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The differences between benefits managers and senior human resources consultants 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 a senior human resources consultant. Additionally, a senior human resources consultant has an average salary of $81,131, 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 a senior human resources consultant are healthcare, employee engagement, and workforce planning.
| Benefits Manager | Senior Human Resources Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $64,064 | $81,131 |
| Hourly rate | $30.80 | $39.01 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 11,164 | 62,899 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| 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.
A senior human resources consultant specializes in recommending solutions to optimize a company's human resource operations. Their responsibilities typically revolve around performing research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing procedures, devising strategies to attain the best employment practices, and developing programs for the benefit of employees. They may also implement the company's policies and regulations, creating new ones as needed. Furthermore, as a senior human resources consultant, it is essential to lead and encourage junior consultants and managers to accomplish goals in adherence to the vision and mission of the company.
Benefits managers and senior human resources consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Benefits Manager | Senior Human Resources Consultant | |
| Average salary | $64,064 | $81,131 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $104,000 | Between $60,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | New York |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Santander Private Banking International |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a benefits manager and a senior human resources consultant in terms of educational background:
| Benefits Manager | Senior Human Resources Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between benefits managers' and senior human resources consultants' demographics:
| Benefits Manager | Senior Human Resources Consultant | |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7% | Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7% |
| 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, 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% |