting · 4 yr ROI
Information Systems
$55K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Supply Chain Management
$55K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Operations Management
$55K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Accounting
$68K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Real Estate
$55K starting · 4 yr ROI
Human Resources Degree in Chicago — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Human Resources ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Chicago.