This list includes the 15 best value undergraduate online human resource management programs. Human resource management is a growing field, both in the number of managers needed, and in its importance. Companies have come to realize that in the modern age, much effort must be put into creating a fulfilling organizational culture. This culture must provide employees with the tools they need to succeed in their jobs, advance within the organization, and ensure that people are doing the jobs for which they are best suited. The responsibility for this falls to the human resource manager.
It’s not an easy job, and as such, the Society for Human Resource Management suggests that those interested in pursuing a career in the field make it a priority to obtain a degree specifically focused on the field. This list of fifteen schools offering undergraduate human resources programs online is focused on value. These fifteen schools have the highest 20 year net return on investment of all the schools offering a program online according to Payscale.com. The schools and their tuition rates are from College Navigator, a comprehensive searchable database of schools created by the National Center for Education Statistics. For those hoping to increase their job opportunities and salaries, these programs can be quite beneficial.
You can find the pay scale methodology for calculating return on investment by visiting Payscale.com and clicking on the small (?) in the ROI column. After finding the online programs from schools with the highest ROI, we then ranked those schools by the actual cost of tuition.
#15. Philadelphia University: B.S. in Human Resource Management
Philadelphia University is a strong school with a well-respected business program. The ROI is one of the highest on our list, despite the expensive tuition, indicating that students consistently find success in their careers upon graduation. The program is caps off its training with a project intended to give students the chance to showcase their skills through the design of a human resource development plan.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $366,500
Tuition: $33,690
#14. Regis University: B.S. in Human Resource Management
Taking a minor is optional in this HRM program and minors can add significant value to a degree with the addition of 0-12 credits depending on the individual minor. While it doesn’t look particularly affordable on the surface, between the financial aid offered by the school and strong earning potential upon graduation, students will find great value in this program.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $454,000
Tuition: $32,424
#13. Desales University: Bachelor of Human Resource Management
This Roman Catholic liberal arts school grounds the technical knowledge required for HRM success, in the Roman Catholic values of social justice, and sensitivity. This balance makes for a strong fundamental understanding of the technical responsibilities of HRM, along with the moral responsibility to create an inclusive, safe, and healthy work environment for all employees.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $290,700
Tuition: $31,250
#12. Immaculata University: B.S. in Human Resource Management
There are four delivery methods for this program available at Immaculata University: traditional, self paced, online, and accelerated. The accelerated program is a hybrid of online and face-to-face classes, while the online program is offered 100% online. The curriculum at Immaculata is designed to be well rounded, grounding the student in a strong foundation of liberal arts training, before transitioning into a well-rounded business program.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $212,200
Tuition: $30,740
#11. Concordia University–Austin: B.A. in Human Resource Management
This 128 credit hour program from Concordia University in Austin is focused on developing Christian leaders. The school is a Lutheran university, and focuses on developing leaders in the fields it teaches that will hold to Christian values and use them to inform their practice. The school has the highest ROI on our list, and is an especially strong choice for Christian students seeking a program that blends the Christian ethic of compassion with technical and professional training in business.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $476,500
Tuition: $25,880
#10. LeTourneau University: B.S. in Human Resource Management
The goal of the HRM program at LeTourneau is to provide students with the fundamental knowledge necessary for success in the field, as well as a degree that will put them in the ideal situation for career advancement. The program is both designed and taught by HR professionals, ensuring that students will be able to mine the experience of their professors and be provided with an in-depth understanding of the rewards and challenges of the field.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $432,400
Tuition: $25,740
#9. Geneva College: BS in Human Resources
Geneva is over 150 years old and was founded by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. The Human Resources program focuses on supplementing the fundamentals of Human Resource Management with classes like: Group Dynamics, Problems of Supervision, Organizational Behavior, and Ethics and Decision Making. This will provide the student with the skills necessary to adapt in the fast paced environment of modern business while creating a stable, productive environment.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $257,700
Tuition: $25,220
#8. Upper Iowa University: B.S. in Human Resource Management
The core courses of the HRM program at UIU amount to 24 credits. This gives students the leeway to transfer in credit from previous schools and to accommodate a minor. The program will provide students with the fundamental knowledge required to create an environment that improves job satisfaction, as well as working conditions in their organization.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $227,100
Tuition: $24,400
#7. Indiana Wesleyan University: B.S. in Management with HRM Specialization
Indiana Wesleyan University is a respected Christian university. The B.S. in Management with an HRM specialization is a strong program for students looking for some versatility from their management degree. HRM is one of the fastest advancing fields and it will be seen by many companies as a huge bonus for managers to have knowledge of Human Resources, even if they aren’t working in that department specifically.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $290,200
Tuition: $23,628
#6. Saint Leo University: B.A. in Human Resource Management
The HRM program at Saint Leo both develops students to take on HR leadership roles upon graduation, as well as prepares students for further study at the graduate level. The program qualifies students to sit for the Professional in Human Resources Certification Exam, overseen by the Human Resources Certification Institute.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $302,000
Tuition: $19,920
#5. Concordia University–St. Paul: B.A. in Human Resource Management
This comprehensive Christian liberal arts university is affiliated with the Lutheran church. The school strives to provide students with a high-quality professional education informed by the ethical principles of Christianity. The program is designed to develop leaders that understand their role as a strategic partner within their organization and whose responsibility is to achieve results through the people within the organization.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $370,000
Tuition: $19,700
#4. Florida International University: Bachelor of Business Administration–Human Resource Management Track
One of the keys to success as a human resource manager is to develop the ability to work with a diverse array of individuals from a variety of cultural backgrounds, education levels, and experiences. The program covers all the major issues facing human resources professionals, from attracting top quality talent, to jobs for which they are well-suited, leading to perfect synergy between meeting company and employee needs.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $241,900
Tuition: $18,895
#3. Indiana State University: B.B.A. with Human Resource Development Minor
The 21 credit minor in human resource development, combined with the B.B.A. program will provide students with the keys both to successful management, and the design and implementation of crucial employee development programs. Successful employee development is crucial to many organizations as quality, efficient employee training and advancement programs are of significant long-term value.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $246,800
Tuition: $17,992
#2. Park University: B.S. in Human Resource Management
The best thing about Park University is that it isn’t just one of the lowest tuitions for an online HRM program you can find, but that its business programs also have a very strong 20 year net ROI. The program at Park takes an interdisciplinary approach to the field, utilizing research from social psychology, behavioral science, and social science to inform the HRM principles it teaches.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $394,800
Tuition: $10,600
#1. Colorado State University: B.S. in Human Resource Management
It doesn’t get much better than this. Colorado State University’s global campus is one of the best online schools in the country, and it’s an incredibly good value — both affordable and a fantastic return on investment. The program emphasizes the foundations of organizational structure, and one’s role as an HR manager in building the company’s culture, management policy, employee development, and conflict resolution policies in such a way that employee performance is maximized. This program also happens to be the #1 best value online HRM program to be found, with extreme affordability, which is accompanied by strong potential return on investment.
Average 20 Year Net ROI: $361,400
Tuition: $8,400
