Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
5 years or more
None
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Compensation and benefits managers oversee pay and benefits programs and are positioned in a relatively small but specialized field. National employment is 21,000, so this is a focused career path rather than a broad-entry occupation. The national median annual salary of $140,360 indicates strong earning potential for those who secure these roles. Projected employment growth of 0.2% suggests that overall numbers are expected to remain fairly stable over time, with about 2,000 annual openings nationwide. This combination points to a career where opportunities exist but may be competitive. The work draws on a versatile skill set, including project management, leadership, problem solving and decision making, mathematics, and strong communication abilities such as speaking, listening, writing, and reading. Critical and analytical thinking, adaptability, interpersonal strengths, and comfort with computers and information technology are also central. For professionals who bring together these skills, compensation and benefits management can offer a high-responsibility career with solid long-term prospects.
Compensation and benefits managers earn a national median annual salary of $140,360, reflecting substantial income potential. Salaries vary meaningfully by location. Among top states by opportunity score, median pay ranges from $165,770 in Colorado to $199,190 in Washington, with California, Massachusetts, and New York also above the national median. At the metro level, salaries can be even higher: the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA area reports a median of $215,180, while the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metros show medians of $179,730 and $188,850, respectively. Other leading metros such as Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also exceed the national median. This pattern suggests that professionals who are flexible about location, especially to higher-paying metros, may access particularly strong earning potential within this field.
Compensation and benefits managers work in an occupation with relatively modest overall size and limited but steady projected change. National employment stands at 21,000, indicating a specialized career path. Projected employment growth is 0.2%, which points to largely stable demand rather than significant expansion or contraction. Despite this slow growth rate, the field is expected to generate about 2,000 annual openings nationwide. These openings likely reflect a combination of factors such as turnover and movement within the occupation rather than rapid growth in total positions. For job seekers, this means opportunities are present each year but may require a focused search strategy, particularly in desirable locations. Because the occupation is not large, each opening can be significant for candidates who meet the skill and education expectations. Overall, the employment outlook supports a sustainable career path for those prepared to compete for roles as they become available.
Location plays a major role in opportunity for compensation and benefits managers, with notable differences across states and metro areas. Among states, California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington rank highest by opportunity score, ranging from 56.29 in Washington to 67.38 in California. These states also offer strong median salaries, from $165,770 in Colorado up to $199,190 in Washington. Employment levels differ substantially, from 280 in Colorado and 460 in Washington to 2,970 in California and 2,260 in New York, which may appeal to candidates seeking larger job markets. At the metro level, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ areas stand out with very high opportunity scores of 77.42 and 77.27, respectively, and median salaries of $215,180 and $179,730. Additional strong metros include San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, each combining solid employment counts with high median pay.
The typical education requirement for compensation and benefits managers is a bachelor’s degree, which provides a foundation for the broad technical and managerial skills used in this field. Success in these roles depends on a combination of quantitative, strategic, and people-focused abilities. Key skills include project management and mathematics, supporting structured work and numerical analysis. Leadership, problem solving and decision making, and critical and analytical thinking reflect the need to guide initiatives and evaluate complex information. Strong writing and reading, along with speaking and listening, are important for clear communication with stakeholders. Interpersonal skills and adaptability help professionals navigate organizational dynamics and change. Comfort with computers and information technology underpins much of the work, as digital tools are central to modern compensation and benefits systems. Individuals considering this career should view a bachelor’s degree as the starting point and focus on developing this full skill set over time.
Use CareerGPS Pro to compare markets, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the places with the strongest potential.
