# Compensation and Benefits Managers

> Plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities of an organization.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/compensation-and-benefits-managers
- SOC code: 11-3111.00
- Career family: Management
- Median annual pay: $149,230 (10th percentile $89,160, 90th percentile $256,570)
- Projected growth: Slower than average, +1.1%
- Openings a year: 1,600
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 0 |
| Investigative (I) | 20 |
| Artistic (A) | 7 |
| Social (S) | 47 |
| Enterprising (E) | 100 |
| Conventional (C) | 78 |

## What you'd do

- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 87/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 86/100)
- Getting Information (importance 83/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 83/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 81/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 79/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 79/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 79/100)
- Developing Objectives and Strategies (importance 75/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 74/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Writing, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Learning, Management of Personnel Resources, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness

## Knowledge

Personnel and Human Resources, English Language, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, Economics and Accounting, Mathematics, Administrative, Law and Government, Communications and Media, Computers and Electronics

## Also called

Benefits Admin (Benefits Administrator), Benefits Advisor, Benefits Coordinator, Benefits Director, Benefits Manager, Compensation and Benefits Director, Compensation and Benefits Manager, Compensation Director, Compensation Manager, Compensation Program Manager

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5202) (CIP 5202, 2,372 colleges)
- [Human Resources Management and Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5210) (CIP 5210, 758 colleges)
- [Insurance](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5217) (CIP 5217, 113 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $97,419 | $160,783 | $19,000 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $96,806 | $144,654 | $19,500 |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $94,811 | $144,599 | $10,656 |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $108,743 | $136,806 | $19,250 |
| [Emory University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/emory-university-main-campus-916) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $87,830 | $136,731 | $15,000 |
| [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill-main-campus-2990) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $88,182 | $135,874 | $9,250 |
| [Boston College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-college-285) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $75,464 | $123,144 | $18,625 |
| [Bismarck State College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bismarck-state-college-254) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $113,408 | $122,948 | $14,482 |

## Related careers

- [Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-job-analysis-specialists): $78,210 median pay
- [Human Resources Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/human-resources-specialists): $75,940 median pay
- [Human Resources Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/human-resources-managers): $149,280 median pay
- [Labor Relations Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/labor-relations-specialists): $95,420 median pay
- [Financial Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/financial-managers): $166,570 median pay
- [Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/equal-opportunity-representatives-and-officers): $80,730 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.