Compensation and Benefits Managers earn an average annual salary of $179,559, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.

Key Statistics

2,840
2023 Workforce
None
Average Age
$179,559
Average Salary

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Compensation and Benefits Managers workforce.

Employment Over Time

2,840 Workforce in 2023

The Compensation and Benefits Managers workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$179,559 Average Wage

In 2023, Compensation and Benefits Managers earned an average of $179,559.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Salary distribution for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Employment Growth Projections

-1.1% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

10,195 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: -5.4%

9,643 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: -10.5%

This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Compensation and Benefits Managers and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Compensation and Benefits Managers employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Wage Trends by Industry

5.6% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 2,550 employees, $180,872 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 690 employees, $164,751 avg wage
  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 350 employees, $246,477 avg wage
  • San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 350 employees, $200,402 avg wage
  • Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 240 employees, $166,259 avg wage
  • Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 240 employees, $183,245 avg wage
  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 200 employees, $166,460 avg wage
  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 130 employees, $162,223 avg wage
  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 120 employees, $141,231 avg wage
  • Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 50 employees, $175,678 avg wage
  • Fresno MSA: 40 employees, $139,652 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Diversity

Demographic information on Compensation and Benefits Managers in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Compensation and Benefits Managers in 2023 was 2,840 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Compensation and Benefits Managers in 2023 were Business Administration, Management, Business.

Common majors for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Compensation and Benefits Managers workers.

Education level distribution for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Skills

Compensation and Benefits Managers need many skills, but most especially Writing, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Judgment and Decision Making.

Required skills for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Compensation and Benefits Managers include Personnel and Human Resources, English Language, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, Economics and Accounting.

Knowledge areas required for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Compensation and Benefits Managers include Written Expression, Written Comprehension, Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension, Speech Clarity.

Required abilities for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Compensation and Benefits Managers.

Daily Activities

Compensation and Benefits Managers spend their time on activities such as Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Working with Computers, Getting Information, Making Decisions and Solving Problems.

Most important work activities for Compensation and Benefits Managers.

About

Compensation and Benefits Managers

The average yearly wage for Compensation and Benefits Managers was $179,559 in 2023.

SOC Code

11-3111 - Compensation and Benefits Managers

Insights and Analysis

High earnings profile: Compensation and Benefits Managers reports an average salary of $179,559, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 2,840 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -1.1%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.