Compensation and Benefits Managers
Compensation and Benefits Managers (SOC 11-3111) earn a median $149,230 a year ($71.75 an hour) in the United States, with 22,940 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What compensation and benefits managers do
Compensation and benefits managers plan and direct how an organization pays its employees and what additional programs it offers. They handle these activities for the organization as a whole. Their duties include designing and revising benefit policies so that programs stay competitive and legally compliant, analyzing compensation policies against prevailing wage rates and government regulations, and making sure required reports are filed, including those under ERISA. They also oversee how information about pay and benefits is prepared and shared with employees. Because these managers supervise staff, they differ from compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists, who carry out the analysis and administration. Managers who focus on job analysis and position descriptions are counted instead with human resources managers, and training and development managers form a separate occupation. Common titles are benefits manager, benefits director, and compensation manager. They also work with brokers and research benefits issues, build tools that help employees select benefits and guide managers through pay decisions, and handle employees' benefits questions.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Benefits Admin (Benefits Administrator), Benefits Advisor, Benefits Coordinator, Benefits Director, Benefits Manager.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $42.86 | $54.41 | $71.75 | $96.45 | $123.35 | $78.19 | 22,940 |
| Annual | $89,160 | $113,170 | $149,230 | $200,610 | $256,570 | $162,640 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where compensation and benefits managers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $56.17 | $67.72 | $95.77 | $123.35 | $144.80 | $99.10 | 460 | 0.13 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $116,830 | $140,850 | $199,190 | $256,570 | $301,180 | $206,130 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $47.30 | $63.23 | $95.18 | $135.78 | $176.66 | $100.77 | 480 | 0.28 | 1.91 |
| Annual | $98,380 | $131,520 | $197,970 | $282,410 | $367,460 | $209,600 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $61.73 | $77.40 | $88.50 | $107.28 | $137.03 | $94.28 | 670 | 0.18 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $128,390 | $161,000 | $184,070 | $223,150 | $285,030 | $196,100 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $55.28 | $66.07 | $84.43 | $107.23 | $138.22 | $93.29 | 2,260 | 0.23 | 1.58 |
| Annual | $114,990 | $137,420 | $175,620 | $223,040 | $287,490 | $194,040 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $53.71 | $66.21 | $80.95 | $101.37 | $124.85 | $85.70 | 950 | 0.22 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $111,720 | $137,720 | $168,370 | $210,850 | $259,690 | $178,260 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $50.89 | $61.26 | $80.16 | $104.57 | $139.38 | $86.60 | 2,970 | 0.16 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $105,840 | $127,420 | $166,730 | $217,510 | $289,910 | $180,130 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $55.28 | $66.07 | $84.43 | $107.23 | $138.22 | $93.29 | 2,260 | 0.23 | 1.58 |
| Annual | $114,990 | $137,420 | $175,620 | $223,040 | $287,490 | $194,040 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $41.61 | $51.19 | $65.83 | $86.02 | $104.28 | $71.45 | 2,230 | 0.16 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $86,550 | $106,470 | $136,930 | $178,920 | $216,890 | $148,610 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $38.13 | $48.42 | $61.52 | $80.08 | $99.12 | $65.76 | 1,670 | 0.17 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $79,310 | $100,720 | $127,960 | $166,560 | $206,170 | $136,770 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $46.41 | $59.99 | $78.40 | $103.39 | $139.46 | $84.38 | 1,010 | 0.21 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $96,540 | $124,790 | $163,060 | $215,050 | $290,070 | $175,500 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | Hourly | $38.11 | $48.48 | $106.64 | $144.24 | $200.53 | $102.89 | 40 | 0.16 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $79,270 | $100,830 | $221,800 | $300,020 | $417,100 | $214,020 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $62.40 | $79.38 | $105.22 | $147.39 | $181.55 | $116.07 | 230 | 0.58 | 3.92 |
| Annual | $129,800 | $165,100 | $218,860 | $306,570 | $377,610 | $241,430 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $61.02 | $71.14 | $104.12 | $129.49 | $145.18 | $104.13 | 340 | 0.16 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $126,920 | $147,980 | $216,580 | $269,330 | $301,970 | $216,590 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $67.94 | $82.44 | $103.45 | $141.37 | $152.91 | $109.36 | 320 | 0.29 | 1.93 |
| Annual | $141,310 | $171,470 | $215,180 | $294,040 | $318,060 | $227,460 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $59.93 | $70.88 | $90.79 | $120.77 | $146.33 | $97.73 | 590 | 0.25 | 1.67 |
| Annual | $124,650 | $147,440 | $188,850 | $251,200 | $304,360 | $203,270 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $58.06 | $68.89 | $86.41 | $108.17 | $139.27 | $95.70 | 2,420 | 0.26 | 1.73 |
| Annual | $120,760 | $143,280 | $179,730 | $224,990 | $289,680 | $199,050 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $49.52 | $55.76 | $74.70 | $99.81 | $130.24 | $81.94 | 1,030 | 0.17 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $103,010 | $115,990 | $155,380 | $207,600 | $270,910 | $170,430 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $44.30 | $51.67 | $70.16 | $89.85 | $107.79 | $74.45 | 790 | 0.20 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $92,140 | $107,470 | $145,930 | $186,880 | $224,190 | $154,860 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $47.08 | $61.68 | $79.86 | $103.69 | $141.79 | $86.32 | 760 | 0.26 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $97,930 | $128,290 | $166,100 | $215,680 | $294,920 | $179,540 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $38.14 | $52.69 | $74.68 | $98.64 | $113.97 | $76.37 | 610 | 0.14 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $79,320 | $109,590 | $155,340 | $205,160 | $237,060 | $158,850 | ||||
Top industries employing compensation and benefits managers
Management of Companies and Enterprises employ 24.0% of compensation and benefits managers nationally (5,500 jobs) at a median $161,580 a year ($77.68 an hour), followed by Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (9.3%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (4.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 5,500 | 24.0% | $161,580 | $77.68 |
| Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities NAICS 524200 | 2,130 | 9.3% | $148,540 | $71.41 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 910 | 4.0% | $127,640 | $61.37 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 890 | 3.9% | $165,370 | $79.51 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 770 | 3.4% | $170,900 | $82.17 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (22,940). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $127,530 for compensation and benefits managers in May 2021 and $149,230 in May 2025, with employment of 15,330 and 22,940.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $127,530 | $61.31 | 15,330 |
| May 2022 | $131,280 | $63.11 | 16,850 |
| May 2023 | $136,380 | $65.57 | 18,690 |
| May 2024 | $140,360 | $67.48 | 20,070 |
| May 2025 | $149,230 | $71.75 | 22,940 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
45 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $95.77 | $199,190 | $116,830 | $301,180 | 460 | 0.13 | 0.88 |
| 2 | Connecticut profile | $95.18 | $197,970 | $98,380 | $367,460 | 480 | 0.28 | 1.91 |
| 3 | Massachusetts profile | $88.50 | $184,070 | $128,390 | $285,030 | 670 | 0.18 | 1.24 |
| 4 | New York profile | $84.43 | $175,620 | $114,990 | $287,490 | 2,260 | 0.23 | 1.58 |
| 5 | New Jersey profile | $80.95 | $168,370 | $111,720 | $259,690 | 950 | 0.22 | 1.51 |
| 6 | California profile | $80.16 | $166,730 | $105,840 | $289,910 | 2,970 | 0.16 | 1.10 |
| 7 | Delaware profile | $79.84 | $166,070 | $114,950 | $264,990 | 50 | 0.10 | 0.65 |
| 8 | Colorado profile | $79.70 | $165,770 | $92,990 | $227,230 | 280 | 0.10 | 0.66 |
| 9 | Minnesota profile | $78.55 | $163,390 | $102,690 | $231,830 | 360 | 0.12 | 0.82 |
| 10 | Georgia profile | $78.40 | $163,060 | $96,540 | $290,070 | 1,010 | 0.21 | 1.40 |
| 11 | Oregon profile | $77.63 | $161,470 | $100,400 | $226,250 | 240 | 0.12 | 0.84 |
| 12 | District of Columbia profile | $77.40 | $160,990 | $114,410 | $251,490 | 130 | 0.18 | 1.25 |
| 13 | Virginia profile | $73.87 | $153,660 | $110,070 | $281,000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | Illinois profile | $72.95 | $151,730 | $78,420 | $235,730 | 780 | 0.13 | 0.86 |
| 15 | Michigan profile | $72.89 | $151,620 | $95,800 | $240,790 | 580 | 0.13 | 0.90 |
| 16 | Rhode Island profile | $71.80 | $149,340 | $93,230 | $264,210 | 50 | 0.10 | 0.70 |
| 17 | Ohio profile | $68.23 | $141,920 | $84,580 | $227,440 | 460 | 0.08 | 0.56 |
| 18 | Maryland profile | $67.24 | $139,860 | $91,730 | $244,050 | 430 | 0.15 | 1.04 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | $66.85 | $139,040 | $92,140 | $225,670 | 770 | 0.13 | 0.86 |
| 20 | New Hampshire profile | $65.84 | $136,950 | $90,830 | $200,200 | 100 | 0.15 | 1.02 |
| 21 | Texas profile | $65.83 | $136,930 | $86,550 | $216,890 | 2,230 | 0.16 | 1.07 |
| 22 | North Carolina profile | $65.02 | $135,240 | $63,740 | $227,410 | 880 | 0.18 | 1.21 |
| 23 | Tennessee profile | $63.84 | $132,780 | $83,010 | $258,950 | 670 | 0.20 | 1.37 |
| 24 | Utah profile | $63.76 | $132,620 | $80,990 | $213,870 | 200 | 0.11 | 0.77 |
| 25 | Arizona profile | $62.45 | $129,890 | $80,390 | $210,860 | 510 | 0.16 | 1.07 |
| 26 | Maine profile | $62.35 | $129,690 | $86,600 | $198,930 | 50 | 0.08 | 0.54 |
| 27 | Florida profile | $61.52 | $127,960 | $79,310 | $206,170 | 1,670 | 0.17 | 1.14 |
| 28 | Wisconsin profile | $61.50 | $127,920 | $86,490 | $214,250 | ** | ** | ** |
| 29 | New Mexico profile | $59.80 | $124,390 | $74,040 | $248,930 | 40 | 0.05 | 0.32 |
| 30 | Alaska profile | $58.89 | $122,490 | $69,150 | $154,560 | 30 | 0.10 | 0.66 |
| 31 | Nebraska profile | $58.48 | $121,630 | $83,200 | $183,490 | 140 | 0.13 | 0.90 |
| 32 | Alabama profile | $56.96 | $118,470 | $84,090 | $205,840 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.29 |
| 33 | Iowa profile | $56.85 | $118,250 | $77,000 | $202,600 | 120 | 0.08 | 0.54 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | $56.82 | $118,180 | $80,620 | $189,560 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.37 |
| 35 | Nevada profile | $55.38 | $115,180 | $62,480 | $202,180 | 180 | 0.11 | 0.77 |
| 36 | Kentucky profile | $54.95 | $114,290 | $80,850 | $194,170 | 110 | 0.06 | 0.37 |
| 37 | Kansas profile | $54.84 | $114,070 | $82,890 | $173,240 | 70 | 0.05 | 0.34 |
| 38 | Hawaii profile | $52.94 | $110,120 | $76,670 | $171,110 | 60 | 0.10 | 0.69 |
| 39 | Oklahoma profile | $51.81 | $107,760 | $74,880 | $197,020 | 180 | 0.10 | 0.71 |
| 40 | Missouri profile | $51.20 | $106,490 | $81,110 | $204,140 | 250 | 0.08 | 0.57 |
| 41 | Arkansas profile | $48.47 | $100,810 | $63,120 | $275,560 | 140 | 0.11 | 0.73 |
| 42 | Louisiana profile | $48.00 | $99,840 | $71,620 | $241,390 | 220 | 0.11 | 0.76 |
| 43 | South Carolina profile | $47.90 | $99,630 | $61,100 | $211,660 | 330 | 0.14 | 0.97 |
| 44 | Idaho profile | $43.28 | $90,020 | $83,710 | $199,990 | 100 | 0.11 | 0.76 |
| 45 | Mississippi profile | $42.91 | $89,250 | $59,030 | $149,990 | 70 | 0.06 | 0.41 |
Part of Management Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 11-3111 Compensation and Benefits Managers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 11-3111, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 11-3111.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.