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Benefit director salary
Average benefit director salary
$110,567
Average Benefit Director Salary
The average salary for a Benefit Director in the United States is approximately $110,567 annually, translating to about $53 per hour. This role is essential for organizations as it involves strategizing, implementing, and overseeing employee benefits programs, which are crucial for attracting and retaining talent.
How Salary Varies by State
Salaries for Benefit Directors can vary significantly based on location. For instance, states like California and New York typically offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. Additionally, metropolitan areas such as San Francisco and New York City frequently report the highest compensation packages.
Opportunities for Advancement
Benefit Directors with advanced experience often transition to senior management roles, increasing their earning potential further. Industries such as healthcare and finance are known to offer higher salaries. Understanding these dynamics can help job seekers make informed decisions about their career paths in benefits management.
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Where can a Benefit Director earn more?
Average benefit director salary by state
The average benefit director salary in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average benefit director salary states are Wyoming, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for benefit directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $132,240 | $63.58 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $133,858 | $64.35 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $132,252 | $63.58 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $114,727 | $55.16 |
| 5 | Washington | $125,593 | $60.38 |
| 6 | Maine | $132,465 | $63.69 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $133,932 | $64.39 |
| 8 | Idaho | $128,739 | $61.89 |
| 9 | Nevada | $124,206 | $59.71 |
| 10 | Illinois | $118,518 | $56.98 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $120,814 | $58.08 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $126,560 | $60.85 |
| 13 | Delaware | $128,715 | $61.88 |
| 14 | Michigan | $117,379 | $56.43 |
| 15 | Vermont | $118,553 | $57.00 |
| 16 | California | $116,228 | $55.88 |
| 17 | Alaska | $121,797 | $58.56 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $110,715 | $53.23 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $113,793 | $54.71 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $102,252 | $49.16 |
| 21 | New York | $109,486 | $52.64 |
| 22 | Ohio | $106,573 | $51.24 |
| 23 | Mississippi | $110,130 | $52.95 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $105,827 | $50.88 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $102,309 | $49.19 |
| 26 | Maryland | $116,155 | $55.84 |
| 27 | Arizona | $100,148 | $48.15 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $95,427 | $45.88 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $106,055 | $50.99 |
| 30 | Utah | $101,452 | $48.77 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $91,783 | $44.13 |
| 32 | Virginia | $107,686 | $51.77 |
| 33 | Kansas | $101,319 | $48.71 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $102,432 | $49.25 |
| 35 | Alabama | $89,775 | $43.16 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $103,535 | $49.78 |
| 37 | Montana | $94,850 | $45.60 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $97,088 | $46.68 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $92,544 | $44.49 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $84,247 | $40.50 |
| 41 | Georgia | $91,094 | $43.80 |
| 42 | Colorado | $92,808 | $44.62 |
| 43 | Missouri | $92,768 | $44.60 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $85,002 | $40.87 |
| 45 | Texas | $89,747 | $43.15 |
| 46 | Indiana | $91,684 | $44.08 |
| 47 | Florida | $89,773 | $43.16 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $87,889 | $42.25 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $83,772 | $40.27 |
| 50 | Iowa | $81,929 | $39.39 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $80,847 | $38.87 |
Highest paying cities for benefit directors
The highest-paying cities for benefit directors are Portland, ME, Portland, OR, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland, ME | $133,164 | $64.02 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $132,628 | $63.76 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $127,072 | $61.09 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $123,623 | $59.43 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $121,070 | $58.21 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $120,025 | $57.70 |
| 7 | Southfield, MI | $117,973 | $56.72 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $111,295 | $53.51 |
| 9 | Albany, NY | $110,463 | $53.11 |
| 10 | Arlington, VA | $108,765 | $52.29 |
| 11 | Washington, DC | $106,144 | $51.03 |
| 12 | Columbus, OH | $106,125 | $51.02 |
| 13 | Las Cruces, NM | $105,065 | $50.51 |
| 14 | Raleigh, NC | $104,759 | $50.36 |
| 15 | Brookfield, WI | $102,757 | $49.40 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $97,106 | $46.69 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $95,905 | $46.11 |
| 18 | Gainesville, FL | $92,996 | $44.71 |
| 19 | Denver, CO | $92,345 | $44.40 |
| 20 | Bentonville, AR | $91,664 | $44.07 |
Benefit director salary details
A benefit director's salary ranges from $73,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $165,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a benefit director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $165,000 | $13,750 | $79 |
| 75th Percentile | $136,000 | $11,333 | $65 |
| Average | $110,567 | $9,214 | $53 |
| 25th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| 10th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
Highest paying benefit director jobs
The highest paying types of benefit directors are compensation director, director, and hris manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hris Manager | $105,995 | $8,833 | $50.96 | 10,983 |
| Human Resources Consultant | $71,882 | $5,990 | $34.56 | 52,761 |
| Human Resources Business Partner | $86,363 | $7,197 | $41.52 | 103,520 |
| Compensation Manager | $100,119 | $8,343 | $48.13 | 7,941 |
| Human Resources Generalist/Manager | $77,353 | $6,446 | $37.19 | 46,682 |
| Compensation Consultant | $90,436 | $7,536 | $43.48 | 11,745 |
Top companies hiring benefit directors now:
Which companies pay benefit directors the most?
Benefit director salaries at Cornerstone Research and Children's Hospital New Orleans are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average benefit director salary at companies like Bain & Company and Intuit are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornerstone Research | $179,629 | $86.36 |
| 2 | Children's Hospital New Orleans | $138,388 | $66.53 |
| 3 | Bain & Company | $130,946 | $62.95 |
| 4 | Intuit | $119,465 | $57.44 |
| 5 | REV Group | $116,575 | $56.05 |
| 6 | Cohen & Steers | $115,492 | $55.52 |
| 7 | Mission Regional Medical Center | $110,343 | $53.05 |
| 8 | Children's Hospital Los Angeles | $104,952 | $50.46 |
| 9 | McKesson | $103,244 | $49.64 |
| 10 | Snap | $101,042 | $48.58 |
| 11 | Anthology | $98,983 | $47.59 |
| 12 | Children's Hospital Colorado | $98,829 | $47.51 |
| 13 | Stand Together | $95,848 | $46.08 |
| 14 | Honeywell | $90,979 | $43.74 |
| 15 | Flynn Restaurant Group | $90,247 | $43.39 |
| 16 | E.s.i | $89,872 | $43.21 |
| 17 | Schneider Electric Industrial Services | $87,513 | $42.07 |
| 18 | Insurance | $85,647 | $41.18 |
| 19 | AssuredPartners | $85,043 | $40.89 |
| 20 | American Ballet Theatre | $84,991 | $40.86 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Benefit Director salary by industry
The average benefit director salary varies across industries:
- The average benefit director salary in the technology industry is $97,541, the highest of any industry.
- The average benefit director salary in the finance industry is $91,801.
- Benefit directors in the retail industry earn an average salary of $55,947, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for benefit directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $97,541 | $46.89 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $91,801 | $44.14 |
| 3 | Health Care | $71,872 | $34.55 |
| 4 | Professional | $58,575 | $28.16 |
| 5 | Retail | $55,947 | $26.90 |
High paying benefit director jobs
Benefit director salary trends
The average benefit director salary has risen by $29,018 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average benefit director earned $81,549 annually, but today, they earn $110,567 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for benefit directors over the last decade.
Compare benefit director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average benefit director salary over time
Compare benefit director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Benefit director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $111,000 | $53.16 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $108,000 | $51.94 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $107,000 | $51.41 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $105,000 | $50.60 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $103,000 | $49.38 | +4.1% |
Recently added benefit director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marsh McLennan Agency-Michigan | US Central Zone Global Benefits Sales Director | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $119,000 |
| WTW External | Heath & Benefits-Director | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $140,000 |
| Apogee Enterprises | Director of Benefits | Minneapolis, MN | 06/28/2025 | $150,000 |
| WTW External | Director, Health and Benefits | Maryland | 06/26/2025 | $140,000 |
| Church Pension Group Services Corporation | Director Benefits Transformation | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $107,000 |
| Willis Towers Watson | Director, Health and Benefits | Cockeysville, MD | 06/24/2025 | $140,000 |
| WTW External | Director-Health & Benefits | New York, NY | 06/23/2025 | $150,000 |
| WTW | Health & Benefits Director | San Francisco, CA | 06/21/2025 | $140,000 |
| Willis Towers Watson | Health & Benefits Director | San Francisco, CA | 06/21/2025 | $140,000 |
| WTW | Director-Health & Benefits | New York, NY | 06/20/2025 | $150,000 |
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