A magnetic field sensor comprising: a sensor bridge (102, 198, 282) having a first leg (104, 200, 284) and a second leg (68, 106, 202, 286) for sensing an external magnetic field along a sensing direction (96, 194, 278) oriented substantially perpendicular to a plane of said magnetic field sensor (56, 58, 60); a first magnetoresistive sense element (112, 208, 292) formed in said first leg (104, 200, 284), said first magnetoresistive sense element (112, 208, 292) including a first pinned layer (136, 232, 318) and a first sense layer (138, 234, 320); a second magnetoresistive sense element (114, 210, 294) formed in said second leg (106, 202, 286), said second magnetoresistive sense element (114, 210, 294) including a second pinned layer (142, 238, 324) and a second sense layer (144, 240, 326), each of said first and second pinned layers (142, 238, 324; 144, 240, 326) having a reference magnetization (178, 270; 180, 272) oriented substantially parallel to said plane, each of said first and second sense layers (138, 234, 320; 144, 240, 326) having an indeterminate magnetization state; and a permanent magnet layer (160, 161) proximate said first and second magnetoresistive sense elements (112, 208, 292; 114, 210, 294), wherein in the absence of said external magnetic field, said permanent magnet layer (160, 161) magnetically biases said indeterminate magnetization state in an out-of-plane orientation relative to said plane to produce a first sense magnetization of said first sense layer (138, 234, 320) and a second sense magnetization of said second sense layer (144, 240, 326), said first sense magnetization being oriented in a first direction (187, 275, 355) and said second sense magnetization being oriented in a second direction (189, 277, 357) that differs from said first direction (187, 275, 355), characterized in that said permanent magnet layer (160, 161) is a first permanent magnet layer and said magnetic field sensor (56, 58, 60) further comprises: a second permanent magnet layer vertically displaced away from said first permanent magnet layer, wherein said first and second permanent magnet layers (160, 161) function cooperatively to magnetically bias said indeterminate magnetization state of said first and second magnetoresistive sense elements (112, 208, 292; 114, 210, 294) in said out-of-plane orientation relative to said plane. a sensor bridge (102, 198, 282) having a first leg (104, 200, 284) and a second leg (68, 106, 202, 286) for sensing an external magnetic field along a sensing direction (96, 194, 278) oriented substantially perpendicular to a plane of said magnetic field sensor (56, 58, 60); a first magnetoresistive sense element (112, 208, 292) formed in said first leg (104, 200, 284), said first magnetoresistive sense element (112, 208, 292) including a first pinned layer (136, 232, 318) and a first sense layer (138, 234, 320); a second magnetoresistive sense element (114, 210, 294) formed in said second leg (106, 202, 286), said second magnetoresistive sense element (114, 210, 294) including a second pinned layer (142, 238, 324) and a second sense layer (144, 240, 326), each of said first and second pinned layers (142, 238, 324; 144, 240, 326) having a reference magnetization (178, 270; 180, 272) oriented substantially parallel to said plane, each of said first and second sense layers (138, 234, 320; 144, 240, 326) having an indeterminate magnetization state; and a permanent magnet layer (160, 161) proximate said first and second magnetoresistive sense elements (112, 208, 292; 114, 210, 294), wherein in the absence of said external magnetic field, said permanent magnet layer (160, 161) magnetically biases said indeterminate magnetization state in an out-of-plane orientation relative to said plane to produce a first sense magnetization of said first sense layer (138, 234, 320) and a second sense magnetization of said second sense layer (144, 240, 326), said first sense magnetization being oriented in a first direction (187, 275, 355) and said second sense magnetization being oriented in a second direction (189, 277, 357) that differs from said first direction (187, 275, 355), characterized in that said permanent magnet layer (160, 161) is a first permanent magnet layer and said magnetic field sensor (56, 58, 60) further comprises: a second permanent magnet layer vertically displaced away from said first permanent magnet layer, wherein said first and second permanent magnet layers (160, 161) function cooperatively to magnetically bias said indeterminate magnetization state of said first and second magnetoresistive sense elements (112, 208, 292; 114, 210, 294) in said out-of-plane orientation relative to said plane.