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Compensation and benefits specialist: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$78,210median pay per year, or $37.60 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $49,480lowest 10% earn less
  2. $60,89025th percentile
  3. $78,210median
  4. $100,40075th percentile
  5. $128,920top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists had a median pay of $78,210 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+6%[2]
Openings per year
9,000[5]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[6]

How much do compensation and benefits specialists make?

The BLS category is compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists. Their median pay was $78,210 a year, or $37.60 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $84,330 a year, or $40.54 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[4].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $49,480 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $128,920[3]. The 25th percentile was $60,890 and the 75th percentile was $100,400[3]. Hourly, the 10th percentile was $23.79 and the 90th percentile was $61.98[8].

A percentile is a boundary, not a starting salary. BLS publishes percentile wages and no starting salary[9]. The figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].

Pay by state and city

Among the states with published data, Delaware had the highest median annual wage at $99,560[11]. Massachusetts followed at $95,890, then Colorado at $92,560 and California at $91,410[11]. West Virginia had the lowest median at $48,080[11].

The most jobs were in California (13,430), New York (11,470) and Florida (6,610)[12]. Pennsylvania (4,910) and Georgia (4,780) came next[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $133,700[13]. Boulder, CO was next at $103,280, then San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $102,780[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, 9,900, with a median of $89,130[14].

Show median pay in 49 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Delaware[11]$99,560290
Massachusetts$95,8903,390
Colorado$92,5601,980
California$91,41013,430
District of Columbia$86,710650
Washington$86,6303,350
New Jersey$85,0403,150
New Mexico$83,540340
Oregon$83,3201,330
New York$83,20011,470
Connecticut$83,1001,140
Virginia$81,1903,500
New Hampshire$80,810380
Rhode Island$80,330300
Maryland$79,7001,650
Michigan$79,4802,480
Illinois$79,3004,410
Alaska$79,160180
Minnesota$78,770n/a
Maine$77,400180
Vermont$76,030170
Ohio$75,7802,950
Montana$75,290190
Arizona$74,9302,230
Texas$74,800n/a
Missouri$74,2601,670
Wisconsin$72,1301,840
Pennsylvania$70,6404,910
North Dakota$70,480100
Tennessee$69,9902,150
Wyoming$69,090n/a
Indiana$68,3001,820
Kansas$67,990640
North Carolina$67,9703,930
Nebraska$67,410460
Iowa$67,1601,070
Georgia$66,6904,780
Florida$65,0206,610
Kentucky$64,690670
South Dakota$64,630630
Oklahoma$64,2601,200
Hawaii$64,090260
Idaho$63,680500
South Carolina$63,4501,160
Louisiana$62,7001,050
Arkansas$61,280490
Alabama$57,7101,000
Utah$52,090n/a
Mississippi$51,670370
West Virginia$48,080580

How to become a compensation and benefits specialist

BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education, with less than 5 years of related work experience and no on-the-job training[6]. The steps look like this:

Professional certification is not required. It shows expertise, and some employers prefer it. Others let employees earn it after they start[18]. Certification programs often ask for several years of related experience[19].

With several years of experience, specialists may advance to compensation and benefits manager or human resources manager[20]. In an O*NET survey of 21 workers, 86% said a bachelor's degree is the required education level[21].

What compensation and benefits specialists do

These specialists run pay and benefits programs for an employer, and they study how jobs are structured. Some focus on areas such as job classification or pension programs[22]. Tasks reported to O*NET include:

Workers report titles such as Benefits Analyst, Compensation Consultant and Compensation and Benefits Specialist[24]. Skills BLS highlights include data and cost analysis, basic finance, clear communication and evaluating job positions and pay scales[25][26][27][28].

Where they work

Specialists work in nearly every industry[29]. They typically work in offices[30]. Insurance carriers and related activities was the largest employer in 2025, at 20% of jobs[31]. Full time is the usual schedule[32].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 118,100 to 125,200 jobs[2]. That is an increase of 7,100 jobs[2]. For all occupations, projected growth is 3.5%[33].

About 9,000 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings include jobs that come up when people retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.6% of workers leave the labor force and 4.3% move to a different occupation[34].

Is it a good fit?

The job usually needs a bachelor's degree and some related experience[6]. Pay is well above the all-occupations median, though it varies a lot by place and by percentile[1][4][3]. Projected growth is above the all-occupations rate[2][33]. The work is mostly office-based, with analysis of pay and benefit policies and attention to laws and contracts[30][25]. Certification is optional[18].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[35].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a compensation and benefits specialist make an hour?
The median was $37.60 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $40.54[1][7]. The 10th percentile was $23.79 and the 90th was $61.98[8].
What degree do you need to be a compensation and benefits specialist?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[6]. Common fields include business, social science, psychology and communications[15].
Is compensation and benefits work in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][33]. About 9,000 openings a year are projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for compensation and benefits specialists?
Delaware had the highest median annual wage at $99,560, followed by Massachusetts at $95,890[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists in the US was $78,210 per year and $37.60 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists is projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 118,100 to 125,200 jobs (a change of +7,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists: 10th percentile $49,480, 25th percentile $60,890, 75th percentile $100,400, 90th percentile $128,920. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 9,000 openings for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists was $84,330 per year and $40.54 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists: 10th percentile $23.79, 25th percentile $29.28, 75th percentile $48.27, 90th percentile $61.98. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists jobs: California 13,430; New York 11,470; Florida 6,610; Pennsylvania 4,910; Georgia 4,780. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $133,700; Boulder, CO $103,280; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $102,780; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $99,150; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $97,310; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $92,560; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $91,660; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $90,070. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 9,900 (median $89,130); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 4,070 (median $97,310); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 3,500 (median $79,990); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,070 (median $74,860); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 2,630 (median $99,150); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,620 (median $91,660). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. O*NET 13-1141.00 survey of workers (21 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 86%, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate 10% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET description of Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET task list for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET 13-1141.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Benefits Analyst, Benefits Consultant, Benefits Specialist, Compensation Analyst, Compensation and Benefits Analyst, Compensation and Benefits Specialist, Compensation Consultant, Compensation Specialist. O*NET OnLine
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists in 2025: Insurance carriers and related activities 20%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  34. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists: 2.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  35. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.