Human Resources Managers salary in Salem, OR
Median pay for human resources managers in Salem, OR: $126,240/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $80,280 – $196,890 · about 210 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($123,200) by +$3,040 (+2%).
What it's really worth in Salem
With Salem's cost of living at 102 (US=100), that $126,240 has the buying power of about $123,210 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $72,154 · median home $454,689 · median rent $1,628/mo.
How Salem ranks for this job
On raw pay, Salem, OR is 78th of the 185 metros we hold human resources managers wages for. Once Salem's cost of living is applied, it ranks 119th.
The headline number flatters Salem. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, human resources managers here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Salem
A median home in Salem, OR costs $454,689 — about 3.6× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,628/mo works out at 15% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where human resources managers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Salem.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Salem | Rent vs Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $212,030 | +68% | 2.2× |
| San Francisco, CA | $196,760 | +56% | 2× |
| New York, NY | $181,080 | +43% | 2.2× |
| Washington, DC | $168,770 | +34% | 1.5× |
Same job elsewhere in OR
| Metro | Median pay | vs Salem | Rent vs Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR | $138,760 | +10% | 1.1× |
| Eugene, OR | $102,900 | −18% | 1.1× |
Staying in OR keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires human resources managers around Salem
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- State of Oregon · Government
- Salem Health · Healthcare
- Salem Hospital · Healthcare
- Sumco Oregon Corp · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Salem
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 185 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.