Human Resources Degree in Salt Lake City, UT — Salary & ROI 2026
Human Resources degree analysis for Salt Lake City, UT. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$56K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$87K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.4 yrs
in Salt Lake City
Cost of Living
112
index (100 = avg)
Human Resources in Salt Lake City, UT Overview
While Salt Lake City has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Human Resources students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $17,800/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Human Resources enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Recruiting and Employee Relations. The adjusted starting salary in Salt Lake City is approximately $56,000, growing to $87,360 by mid-career.
Category
Business
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$9,222/yr
Private Tuition
$38,396/yr
Room & Board
$17,800/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,636/yr
Unemployment
6%
Graduation Rate
52%
Human Resources Salary in Salt Lake City (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Salt Lake City's cost of living index of 112 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Human Resources salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $100,000 senior level.Salt Lake City adjustment factor: 1.12x based on the local cost of living index.
Human Resources ROI Calculator for Salt Lake City
Estimate your return on investment for a Human Resources degree using local Salt Lake City tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,222 | Private avg: $38,396
Salt Lake City avg aid: $10,636/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$108,088
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,800
vs HS diploma in Salt Lake City
ROI Payback Period
6.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Salt Lake City
$451,912
Lifetime earnings premium ($560,000) minus total education cost ($108,088)
Student Loan Payoff for Human Resources in Salt Lake City
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Salt Lake City for Human Resources
University of Utah
public
$9,222/yr
$36,888 total
Westminster University
private
$38,396/yr
$153,584 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Salt Lake Community College
$4,116/yr
Top Employers for Human Resources in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City offers opportunities in Financial services, Consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies for Human Resources graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Salt Lake City Hiring Sectors for Business
Financial services
Consulting firms
Fortune 500 companies
Startups
Marketing agencies
Common Human Resources Job Titles
Human Resources in Nearby Utah Cities
West Valley City, UT
$49K starting · COL 98.5
6 colleges
West Jordan, UT
$50K starting · COL 99.8
5 colleges
Provo, UT
$65K starting · COL 130
7 colleges
Orem, UT
$61K starting · COL 122
4 colleges
Sandy, UT
$52K starting · COL 103.8
4 colleges
St. George, UT
$63K starting · COL 125
2 colleges
Ogden, UT
$52K starting · COL 103
5 colleges
Layton, UT
$49K starting · COL 97.8
4 colleges
Other Business Majors in Salt Lake City
Business Analytics
$87K starting · 2 yr ROI
Finance
$78K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Economics
$73K starting · 4 yr ROI
Information Systems
$56K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Supply Chain Management
$56K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Operations Management
$56K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Accounting
$69K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Real Estate
$56K starting · 4 yr ROI
Human Resources Degree in Salt Lake City — 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 Salt Lake City.