Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists
Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists (SOC 13-1141) earn a median $78,210 a year ($37.60 an hour) in the United States, with 112,380 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Delaware.
What compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists do
Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists run the programs that determine what employees are paid, what benefits they receive, and how jobs are defined. They conduct programs of compensation, benefits, and job analysis, and some specialize in areas such as position classification or pension programs. Benefits work includes administering insurance, pension, and savings plans with insurance brokers and plan carriers and making sure the employer meets federal and state law, including reporting requirements. Job analysis concerns what each position involves and how positions are classified. Specialists also advise managers and employees on employment regulations, collective agreements, and classification programs, and they research health and safety practices. Titles include benefits analyst, benefits administrator, and compensation analyst. The occupation differs from the managers who direct the function, who are classified as compensation and benefits managers, and from human resources specialists focused on recruiting. They also help prepare and maintain personnel records and handbooks and plan and conduct training programs.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Benefit Programs Specialist, Benefits Administrator (Benefits Admin), Benefits Analyst, Benefits Consultant, Benefits Coordinator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $23.79 | $29.28 | $37.60 | $48.27 | $61.98 | $40.54 | 112,380 |
| Annual | $49,480 | $60,890 | $78,210 | $100,400 | $128,920 | $84,330 | ||
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, benefits, and job analysis specialists 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 | ||||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $29.45 | $35.58 | $47.87 | $57.46 | $65.72 | $48.19 | 290 | 0.60 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $61,260 | $74,010 | $99,560 | $119,520 | $136,700 | $100,230 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $30.40 | $36.79 | $46.10 | $60.45 | $77.46 | $50.23 | 3,390 | 0.93 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $63,230 | $76,530 | $95,890 | $125,730 | $161,120 | $104,470 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $29.94 | $36.93 | $44.50 | $57.85 | $73.25 | $47.84 | 1,980 | 0.69 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $62,280 | $76,800 | $92,560 | $120,330 | $152,370 | $99,510 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $28.88 | $35.48 | $43.95 | $56.36 | $72.20 | $47.35 | 13,430 | 0.74 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $60,070 | $73,790 | $91,410 | $117,240 | $150,180 | $98,480 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $29.12 | $35.93 | $41.69 | $51.08 | $61.50 | $44.40 | 650 | 0.92 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $60,560 | $74,730 | $86,710 | $106,250 | $127,930 | $92,350 | ||||
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 | $28.88 | $35.48 | $43.95 | $56.36 | $72.20 | $47.35 | 13,430 | 0.74 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $60,070 | $73,790 | $91,410 | $117,240 | $150,180 | $98,480 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $28.24 | $33.39 | $40.00 | $49.67 | $63.04 | $43.78 | 11,470 | 1.18 | 1.64 |
| Annual | $58,740 | $69,450 | $83,200 | $103,320 | $131,110 | $91,070 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $20.67 | $24.59 | $31.26 | $39.87 | $52.63 | $34.74 | 6,610 | 0.67 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $42,990 | $51,150 | $65,020 | $82,930 | $109,480 | $72,260 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $22.31 | $26.67 | $33.96 | $41.85 | $58.09 | $36.60 | 4,910 | 0.81 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $46,400 | $55,470 | $70,640 | $87,040 | $120,830 | $76,130 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $20.21 | $27.24 | $32.06 | $46.77 | $58.72 | $36.78 | 4,780 | 0.98 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $42,030 | $56,660 | $66,690 | $97,280 | $122,130 | $76,500 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $35.37 | $47.61 | $64.28 | $78.91 | $87.70 | $63.19 | 770 | 0.68 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $73,580 | $99,030 | $133,700 | $164,140 | $182,420 | $131,430 | ||||
| Rochester, MN | Hourly | $33.55 | $37.70 | $52.00 | $52.00 | $63.53 | $48.06 | 60 | 0.46 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $69,790 | $78,410 | $108,170 | $108,170 | $132,140 | $99,960 | ||||
| Boulder, CO | Hourly | $30.51 | $39.22 | $49.65 | $67.37 | $84.75 | $54.11 | 120 | 0.62 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $63,470 | $81,570 | $103,280 | $140,140 | $176,280 | $112,540 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $35.85 | $41.25 | $49.41 | $62.70 | $79.62 | $54.19 | 2,440 | 1.03 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $74,570 | $85,800 | $102,780 | $130,410 | $165,600 | $112,700 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $30.61 | $37.49 | $47.67 | $61.36 | $78.60 | $51.41 | 2,630 | 0.97 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $63,660 | $77,990 | $99,150 | $127,620 | $163,490 | $106,940 | ||||
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 | $30.46 | $37.69 | $42.85 | $52.32 | $66.38 | $46.62 | 9,900 | 1.04 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $63,370 | $78,390 | $89,130 | $108,830 | $138,070 | $96,980 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $28.95 | $35.87 | $46.78 | $57.18 | $72.11 | $47.81 | 4,070 | 0.65 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $60,220 | $74,610 | $97,310 | $118,940 | $149,990 | $99,450 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $25.48 | $30.43 | $38.46 | $49.15 | $62.51 | $42.07 | 3,500 | 0.78 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $53,000 | $63,290 | $79,990 | $102,240 | $130,020 | $87,500 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $25.81 | $30.83 | $35.99 | $48.03 | $58.88 | $40.15 | 3,070 | 0.76 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $53,670 | $64,120 | $74,860 | $99,910 | $122,480 | $83,510 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $30.61 | $37.49 | $47.67 | $61.36 | $78.60 | $51.41 | 2,630 | 0.97 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $63,660 | $77,990 | $99,150 | $127,620 | $163,490 | $106,940 | ||||
Top industries employing compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities employ 15.2% of compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists nationally (17,100 jobs) at a median $74,290 a year ($35.72 an hour), followed by Management of Companies and Enterprises (12.4%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (7.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities NAICS 524200 | 17,100 | 15.2% | $74,290 | $35.72 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 13,920 | 12.4% | $84,240 | $40.50 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 8,060 | 7.2% | $79,690 | $38.31 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 7,620 | 6.8% | $76,860 | $36.95 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 5,950 | 5.3% | $66,820 | $32.12 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (112,380). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $64,120 for compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists in May 2021 and $78,210 in May 2025, with employment of 87,750 and 112,380.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $64,120 | $30.83 | 87,750 |
| May 2022 | $67,780 | $32.59 | 93,550 |
| May 2023 | $74,530 | $35.83 | 99,850 |
| May 2024 | $77,020 | $37.03 | 102,370 |
| May 2025 | $78,210 | $37.60 | 112,380 |
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
50 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 | Delaware profile | $47.87 | $99,560 | $61,260 | $136,700 | 290 | 0.60 | 0.83 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | $46.10 | $95,890 | $63,230 | $161,120 | 3,390 | 0.93 | 1.29 |
| 3 | Colorado profile | $44.50 | $92,560 | $62,280 | $152,370 | 1,980 | 0.69 | 0.95 |
| 4 | California profile | $43.95 | $91,410 | $60,070 | $150,180 | 13,430 | 0.74 | 1.02 |
| 5 | District of Columbia profile | $41.69 | $86,710 | $60,560 | $127,930 | 650 | 0.92 | 1.28 |
| 6 | Washington profile | $41.65 | $86,630 | $60,750 | $135,810 | 3,350 | 0.94 | 1.30 |
| 7 | New Jersey profile | $40.89 | $85,040 | $56,820 | $136,080 | 3,150 | 0.74 | 1.02 |
| 8 | New Mexico profile | $40.16 | $83,540 | $55,240 | $153,750 | 340 | 0.39 | 0.54 |
| 9 | Oregon profile | $40.06 | $83,320 | $58,860 | $125,500 | 1,330 | 0.68 | 0.94 |
| 10 | New York profile | $40.00 | $83,200 | $58,740 | $131,110 | 11,470 | 1.18 | 1.64 |
| 11 | Connecticut profile | $39.95 | $83,100 | $50,750 | $133,460 | 1,140 | 0.67 | 0.93 |
| 12 | Virginia profile | $39.03 | $81,190 | $54,410 | $136,030 | 3,500 | 0.85 | 1.18 |
| 13 | New Hampshire profile | $38.85 | $80,810 | $61,010 | $116,150 | 380 | 0.56 | 0.77 |
| 14 | Rhode Island profile | $38.62 | $80,330 | $59,440 | $172,660 | 300 | 0.60 | 0.83 |
| 15 | Maryland profile | $38.32 | $79,700 | $51,820 | $117,940 | 1,650 | 0.60 | 0.83 |
| 16 | Michigan profile | $38.21 | $79,480 | $52,470 | $127,870 | 2,480 | 0.56 | 0.78 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | $38.13 | $79,300 | $55,190 | $128,720 | 4,410 | 0.72 | 1.00 |
| 18 | Alaska profile | $38.06 | $79,160 | $58,730 | $111,620 | 180 | 0.56 | 0.78 |
| 19 | Minnesota profile | $37.87 | $78,770 | $38,840 | $130,920 | ** | ** | ** |
| 20 | Maine profile | $37.21 | $77,400 | $55,690 | $104,440 | 180 | 0.27 | 0.38 |
| 21 | Vermont profile | $36.55 | $76,030 | $57,520 | $97,240 | 170 | 0.57 | 0.78 |
| 22 | Ohio profile | $36.43 | $75,780 | $46,790 | $109,970 | 2,950 | 0.53 | 0.74 |
| 23 | Montana profile | $36.20 | $75,290 | $55,850 | $105,150 | 190 | 0.37 | 0.51 |
| 24 | Arizona profile | $36.03 | $74,930 | $44,000 | $114,400 | 2,230 | 0.69 | 0.95 |
| 25 | Texas profile | $35.96 | $74,800 | $49,570 | $121,790 | ** | ** | ** |
| 26 | Missouri profile | $35.70 | $74,260 | $49,370 | $118,390 | 1,670 | 0.57 | 0.79 |
| 27 | Wisconsin profile | $34.68 | $72,130 | $52,810 | $103,500 | 1,840 | 0.63 | 0.87 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania profile | $33.96 | $70,640 | $46,400 | $120,830 | 4,910 | 0.81 | 1.12 |
| 29 | North Dakota profile | $33.88 | $70,480 | $50,010 | $103,620 | 100 | 0.24 | 0.33 |
| 30 | Tennessee profile | $33.65 | $69,990 | $47,560 | $112,320 | 2,150 | 0.66 | 0.91 |
| 31 | Wyoming profile | $33.21 | $69,090 | $64,330 | $69,090 | ** | ** | ** |
| 32 | Indiana profile | $32.84 | $68,300 | $38,190 | $108,920 | 1,820 | 0.57 | 0.78 |
| 33 | Kansas profile | $32.69 | $67,990 | $50,240 | $111,100 | 640 | 0.45 | 0.62 |
| 34 | North Carolina profile | $32.68 | $67,970 | $47,590 | $127,490 | 3,930 | 0.80 | 1.10 |
| 35 | Nebraska profile | $32.41 | $67,410 | $43,770 | $109,670 | 460 | 0.45 | 0.62 |
| 36 | Iowa profile | $32.29 | $67,160 | $49,710 | $103,830 | 1,070 | 0.69 | 0.95 |
| 37 | Georgia profile | $32.06 | $66,690 | $42,030 | $122,130 | 4,780 | 0.98 | 1.35 |
| 38 | Florida profile | $31.26 | $65,020 | $42,990 | $109,480 | 6,610 | 0.67 | 0.92 |
| 39 | Kentucky profile | $31.10 | $64,690 | $40,730 | $94,370 | 670 | 0.34 | 0.47 |
| 40 | South Dakota profile | $31.07 | $64,630 | $48,330 | $91,390 | 630 | 1.38 | 1.91 |
| 41 | Oklahoma profile | $30.89 | $64,260 | $42,940 | $101,290 | 1,200 | 0.70 | 0.97 |
| 42 | Hawaii profile | $30.81 | $64,090 | $48,550 | $108,660 | 260 | 0.41 | 0.57 |
| 43 | Idaho profile | $30.62 | $63,680 | $43,710 | $103,730 | 500 | 0.59 | 0.81 |
| 44 | South Carolina profile | $30.51 | $63,450 | $41,580 | $104,860 | 1,160 | 0.50 | 0.70 |
| 45 | Louisiana profile | $30.15 | $62,700 | $39,350 | $98,980 | 1,050 | 0.54 | 0.75 |
| 46 | Arkansas profile | $29.46 | $61,280 | $40,830 | $106,780 | 490 | 0.38 | 0.52 |
| 47 | Alabama profile | $27.74 | $57,710 | $51,390 | $98,100 | 1,000 | 0.48 | 0.66 |
| 48 | Utah profile | $25.04 | $52,090 | $52,090 | $132,800 | ** | ** | ** |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $24.84 | $51,670 | $36,840 | $83,920 | 370 | 0.32 | 0.44 |
| 50 | West Virginia profile | $23.12 | $48,080 | $37,120 | $119,960 | 580 | 0.83 | 1.14 |
Part of Business and Financial Operations 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 13-1141 Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists.
**- 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 13-1141, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 13-1141.00, 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.