North America€92.2k2,073 postings
EU€45k881 postings
UK€46.8k451 postings
North America vs EU2.0×median HR pay
Role by role
| HR role | North America | EU | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Leadership | €164,200 | — | — |
| HRIS & People Analytics | €103,500 | — | — |
| Learning & Development | €94,500 | €55,000 | €49,100 |
| Culture, EX & DEI | €93,400 | — | — |
| HRBP & Generalist | €87,800 | €52,500 | €53,600 |
| Payroll & Rewards | €91,300 | €40,500 | €46,200 |
| Recruiting & TA | €90,000 | €45,000 | €39,800 |
| People Ops & Admin | €64,400 | €40,300 | €43,600 |
The gap is widest for senior and specialist roles, which in Europe are often not advertised with a range at all. A dash means fewer than 20 postings with pay in that market.
Why the gap is so large
Gross pay in North America is higher across almost every profession, not just HR: the median for all job postings is €108k there against €44.4k in the EU. European employers pay more of the cost of employment in social contributions and benefits, which don't show in an advertised salary.
Frequently asked questions
›Is HR paid better in the US or in Europe?
In the US and Canada: the median HR posting there pays €92,200, against €45,000 in the EU and €46,800 in the UK.
›How do UK HR salaries compare with the EU?
They are close: €46,800 in the UK against €45,000 in the EU.
Turn market data into pay bandsSkailer keeps salaries, pay bands and compensation reviews next to your employee records, so every offer and raise starts from the same numbers.
Related salary data
About this dataPay ranges published in 132,956 job postings, collected from company career pages and applicant tracking systems. Each posting counts once, at the middle of its range, converted to yearly pay in euros. We show a figure only when at least 20 postings back it. Updated October 2026. How we collect and calculate the data