24
Programs Ranked
$30,541
Avg Tuition
$140,030
HR Manager Salary
3
SHRM-Aligned
The best bachelor's in human resources programs in Pennsylvania for 2026 include Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, Temple University, and University of Pennsylvania, based on IPEDS 2023 program data, graduation rates, and SHRM curriculum alignment. Pennsylvania has 24 ranked programs with an average tuition of $30,541, and 3 programs hold SHRM alignment.
Bachelor's in Human Resources Programs in Pennsylvania: Overview
Pennsylvania offers 24 accredited bachelor's programs in human resources, according to IPEDS 2023 data. Three hold SHRM curriculum alignment: Penn State (Main Campus), Temple University (Fox School of Business), and University of Scranton. The average tuition across ranked programs is $30,541.
The state is home to nearly 20 Fortune 500 companies, split between two metro anchors. Philadelphia hosts Comcast (No. 35), Aramark, and a cluster of healthcare and pharmaceutical employers. Pittsburgh claimed a record 10 Fortune 500 firms in 2025, led by PNC Financial Services (No. 131), US Steel, and PPG Industries. UPMC, though not on the Fortune 500 (it is a nonprofit), employs 100,000 people and functions as the state's largest non-government employer.
What distinguishes Pennsylvania for HR professionals is the compliance complexity. Philadelphia's POWER Act (effective May 2025) expanded paid sick leave to 80 hours for larger employers. Pittsburgh amended its Paid Sick Days Act effective January 2026 with higher accrual rates. The state has no statewide paid leave law. For an HR generalist managing multi-site operations, tracking which ordinance applies to which office location is a daily compliance task.
A bachelor's degree in Human Resources prepares you for this environment. Penn State's School of Labor and Employment Relations produces 239 HR graduates annually, more than any other program in the state. Temple's Fox School of Business offers AACSB accreditation with SHRM alignment and a 13-month accelerated master's pathway. For students seeking smaller class sizes, the University of Scranton combines SHRM alignment with Jesuit liberal arts education.
Source: Fortune 500, 2025
Pennsylvania Municipal Employment Laws: What HR Professionals Need to Know
Paid Sick Leave
Paid Sick Days Act (Jan 2026): 72 hrs/yr for 15+ employees, 48 hrs for <15
No statewide mandate
Accrual Rate
1 hour per 30 hours worked (increased from 35 in 2026)
N/A
Anti-Retaliation Protections
Standard anti-retaliation provisions
State whistleblower protections only
Fair Chance / Ban the Box
Yes, ban-the-box ordinance
No statewide requirement
Minimum Wage (2026)
$7.25/hr (follows state/federal rate)
$7.25/hr (federal minimum)
HR Careers by Pennsylvania Industry
UPMC alone employs 100,000 people across 40+ hospitals in Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland. Healthcare HR involves credentialing, licensure tracking, and navigating the Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act (2025), which limits non-compete agreements for physicians and CRNPs to one year maximum.
Key Skills
Common Roles
- HR Generalist
- Credentialing Coordinator
- Labor Relations Specialist
- Talent Acquisition Specialist
PNC Financial Services (Fortune 500 No. 131) is headquartered in Pittsburgh, while Vanguard operates major offices in Malvern. Financial services HR focuses on regulatory compliance (SEC, FINRA background checks), compensation benchmarking for competitive markets, and managing hybrid work policies.
Key Skills
Common Roles
- Compliance Coordinator
- Compensation Analyst
- HRIS Analyst
- Recruiter
Comcast (Fortune 500 No. 35) employs thousands at its Philadelphia headquarters. SAP America operates from Newtown Square. Media and tech HR handles fast-paced hiring cycles, employer branding, and competitive total rewards packages designed to retain technical talent.
Key Skills
Common Roles
- Technical Recruiter
- Employer Brand Specialist
- Total Rewards Analyst
- HR Business Partner
Pittsburgh's legacy manufacturing sector still drives significant HR employment. US Steel and PPG Industries maintain large hourly workforces with union representation. Manufacturing HR focuses on OSHA compliance, collective bargaining, shift scheduling, and workers' compensation administration.
Key Skills
Common Roles
- HR Coordinator
- Safety Specialist
- Labor Relations Specialist
- Benefits Administrator
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Why #1: Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
The highest volume of HR graduates in Pennsylvania (239/year), SHRM alignment, AACSB accreditation, and flexible campus or online delivery through World Campus.
Penn State's School of Labor and Employment Relations produces 239 HR graduates annually, the largest output in the state. The SHRM-aligned, AACSB-accredited program offers both campus and World Campus online delivery.
Program Highlights
- SHRM-aligned curriculum
- AACSB-accredited business school
- 239 annual HR graduates (IPEDS 2023)
- Campus + World Campus online
- Score: 94.4/100
Key Strengths
- SHRM-aligned curriculum
- AACSB-accredited business school
- 239 annual HR graduates
- Labor and Employment Relations specialization
Sources
Temple University
Why #2: Temple University
AACSB and SHRM dual credentials in Philadelphia, with 120 annual graduates and a 13-month accelerated pathway to a master's degree.
Temple's Fox School of Business offers an AACSB-accredited, SHRM-aligned HR program with 120 annual graduates. The Philadelphia location provides direct access to Comcast, Aramark, and healthcare employers.
Program Highlights
- SHRM-aligned curriculum
- AACSB-accredited Fox School of Business
- 120 annual HR graduates (IPEDS 2023)
- Philadelphia location near major employers
- Score: 77.7/100
Key Strengths
- SHRM-aligned curriculum
- AACSB-accredited
- 120 annual HR graduates
- Accelerated master's pathway
Sources
University of Pennsylvania
Why #3: University of Pennsylvania
Wharton's AACSB accreditation and 100% graduation rate, with unmatched employer connections to Fortune 500 companies and consulting firms.
UPenn offers HR-related coursework through the Wharton School, with AACSB accreditation and a 100% graduation rate. The program produces 6 annual HR graduates with access to elite employer networks.
Program Highlights
- AACSB-accredited Wharton School
- 100% graduation rate
- 6 annual HR graduates (IPEDS 2023)
- Elite employer network
- Score: 62.1/100
Key Strengths
- AACSB-accredited Wharton School
- 100% graduation rate
- Elite employer network
Sources
| 1 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | University Park, PA | Public | $19,672 | 8700% | 239 | 94.4 | true | true | false |
| 2 | Temple University | Philadelphia, PA | Public | $21,023 | — | 120 | 77.7 | true | true | false |
| 3 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | Private | $58,620 | 10000% | 6 | 62.1 | false | true | false |
| 4 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Pittsburgh, PA | Public | $20,154 | 8800% | 26 | 58.5 | false | true | false |
| 5 | University of Scranton | Scranton, PA | Private | $51,534 | 8800% | 4 | 56.5 | true | false | false |
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | University Park, PA | Public | $15,204 | 5600% | 115 | 43.5 | false | false | false |
| 7 | DeSales University | Center Valley, PA | Private | $43,000 | 9700% | 7 | 42.5 | false | false | false |
| 8 | Alvernia University | Reading, PA | Private | $41,060 | 9000% | 5 | 40.2 | false | false | false |
| 9 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | Indiana, PA | Public | $7,716 | — | 43 | 40.1 | false | false | false |
| 10 | Immaculata University | Immaculata, PA | Private | $27,700 | 7200% | 5 | 39.9 | false | false | false |
| 11 | Saint Joseph's University | Philadelphia, PA | Private | $51,140 | — | 27 | 38.4 | false | false | false |
| 12 | Thomas Jefferson University | Philadelphia, PA | Private | $44,400 | 6200% | 4 | 34.9 | false | false | false |
| 13 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | Middletown, PA | Public | $15,388 | 7900% | 4 | 34 | false | false | false |
| 14 | Pennsylvania Western University | California, PA | Public | $7,716 | — | 16 | 32.8 | false | false | false |
| 15 | Point Park University | Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $36,240 | — | 13 | 30.3 | false | false | false |
| 16 | Seton Hill University | Greensburg, PA | Private | $40,864 | — | 12 | 27.2 | false | false | false |
| 17 | Carlow University | Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $33,376 | — | 3 | 26 | false | false | false |
| 18 | Mercyhurst University | Erie, PA | Private | $41,580 | — | 5 | 25.6 | false | false | false |
| 19 | Cabrini University | Radnor, PA | Private | $34,800 | — | 4 | 25.3 | false | false | false |
| 20 | Geneva College | Beaver Falls, PA | Private | $32,350 | — | 8 | 24.1 | false | false | false |
| 21 | Westminster College | New Wilmington, PA | Private | $38,760 | — | 5 | 23.6 | false | false | false |
| 22 | Grove City College | Grove City, PA | Private | $20,890 | — | 5 | 23.6 | false | false | false |
| 23 | Peirce College | Philadelphia, PA | Private | $14,400 | — | 4 | 22 | false | false | false |
| 24 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | Reading, PA | Public | $15,388 | — | 3 | 20.7 | false | false | false |
Career Paths
Handles recruitment, onboarding, and employee records at employers ranging from UPMC hospitals to Comcast offices.
Leads HR operations and manages compliance across Pennsylvania's municipal employment law patchwork.
Designs pay structures for Fortune 500 employers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Sources candidates for healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing roles across two major metros.
Designs employee development programs for healthcare systems and corporate employers.
Salary by Experience Level
Pennsylvania HR Bachelor's Programs FAQ
Bachelor's in Human Resources Programs in Nearby States
New York
New Jersey
Ohio
Delaware
IPEDS 2023, SHRM Academic Alignment, AACSB, ACBSP
HR degree completions from IPEDS 2023 (sqrt normalized, cap 300), plus CIP code breadth and multi-level depth bonuses
SHRM-aligned curriculum (+15 pts) and AACSB (+10) or ACBSP (+5) business school accreditation
6-year graduation rate from IPEDS 2023
Carnegie 2021 classification (R1/R2 research universities score highest)
Completeness of IPEDS reporting (tuition, graduation rate, acceptance rate, Carnegie classification)
Data Sources & Methodology
Rankings based on the 5-factor HR Program Quality Index: Program Output (30%), Curriculum Quality including SHRM alignment (25%), Student Success (25%), Institutional Resources (15%), and Data Transparency (5%). Data from IPEDS 2023 and BLS OES May 2024.
- 1.IPEDS 2023 — Program completions, tuition, and graduation rates
- 2.Bureau of Labor Statistics OES 2024 — HR occupation salaries
- 3.SHRM — HR curriculum standards
Last updated: March 2026
Related HR Bachelor's Degree Resources
Taylor Rupe
Education Researcher & Data Analyst
B.A. Psychology, University of Washington · B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State University
Taylor combines training in behavioral science with data analysis to evaluate HR education programs. His research methodology uses IPEDS completion data, BLS employment statistics, and SHRM alignment data to produce evidence-based program rankings.