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The differences between benefits managers and employee benefits managers 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 manager and an employee benefits manager. Additionally, an employee benefits manager has an average salary of $85,621, which is higher than the $64,064 average annual salary of a benefits manager.
The top three skills for a benefits manager include HR, customer service and HRIS. The most important skills for an employee benefits manager are customer service, HR, and client relationships.
| Benefits Manager | Employee Benefits Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $64,064 | $85,621 |
| Hourly rate | $30.80 | $41.16 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 11,164 | 13,906 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A benefits manager is primarily in charge of overseeing and handling a company's benefits programs and projects for employees. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with human resources to gather accurate data, improve existing benefits programs, and creating new ones in adherence to the company's policies and regulations. A benefits manager may also liaise with external agencies, develop activities for employee welfare, and resolve any issues regarding the benefits programs. Furthermore, they may perform clerical tasks such as producing progress reports and presentations, manage budgets, and maintain records of all transactions.
An employee benefits manager is responsible for leading the human resources department in establishing the appropriate benefits package and compensation for the employees according to industry regulations and business requirements. Employee benefits managers facilitate the programs and orientations in sharing retirement plans, insurance policies, and other related packages across the organization. They also assist the employee benefits staff in resolving issues and handling disputes from employees' concerns. An employee benefits manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, as well as extensive knowledge of the human resources practices to build recommendations that would support the employees' needs and welfare.
Benefits managers and employee benefits managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Benefits Manager | Employee Benefits Manager | |
| Average salary | $64,064 | $85,621 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $104,000 | Between $53,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | DLA Piper |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a benefits manager and an employee benefits manager in terms of educational background:
| Benefits Manager | Employee Benefits Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between benefits managers' and employee benefits managers' demographics:
| Benefits Manager | Employee Benefits Manager | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7% | Male, 31.7% Female, 68.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 8.2% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 8.2% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 35% | 35% |