Compensation and Benefits Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities of an organization.
Also called: Benefits Coordinator · Benefits Director · Benefits Manager · Compensation and Benefits Director · Compensation and Benefits Manager · Compensation Director
Median pay (national)
$140,360
$81,660–$239,200+ (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
20,070
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+0.2%
~1,500 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for compensation and benefits managers shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $239,200+ versus $81,660 at the bottom 10% — 2.9x. The median of $140,360 leaves roughly 70% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +0.2% from 2024 to 2034 — slower than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 1,500 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 44 states with released data, Washington pays the most for this role (median $206,320, +47% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $79,330 — a 160% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft PowerPoint, Oracle HRIS as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Direct preparation and distribution of written and verbal information to inform employees of benefits, compensation, and personnel policies.
- Design, evaluate, and modify benefits policies to ensure that programs are current, competitive, and in compliance with legal requirements.
- Fulfill all reporting requirements of all relevant government rules and regulations, including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
- Analyze compensation policies, government regulations, and prevailing wage rates to develop competitive compensation plan.
- Identify and implement benefits to increase the quality of life for employees by working with brokers and researching benefits issues.
- Manage the design and development of tools to assist employees in benefits selection, and to guide managers through compensation decisions.
- Administer, direct, and review employee benefit programs, including the integration of benefit programs following mergers and acquisitions.
- Mediate between benefits providers and employees, such as by assisting in handling employees' benefits-related questions or taking suggestions.
- Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations.
- Prepare detailed job descriptions and classification systems and define job levels and families, in partnership with other managers.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Oracle HRIS
- Workday software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Microsoft Visio
- Oracle PeopleSoft
- SAP software
- Structured query language SQL
- !Trak-it Solutions !Trak-it HR
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Adobe PageMaker
Knowledge areas
- Personnel and Human Resources
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Economics and Accounting
- Mathematics
- Administrative
- Law and Government