Benefits & payroll administrator vs benefits assistant

The differences between benefits & payroll administrators and benefits assistants 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 & payroll administrator and a benefits assistant. Additionally, a benefits & payroll administrator has an average salary of $50,662, which is higher than the $39,850 average annual salary of a benefits assistant.

The top three skills for a benefits & payroll administrator include human resources, HRIS and cobra. The most important skills for a benefits assistant are human resources, data entry, and cobra.

Benefits & payroll administrator vs benefits assistant overview

	Benefits & Payroll Administrator	Benefits Assistant
Yearly salary	$50,662	$39,850
Hourly rate	$24.36	$19.16
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	61,356	25,337
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	6	6

What does a benefits & payroll administrator do?

The Benefits and Payroll Administrator manages the company's payroll, ensuring work benefits and employee documents are secure. The administrator also delivers employees' issues and concerns to the company's proper channels. This position also helps in the audit of the company and ensures compliance with state and federal regulations. This administrative position requires bookkeeping knowledge, a bachelor's degree, and experience in using spreadsheets and accounting software.

What does a benefits assistant do?

Typically working in a human resources department, a benefits assistant is in charge of performing clerical support tasks for an efficient workflow. They primarily communicate with employees to answer inquiries regarding benefits and compensation programs, assist in processing documents, and resolve issues and concerns. Their responsibilities also include conducting research and analysis, liaising with external parties such as vendors and suppliers, organizing documents, and maintaining records. Above all, it is essential to carry out duties while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

Benefits & payroll administrator vs benefits assistant salary

Benefits & payroll administrators and benefits assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Benefits & Payroll Administrator	Benefits Assistant
Average salary	$50,662	$39,850
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $68,000	Between $31,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Washington
Best paying company	HGA	Irving Isd
Best paying industry	Professional	Government

Differences between benefits & payroll administrator and benefits assistant education

There are a few differences between a benefits & payroll administrator and a benefits assistant in terms of educational background:

	Benefits & Payroll Administrator	Benefits Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Benefits & payroll administrator vs benefits assistant demographics

Here are the differences between benefits & payroll administrators' and benefits assistants' demographics:

	Benefits & Payroll Administrator	Benefits Assistant
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 11.7% Female, 88.3%	Male, 15.7% Female, 84.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 7.8% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 7.9% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between benefits & payroll administrator and benefits assistant duties and responsibilities

Benefits & payroll administrator example responsibilities.

Manage HRIS, recruiting, training, and time and attendance programs as well as trouble shooting.
Create reports using SQL database and manage reports, perform from internet-base tools for research projects need for client insight.
Ensure accuracy of all benefit enrollments and life status changes record in the HRIS to provide vendors with accurate eligibility information.
Complete weekly internal payroll reports and fund employee accounts (HSA and 401K).
Process benefit elections, merit raises, salary changes, garnishments, cobra and severance.
Administer employee benefits programs including group medical, dental, vision, group life and FSA.

Benefits assistant example responsibilities.

Create reports using SQL database and manage reports, perform from internet-base tools for research projects need for client insight.
Audit HIPAA and outgoing correspondence.
Maintain strict confidentiality, observing HIPAA and other policies and guidelines.
Post patient payments, verify insurance coverage for new and Medicaid patients.
Provide information, education and assistance to clients regarding Medicare and Medicaid by phone and in person.
Audit, correct and record all attendance records, vacation records, vacation carryover and vacation/sick accruals.

Benefits & payroll administrator vs benefits assistant skills

Common benefits & payroll administrator skills

Human Resources, 6%
HRIS, 6%
Cobra, 6%
Payroll System, 4%
Open Enrollment, 4%
ADP Payroll, 4%

Common benefits assistant skills

Human Resources, 10%
Data Entry, 8%
Cobra, 7%
Health Insurance, 7%
Open Enrollment, 6%
HRIS, 5%

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Benefits & Payroll Administrator
Benefits & Payroll Administrator vs Benefits Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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