Compensation and Benefits Managers Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of compensation and benefits managers to grow 1.1% from 2025 to 2035 (about 300 more jobs), with about 1,600 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $149,230 a year ranks 38th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +1.1%
- Openings a year
- 1,600
- Median pay
- $149,230
- Pay rank
- 38th of 825
Is employment of compensation and benefits managers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of compensation and benefits managers to rise 1.1% (about 300 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +6.2% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 37 management occupations with a projection. That change ranks 547th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 23,700 |
| Employment, 2035 | 24,000 |
| Projected change | +1.1% |
| Openings a year | 1,600 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 23,700 jobs here differ from the 22,940 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 1,600 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 584th most of 830 occupations. About 98% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 30 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for compensation and benefits managers rank?
The median of $149,230 a year ranks 38th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on pay and the lower half on openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: bachelor's degree.
- Work experience in a related occupation: 5 years or more.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Managers | +5.5% | 16,800 | $149,280 |
| Financial Managers | +9.7% | 65,600 | $166,570 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | +24.2% | 62,300 | $123,860 |
| Managers, All Other | +4.9% | 100,900 | $141,900 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | +7.2% | 18,500 | $80,390 |
| Administrative Services Managers | +5.2% | 22,000 | $114,130 |
| Chief Executives | +3.2% | 19,100 | $213,990 |
| Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists | +6.0% | 9,000 | $78,210 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.