Compensation & Benefits Manager
Compensation and benefits managers plan, develop, and oversee programs to pay employees.
What the job is
- The work
- Compensation and benefits managers plan, develop, and oversee programs to pay employees.
BLS
Compensation and Benefits Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Work environment
- Compensation and benefits managers work in nearly every industry. Some work more than 40 hours per week.
BLS
Compensation and Benefits Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Good fit for
- Detail-minded HR or finance people who want to design how an organization pays its staff.
- Career cluster
- Management & Entrepreneurship
Key numbers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay for May 2025 (compensation and benefits managers).
- Median pay
- $149,230 a year ($71.75 an hour)
BLS
Compensation and Benefits Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs in 2025
- 23,700
- Typical entry
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- 5 years or more
- Training after hire
- None
Job outlook, 2025–35
- Projected growth
- +1%, which BLS calls "slower than average"
BLS
Compensation and Benefits Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs added
- +300 over 2025–35
- All U.S. jobs
- 3.5% over the same period, for comparison
How to become one
- The usual route
- Compensation and benefits managers typically need a bachelor’s degree and related work experience.
BLS
Compensation and Benefits Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- In short
- Compensation and benefits managers typically need a bachelor's degree in business, human resources or a related field and related work experience. Managers often start as compensation, benefits and job analysis specialists; certification is not required, but some positions require it.
- License
- None
- Paying for it
- File the FAFSA (opens by October 1) for grants, work-study and federal loans; a Pell Grant pays up to $7,395 a year (2026–27). Average public four-year tuition and fees: $11,950 in-state vs $31,880 out-of-state (2025–26). Residency rules and regional discounts · Save with 2+2 transfer
- Your state
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StateChoose a state
- AlabamaState guide
- AlaskaState guide
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- ArkansasState guide
- CaliforniaState guide
- ColoradoState guide
- ConnecticutState guide
- DelawareState guide
- District of ColumbiaState guide
- FloridaState guide
- GeorgiaState guide
- HawaiiState guide
- IdahoState guide
- IllinoisState guide
- IndianaState guide
- IowaState guide
- KansasState guide
- KentuckyState guide
- LouisianaState guide
- MaineState guide
- MarylandState guide
- MassachusettsState guide
- MichiganState guide
- MinnesotaState guide
- MississippiState guide
- MissouriState guide
- MontanaState guide
- NebraskaState guide
- NevadaState guide
- New HampshireState guide
- New JerseyState guide
- New MexicoState guide
- New YorkState guide
- North CarolinaState guide
- North DakotaState guide
- OhioState guide
- OklahomaState guide
- OregonState guide
- PennsylvaniaState guide
- Rhode IslandState guide
- South CarolinaState guide
- South DakotaState guide
- TennesseeState guide
- TexasState guide
- UtahState guide
- VermontState guide
- VirginiaState guide
- WashingtonState guide
- West VirginiaState guide
- WisconsinState guide
- WyomingState guide
Step-by-step roadmap
The routes step by step, the exam gates and the state license step are on one page.
Compensation and benefits manager: degree and years as a compensation or benefits specialist
See the roadmap
Route 1: Degree → compensation or benefits specialist → manager
More careers in Management & Entrepreneurship
Open the cluster hubEvery career page in this cluster, with entry, license, pay and outlook side by side.
Every number links to the BLS page it came from, checked 20 Oct 2026. Education Margdarshan does not recommend paid courses.