Rutgers' School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR)

What Rutgers' School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR) does

Rutgers' School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR), founded in 1947 and headquartered in Piscataway, New Jersey, is one of the oldest schools of its kind in the United States. It operates as an academic department within Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, a public state university. SMLR runs two academic departments — Human Resource Management (HRM) and Labor Studies and Employment Relations (LSER) — and a portfolio of ten research centers including the Center for Women & Work, the Workplace Justice Lab@RU, the NJ/NY Center for Employee Ownership, and the Center for Innovation in Worker Organization. The school serves undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and continuing-education students pursuing careers in HR, labor relations, social-justice advocacy, and workforce policy.

SMLR's product portfolio includes B.A./B.S. programs in HRM and Labor & Employment Relations (in-person and online), Master's programs in Human Resource Management (MHRM) and Labor and Employment Relations (MLER) delivered both on-campus and 100% online, a Ph.D. program, graduate certificates, an HR Analytics Course Track, and continuing-education offerings. The MHRM program holds the only STEM designation among U.S. graduate HR programs. Course delivery relies on the Canvas LMS and virtual conferencing platforms for the asynchronous online format (Online Professional MHRM established Fall 2019 by Director Hadi El-Farr; unified in-state/out-of-state tuition for the online programs). Career outcomes — a 96% MHRM placement rate, salaries ranging $55K–$110K+, and a $88,000 HR manager base salary benchmark — together with employer partnerships (GE, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, Lockheed Martin, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Honeywell) underpin enrollment demand. Distribution occurs through on-campus instruction at the Janice H. Levin Building, fully online professional programs, continuing-education non-degree tracks, and corporate partnerships for recruitment, internships, and case competitions.

The business model is tuition-and-appropriation funded: state appropriations, tuition (with online programs priced identically in-state and out-of-state), sponsored-research grants, and private donations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-backed David Waldman Memorial Scholarship. SMLR holds no private equity or venture backing; revenue is non-disclosed at the department level. Customer segments center on traditional undergraduate students, graduate students (in-person and online), working HR professionals with 4+ years' experience seeking career advancement, and labor/social-justice advocates pursuing government, union, and non-profit careers.

Name

Rutgers' School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR)

Legal name

Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations

Website

https://smlr.rutgers.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rutgers' School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR) is a public academic institution within Rutgers University offering undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and continuing-education programs in Human Resource Management and Labor & Employment Relations, including the only STEM-designated MHRM in the U.S. and online professional Master's degrees for working HR professionals globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Resources & Talent (SHRM/HRCI Recertification) (EDAAALAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC), Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers) (EDAAAOAA)

Keywords

• Higher education programs
• Human resource management
• Labor relations education
• Graduate degree programs
• Workforce analytics training

Headquarters

HQ city

Piscataway

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR) is an academic school within Rutgers University that offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs in Human Resource Management and Labor Studies and Employment Relations. Programs are delivered on-campus in Piscataway, NJ and fully online, with continuing education, global learning journeys, and student organizations supporting professional development in workforce, employment, and organizational topics.

Product overview

Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR) is an academic institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of degree programs, certificates, and professional development offerings in Human Resource Management (HRM) and Labor Studies and Employment Relations (LSER). The core academic portfolio includes undergraduate programs (B.A./B.S. in HRM and Labor Relations), graduate programs (MHRM and MLER Master's degrees available in-person and online), Ph.D. programs, and graduate certificates. The flagship STEM-designated MHRM program is the only graduate HR program in the country with this designation. The school also offers specialized concentrations such as HR Analytics, student organizations like RU SHRM, annual case competitions, global learning journeys, and continuing education programs. SMLR is ranked among the top 3 schools of its type in the world, alongside Cornell University and the London School of Economics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master's in Human Resource Management (MHRM) STEM-designated graduate program internationally renowned for strategic human resource management, global employment strategies, and new approaches to worker involvement. The only graduate HR program in the country with STEM designation.
• Online Professional Master's in Human Resource Management (MHRM) 100% online professional program designed for human resource professionals and managers with 4+ years of experience. Can be completed in as few as 18 months for full-time students.
• Master's in Labor and Employment Relations (MLER) Professional program designed for working adults with demonstrated interest in labor/social justice or managing employees well. Prepares graduates for careers as union professionals, government agency roles (EEOC, NLRB), or community/non-profit leadership.
• Online Professional Master's in Labor and Employment Relations (MLER) 100% online professional program designed for working professionals enrolled part-time, with asynchronous courses available year-round. Same tuition for in-state and out-of-state students.
• B.A. in Human Resource Management Undergraduate program educating students about the relationship between HR strategy and business success, preparing them to shape the future of the global workplace environment.
• B.A./B.S. in Labor Studies and Employment Relations Programs educating students about issues related to work, workers, and the employment relationship, addressing the central reality of most people's lives.
• Online B.S. in Labor and Employment Relations Online option for the Bachelor of Science in Labor and Employment Relations degree, providing flexible distance learning for undergraduate students.
• HR Analytics Course Track Concentration within the MHRM program providing knowledge and skills in analyzing data to interpret trends and predict outcomes related to HR practices driving workforce success. Includes Analytics I (HR Metrics) and Analytics II (Applications).
• Graduate Certificate Programs Various graduate certificate programs for professional development in human resource management and labor relations fields.
• Ph.D. Program Doctoral program for advanced research in management and labor relations.
• SMLR Global Learning Journeys International study and experiential learning opportunities for SMLR students.
• Continuing Education Professional development and continuing education offerings including Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Programs, Employee Ownership education, Human Resource Management, and Labor & Employment Relations Programs.
• SMLR Honors Program Honors program for high-achieving SMLR students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% placement rate for MHRM graduates
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): The world's largest HR professional association, which sets the dominant HR competency standards and runs its own certification and learning programs — adjacent, not a direct degree competitor, but influences HR curriculum and continuing-ed demand.

Direct peers

• Penn State – School of Labor and Employment Relations: A long-standing public university school of labor and employment relations with undergraduate and graduate programs covering HR and labor studies — a near-direct competitor in the public-school LER category.
• Michigan State University – School of Human Resources and Labor Relations: A specialized HR/LR school within a major public research university offering bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. programs — directly comparable in structure and mission to SMLR.
• London School of Economics – Department of Management (Employment Relations): Named by SMLR's own materials as a top-3 global peer; LSE's employment relations and management faculty and degrees are closely comparable in academic reputation and research orientation.
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – School of Labor & Employment Relations: One of the few dedicated U.S. schools of labor and employment relations, offering undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. programs in HR and LER — directly comparable to SMLR's structure and mission.
• Cornell University – ILR School: Cornell's Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) School is one of the most cited peers in SMLR's own materials; both are leading U.S. schools of labor and employment relations with undergraduate, graduate, and research portfolios.

Broad incumbents

• Georgetown University – McDonough School of Business (HR concentration): A top business school offering HR concentrations and electives within a full MBA — competes for the same prospective HR graduate students with a broader management brand.
• University of Southern California – Marshall School of Business (HR programs): Large private business school offering HR-related graduate tracks; competes for the same applicant pool that considers specialized MHRM programs, with a broader MBA value proposition.
• Case Western Reserve University – Weatherhead School of Management: A private management school with HR-related graduate offerings; competes for working professionals pursuing HR-focused graduate study, though as part of a broader management portfolio.

Emerging players

• Coursera / edX HR Professional Certificate programs: Online learning platforms offering low-cost, self-paced HR certificates from universities and firms — increasingly compete for working professionals who may otherwise pursue a graduate degree, especially for upskilling rather than career-switching.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RU_SMLR
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/RutgersSMLR
• Facebookfacebook.com/RutgersSMLR
• Instagraminstagram.com/ru_smlr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rutgers' School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR)