11 Series · SOC 11-3111
Compensation and Benefits Managers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $149,230
- Median / year
- $256,570
- Top 10% earn
- +0.2%
- Growth '23–'33
- 22,940
- US workers
Compensation and Benefits Managers professionals earn a median $149,230/year ($71.75/hr) nationally. The salary ranges from $89,160 (10th percentile) to $256,570 (90th percentile). Employment is projected to grow0.2% from 2023 to 2033, about average. The highest-paying state is Washington at $199,190. Approximately 22,940 people work in this role across the U.S. Entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Workplace safety grade: A (Very Safe).
Compensation and Benefits Managers (SOC 11-3111) pays a national median of $149,230 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $89,160 at the 10th percentile to $256,570 at the 90th, with a mean of $162,640 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 22,940 Americans work in this occupation across 46 reporting states and 90 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +0.2% change in employment from 2023 to 2033, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree, with 5 years or more of prior experience generally required. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 2.8 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.8 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $199,190, which is +33% above the national figure. The top metro is Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR at $221,800 — metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand.
Median Salary
$149,230
per year
Median Hourly
$71.75/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$162,640
average
Employment
22,940
jobs nationwide
Bar fills relative to a $200K reference ceiling. Marker shows the all-occupations US median for context — anything to the right of it earns above the typical American worker.
Job Outlook (2023–2033)
Projected Growth
+0.2%
About average
Annual Openings
1,500
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Work Experience
5 years or more
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2023–2033
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
2.8/100K
Injury Rate
0.8/100
Danger Index
4.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Compensation and Benefits Managers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$89,160
25th Percentile
$113,170
Median
$149,230
75th Percentile
$200,610
90th Percentile
$256,570
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 46 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $199,190 | +33% above national |
| 2 | Connecticut | $197,970 | +33% above national |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $184,070 | +23% above national |
| 4 | New York | $175,620 | +18% above national |
| 5 | New Jersey | $168,370 | +13% above national |
| 6 | California | $166,730 | +12% above national |
| 7 | Delaware | $166,070 | +11% above national |
| 8 | Colorado | $165,770 | +11% above national |
| 9 | Minnesota | $163,390 | +9% above national |
| 10 | Georgia | $163,060 | +9% above national |
| 11 | Oregon | $161,470 | +8% above national |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $160,990 | +8% above national |
| 13 | Virginia | $153,660 | +3% above national |
| 14 | Illinois | $151,730 | +2% above national |
| 15 | Michigan | $151,620 | +2% above national |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $149,340 | same as national |
| 17 | Ohio | $141,920 | 5% below national |
| 18 | Maryland | $139,860 | 6% below national |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $139,040 | 7% below national |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $136,950 | 8% below national |
| 21 | Texas | $136,930 | 8% below national |
| 22 | North Carolina | $135,240 | 9% below national |
| 23 | Tennessee | $132,780 | 11% below national |
| 24 | Utah | $132,620 | 11% below national |
| 25 | Arizona | $129,890 | 13% below national |
| 26 | Maine | $129,690 | 13% below national |
| 27 | Florida | $127,960 | 14% below national |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $127,920 | 14% below national |
| 29 | New Mexico | $124,390 | 17% below national |
| 30 | Alaska | $122,490 | 18% below national |
| 31 | Nebraska | $121,630 | 18% below national |
| 32 | Alabama | $118,470 | 21% below national |
| 33 | Iowa | $118,250 | 21% below national |
| 34 | Indiana | $118,180 | 21% below national |
| 35 | Nevada | $115,180 | 23% below national |
| 36 | Kentucky | $114,290 | 23% below national |
| 37 | Kansas | $114,070 | 24% below national |
| 38 | Hawaii | $110,120 | 26% below national |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $107,760 | 28% below national |
| 40 | Missouri | $106,490 | 29% below national |
| 41 | Arkansas | $100,810 | 32% below national |
| 42 | Louisiana | $99,840 | 33% below national |
| 43 | South Carolina | $99,630 | 33% below national |
| 44 | Puerto Rico | $97,500 | 35% below national |
| 45 | Idaho | $90,020 | 40% below national |
| 46 | Mississippi | $89,250 | 40% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 90 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $221,800 | +49% above national |
| 2 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $218,860 | +47% above national |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $216,580 | +45% above national |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $215,180 | +44% above national |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $188,850 | +27% above national |
| 6 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $186,700 | +25% above national |
| 7 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $185,590 | +24% above national |
| 8 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $179,730 | +20% above national |
| 9 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $171,950 | +15% above national |
| 10 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $168,850 | +13% above national |
| 11 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $168,540 | +13% above national |
| 12 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $167,450 | +12% above national |
| 13 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $166,100 | +11% above national |
| 14 | Cleveland, OH | $163,500 | +10% above national |
| 15 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $163,390 | +9% above national |
| 16 | Salem, OR | $163,270 | +9% above national |
| 17 | Ann Arbor, MI | $162,720 | +9% above national |
| 18 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $162,490 | +9% above national |
| 19 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $162,480 | +9% above national |
| 20 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $162,440 | +9% above national |
| 21 | Worcester, MA | $160,990 | +8% above national |
| 22 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $160,970 | +8% above national |
| 23 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $159,450 | +7% above national |
| 24 | Richmond, VA | $157,370 | +5% above national |
| 25 | Birmingham, AL | $156,710 | +5% above national |
| 26 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $155,380 | +4% above national |
| 27 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $155,340 | +4% above national |
| 28 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $151,860 | +2% above national |
| 29 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $151,120 | +1% above national |
| 30 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $150,850 | +1% above national |
| 31 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $150,810 | +1% above national |
| 32 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $148,870 | same as national |
| 33 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $148,650 | same as national |
| 34 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $148,520 | same as national |
| 35 | Columbus, OH | $147,100 | 1% below national |
| 36 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $145,930 | 2% below national |
| 37 | Pittsburgh, PA | $145,340 | 3% below national |
| 38 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $144,510 | 3% below national |
| 39 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $142,950 | 4% below national |
| 40 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $140,940 | 6% below national |
| 41 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $140,870 | 6% below national |
| 42 | Rochester, NY | $139,380 | 7% below national |
| 43 | Tucson, AZ | $138,560 | 7% below national |
| 44 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $136,220 | 9% below national |
| 45 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $133,150 | 11% below national |
| 46 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $132,970 | 11% below national |
| 47 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $132,700 | 11% below national |
| 48 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $132,540 | 11% below national |
| 49 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $132,210 | 11% below national |
| 50 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $131,930 | 12% below national |
| 51 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $131,510 | 12% below national |
| 52 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $131,450 | 12% below national |
| 53 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $131,140 | 12% below national |
| 54 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $130,220 | 13% below national |
| 55 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $130,010 | 13% below national |
| 56 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $129,800 | 13% below national |
| 57 | Winston-Salem, NC | $129,580 | 13% below national |
| 58 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $127,920 | 14% below national |
| 59 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $127,730 | 14% below national |
| 60 | Madison, WI | $127,670 | 14% below national |
| 61 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $126,910 | 15% below national |
| 62 | New Haven, CT | $126,550 | 15% below national |
| 63 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $126,080 | 16% below national |
| 64 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $125,750 | 16% below national |
| 65 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $125,340 | 16% below national |
| 66 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $124,430 | 17% below national |
| 67 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $123,540 | 17% below national |
| 68 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $123,460 | 17% below national |
| 69 | Jacksonville, FL | $123,150 | 17% below national |
| 70 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $122,630 | 18% below national |
| 71 | Omaha, NE-IA | $122,070 | 18% below national |
| 72 | El Paso, TX | $120,830 | 19% below national |
| 73 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $119,970 | 20% below national |
| 74 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $119,490 | 20% below national |
| 75 | Jackson, MS | $115,540 | 23% below national |
| 76 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $115,200 | 23% below national |
| 77 | Reno, NV | $115,180 | 23% below national |
| 78 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $114,410 | 23% below national |
| 79 | Tulsa, OK | $113,990 | 24% below national |
| 80 | Toledo, OH | $110,870 | 26% below national |
| 81 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $110,470 | 26% below national |
| 82 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $110,120 | 26% below national |
| 83 | Oklahoma City, OK | $107,780 | 28% below national |
| 84 | Tallahassee, FL | $105,490 | 29% below national |
| 85 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $105,310 | 29% below national |
| 86 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $104,770 | 30% below national |
| 87 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $98,390 | 34% below national |
| 88 | Baton Rouge, LA | $94,890 | 36% below national |
| 89 | Boise City, ID | $85,270 | 43% below national |
| 90 | Columbia, SC | $73,870 | 50% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 11 (management) with comparable pay and career paths.
Salary Guides
Primary source data
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Compensation and Benefits Managers make? ▼
What state pays Compensation and Benefits Managers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Compensation and Benefits Managers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Compensation and Benefits Managers? ▼
Is Compensation and Benefits Managers a good career? ▼
How does Compensation and Benefits Managers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Compensation and Benefits Managers? ▼
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.