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Compensation & Benefits Specialist

$78,210
median / year
$49,480 – $128,920
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Research market pay, evaluate jobs, and help design salary, health, retirement, and leave programs.

You may also see this posted as: Benefits Analyst, Benefits Specialist, Compensation Analyst, Compensation Specialist, Benefits Consultant, Compensation and Benefits Analyst.

Where you work

Corporate, government, consulting, and nonprofit offices.

The hours

Usually full-time with regular schedules.

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • Administer employee insurance, pension, and savings plans, working with insurance brokers and plan carriers.
  • Ensure company compliance with federal and state laws, including reporting requirements.
  • Research employee benefit and health and safety practices, and recommend changes or modifications to existing policies.
  • Advise managers and employees on state and federal employment regulations, collective agreements, benefit and compensation policies, personnel procedures, and classification programs.
  • Plan and develop curricula and materials for training programs and conduct training.

Good fit if you like…

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

Enterprising

leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action

Social

helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people

O*NET job zone 4 of 5

High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.

Work styles that matter most

Attention to DetailDependabilityIntegrityCautiousness

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointOracle HRISWorkday software

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$78,210
per year
Hourly median
$37.60
per hour
What most earn
$49,480–$128,920
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~8,500
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+5.3%
Faster than average
Working in the U.S.
112,380
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree in human resources, business, or analytics.

Related work experience: Less than 5 years.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

Data analysisJob evaluationBenefits rulesCommunication

The honest take

Analyzes pay structures, health plans, retirement benefits, and job levels for employers.

Standard Occupational Classification 13-1141. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.