Human Resources Degree in Cincinnati, OH — Salary & ROI 2026
Human Resources degree analysis for Cincinnati, OH. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$80K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.5 yrs
in Cincinnati
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Human Resources in Cincinnati, OH Overview
Cincinnati is one of Ohio's top college towns, with 28 institutions and a student population of 32,655. Public tuition averages $12,226/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 Cincinnati is approximately $51,000, growing to $79,560 by mid-career.
Category
Business
Local Colleges
28
Public Tuition
$12,226/yr
Private Tuition
$43,040/yr
Room & Board
$12,772/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,666/yr
Unemployment
3.1%
Graduation Rate
70%
Human Resources Salary in Cincinnati (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Cincinnati's cost of living index of 102 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Human Resources salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $100,000 senior level.Cincinnati adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Human Resources ROI Calculator for Cincinnati
Estimate your return on investment for a Human Resources degree using local Cincinnati tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,226 | Private avg: $43,040
Cincinnati avg aid: $12,666/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$99,992
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,300
vs HS diploma in Cincinnati
ROI Payback Period
6.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Cincinnati
$410,008
Lifetime earnings premium ($510,000) minus total education cost ($99,992)
Student Loan Payoff for Human Resources in Cincinnati
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Cincinnati for Human Resources
University of Cincinnati
public
$12,226/yr
$48,904 total
Xavier University
private
$43,040/yr
$172,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
$5,004/yr
Top Employers for Human Resources in Cincinnati
Cincinnati offers opportunities in Financial services, Consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies for Human Resources graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Cincinnati Hiring Sectors for Business
Financial services
Consulting firms
Fortune 500 companies
Startups
Marketing agencies
Common Human Resources Job Titles
Human Resources in Nearby Ohio Cities
Columbus, OH
$52K starting · COL 103
31 colleges
Cleveland, OH
$48K starting · COL 96
20 colleges
Toledo, OH
$54K starting · COL 108
16 colleges
Akron, OH
$53K starting · COL 105
5 colleges
Dayton, OH
$52K starting · COL 104
9 colleges
Parma, OH
$45K starting · COL 90
4 colleges
Canton, OH
$42K starting · COL 84
4 colleges
Lorain, OH
$43K starting · COL 85.2
3 colleges
Other Business Majors in Cincinnati
Business Analytics
$80K starting · 2 yr ROI
Finance
$71K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Economics
$66K starting · 4 yr ROI
Information Systems
$51K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Supply Chain Management
$51K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Operations Management
$51K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Accounting
$63K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Real Estate
$51K starting · 4 yr ROI
Human Resources Degree in Cincinnati — 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 Cincinnati.