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Benefits advisor vs retirement plan specialist

The differences between benefits advisors and retirement plan specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a benefits advisor and a retirement plan specialist. Additionally, a benefits advisor has an average salary of $71,377, which is higher than the $60,611 average annual salary of a retirement plan specialist.

The top three skills for a benefits advisor include insurance benefits, patients and inbound calls. The most important skills for a retirement plan specialist are life insurance, financial products, and FINRA.

Benefits advisor vs retirement plan specialist overview

Benefits AdvisorRetirement Plan Specialist
Yearly salary$71,377$60,611
Hourly rate$34.32$29.14
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs48,0239,336
Job satisfaction3-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4545
Years of experience66

What does a benefits advisor do?

A benefits advisor specializes in devising benefits programs and strategies for a workforce, ensuring they are well-compensated for their hard work. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to identify the needs of employees in a company, studying the benefit programs of competitors, and assessing the existing programs while putting the company's welfare into consideration. They must prepare reports and presentations for clients, provide cost-estimates and business plans, and evaluate risks, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.

What does a retirement plan specialist do?

Retirement plan specialists are experts who plan out their client's financial needs for retirement. The specialist's design and implement savings, benefit, and pension programs for clients. They have to explain the complicated nature of compensation, investment, and retirement packages to employees clearly and concisely. They process retirement plans following company and federal regulations. Also, they often have a background in business or human resources, and they may choose to earn employee benefit certifications that may help with their career advancement.

Benefits advisor vs retirement plan specialist salary

Benefits advisors and retirement plan specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Benefits AdvisorRetirement Plan Specialist
Average salary$71,377$60,611
Salary rangeBetween $46,000 And $109,000Between $41,000 And $88,000
Highest paying CityVancouver, WA-
Highest paying stateWashington-
Best paying companyChevron-
Best paying industryGovernment-

Differences between benefits advisor and retirement plan specialist education

There are a few differences between a benefits advisor and a retirement plan specialist in terms of educational background:

Benefits AdvisorRetirement Plan Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Benefits advisor vs retirement plan specialist demographics

Here are the differences between benefits advisors' and retirement plan specialists' demographics:

Benefits AdvisorRetirement Plan Specialist
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 41.2% Female, 58.8%Male, 54.4% Female, 45.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 7.7% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 7.8% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between benefits advisor and retirement plan specialist duties and responsibilities

Benefits advisor example responsibilities.

  • Manage broker and group accounts throughout the year administering qualify changes, terminations, and ACA compliance.
  • Create reports using SQL database and manage reports, perform from internet-base tools for research projects need for client insight.
  • Function as a liaison between the patient, hospital and governmental agencies to obtain documentation require for Medicaid eligibility determination.
  • Maintain employee benefit records in HRIS system, including qualifying event records, personal information updates, and employment status changes.
  • Evaluate patients for existing insurance coverage, federal and state assistance programs, or hospital charity application.
  • Use tactful and effective interview techniques to obtain pertinent information to assure accurate eligibility determination for Medicaid.
  • Show more

Retirement plan specialist example responsibilities.

  • Generate sales leads for personal investments, annuities and plan sales.
  • Participate in establishing and testing pension plans on PeopleSoft to automate applicable calculations.
  • Call into the ADP payroll client base to cross-sell retirement products and work with payroll reps on joint sales.
  • Research and advise clients and attorneys on laws and regulations to comply with QDRO and federal guidelines.
  • Train staff on ASC software and provide office support, as needed, for issues and new training.
  • Assist in the planning, testing and conversion of the company's payroll system from GEAC to JD Edwards.
  • Show more

Benefits advisor vs retirement plan specialist skills

Common benefits advisor skills
  • Insurance Benefits, 21%
  • Patients, 12%
  • Inbound Calls, 10%
  • Medicare Advantage, 6%
  • Insurance Products, 6%
  • Medicaid, 5%
Common retirement plan specialist skills
  • Life Insurance, 14%
  • Financial Products, 6%
  • FINRA, 6%
  • ERISA, 6%
  • Retirement Accounts, 6%
  • Plan Design, 5%

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