What do they do?

Plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities of an organization.

Also known as:

Benefits Advisor, Benefits Coordinator, Benefits Director, Benefits Manager, Compensation and Benefits Director, Compensation and Benefits Manager, Compensation Director, Compensation Manager, Employee Benefits Coordinator, Employee Benefits Director, Employee Benefits Manager, Payroll Manager

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Compensation and Benefits Managers is projected to show little or no change from 2022 to 2032.

Projected Employment For All United States

No Data Available
  • 1.7%

    Change

    Select a state to see its job growth rate ranking
    1,100

    Job Openings

    Select a state to see its net job growth ranking

Best colleges for Compensation and Benefits Managers

Search

Colleges with the most graduates that become Compensation and Benefits Managers

Search

Looking for colleges that offer a specific major? Use the College Match Tool to find your best-matched schools and discover your estimated Net Price!

Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Bachelor's degree  (54%)
  • Master's degree  (18%)
  • Some college, no degree  (12%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (10%)
  • Associate's degree  (3%)
  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (2%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (<1%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Compensation and Benefits Managers

Select Type of Degree:

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Manage human resources activities.
  • Evaluate program effectiveness.
  • Administer compensation or benefits programs.
  • Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets.
  • Prepare reports related to compliance matters.
  • Maintain regulatory or compliance documentation.
  • Monitor external affairs or events affecting business operations.
  • Analyze data to inform personnel decisions.
  • Liaise between departments or other groups to improve function or communication.
  • Supervise employees.
  • Document organizational or operational procedures.
  • Develop operating strategies, plans, or procedures.
  • Recommend organizational process or policy changes.
  • Develop organizational policies or programs.
  • Conduct employee training programs.
  • Prepare operational budgets.
  • Negotiate labor disputes.
  • Maintain knowledge of current developments in area of expertise.
  • Estimate labor requirements.
  • Compile operational data.
  • Maintain personnel records.
  • Negotiate sales or lease agreements for products or services.
  • Advise others on legal or regulatory compliance matters.
  • Investigate industrial or transportation accidents.
  • Represent the organization in external relations.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.