How long does it take to become a Benefit Specialist?

It takes 6 years of professional experience to become a benefit specialist. That is the time it takes to learn specific benefit specialist skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 9 to 11 years years to become a benefit specialist.

Is it hard to be a benefits specialist?

No, it is not hard to be a benefits specialist. While all jobs have challenges, working as a benefits specialist is fairly easy. A benefits specialist handles employee compensation packages, including retirement and insurance benefits, as part of a company's human resources (HR) department. Duties include orienting new employees on their benefits packages and enrolling them in programs, and answering existing employees' questions regarding benefits.

What education is needed to become a benefits consultant?

The education needed to become a benefits consultant is typically a bachelor's degree. To become a qualified benefits consultant, a person needs to have a bachelor's degree in human resources, business, economics, or another related area of study.

How To Become A Benefit Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a benefit specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A benefit specialist is a person who designs and manages employee benefits programs for an organization. They are responsible for educating employees on their benefits options and help them navigate any issues or concerns they may have while ensuring that employees receive comprehensive benefits packages that meet their needs. Benefit specialists work with insurance providers, HR departments, and other stakeholders to create benefit plans that attract and retain employees.

ScoreBenefit SpecialistUS Average

Salary

3.8

Avg. Salary $48,756

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.0

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.34%

Asian 7.46%

Black or African American 11.02%

Hispanic or Latino 15.32%

Unknown 3.63%

White 62.24%

Gender

female 78.90%

male 21.10%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress Level

6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.1

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.1

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Benefit Specialist?

Pros

Potential for career advancement within the human resources field
Potential to work remotely or have flexible schedules
Competitive salary and benefits packages
Opportunity to work for a variety of companies and industries
Opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology and software

Cons

High levels of stress due to managing multiple benefit programs simultaneously
Heavy workload during benefit enrollment periods
Need for strict attention to detail when working with sensitive employee information
Difficulty in communicating complex benefit information to employees who may not understand or be interested in learning about their options
Need for frequent communication and coordination with other departments

Newest jobs for Benefit Specialist in Ashburn, VA

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Key steps to become a benefit specialist

Explore benefit specialist education requirements

Most common benefit specialist degrees

Bachelor's

59.2 %

Associate

18.5 %

High School Diploma

8.6 %

Start to develop specific benefit specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	12.72%
HR	8.27%
Patients	5.36%
HRIS	5.36%
Life Insurance	5.07%

Complete relevant benefit specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New benefit specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a benefit specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real benefit specialist resumes.

Gain additional benefit specialist certifications

Benefit specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific benefit specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for benefit specialists include Certified Professional, Life and Health Insurance Program (CPLHI) and Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS).

More About Certifications

Research benefit specialist duties and responsibilities

Manage various employee program such as life, medical, dental pension, and HSA accounts.
Examine HMO documents to verify eligibility to process or reject into or from a manage care plan when necessary.
Input daily time and PTO, manage benefits, report new hires, input sales, oversee accounts receivable.
Create reports using SQL database and manage reports, perform from internet-base tools for research projects need for client insight.

Prepare your benefit specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your benefit specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a benefit specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Benefit Specialist Resume templates

Build a professional Benefit Specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Benefit Specialist resume.