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The differences between benefit directors and human resources business partners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a benefit director and a human resources business partner. Additionally, a benefit director has an average salary of $110,567, which is higher than the $86,363 average annual salary of a human resources business partner.
The top three skills for a benefit director include human resources, oversight and ERISA. The most important skills for a human resources business partner are employee engagement, HRBP, and succession planning.
| Benefit Director | Human Resources Business Partner | |
| Yearly salary | $110,567 | $86,363 |
| Hourly rate | $53.16 | $41.52 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 9,650 | 103,520 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Benefits directors are professionals who plan and direct the overall design, implementation, and administration of an organization's health and welfare benefits programs. To support the decision making of the management, these directors are required to analyze benefit options and predict future costs. They should study programs so that they can identify benefit options as well as obtain advice from consultants. Benefits directors must study existing and new legislation so that they can comply with federal, state, and legal requirements and advise the management on needed actions.
Human resource (HR) business partners' primary job is to ensure that business objectives are aligned with the management and employees within an organization. They typically focus more on developing HR strategy than implementing the company policies. They often work with individual business units, and their work is related to the company's current and future success. HR business partners are also responsible for providing performance management guidance, developing contract terms for new employees, transfers, and promotions, and providing advice on business units.
Benefit directors and human resources business partners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Benefit Director | Human Resources Business Partner | |
| Average salary | $110,567 | $86,363 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $165,000 | Between $62,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, ME | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | California |
| Best paying company | Cornerstone Research | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a benefit director and a human resources business partner in terms of educational background:
| Benefit Director | Human Resources Business Partner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between benefit directors' and human resources business partners' demographics:
| Benefit Director | Human Resources Business Partner | |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 40.0% Female, 60.0% | Male, 28.1% Female, 71.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 7.9% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 35% | 18% |