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Compensation and benefits manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a compensation and benefits manager. Compensation and benefits managers usually study business, human resources management, or psychology. 72% of compensation and benefits managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 923 real compensation and benefits manager resumes to see exactly what compensation and benefits manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for compensation and benefits managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online compensation and benefits manager courses to help get the education required to be a compensation and benefits manager.
There are certain compensation and benefits manager certifications that you should consider. These compensation and benefits manager certifications include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Certified Cost Professional (CCP).
What education do you need to become a compensation and benefits manager?
What degree do you need to be a compensation and benefits manager?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 21%
- Associate, 5%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a compensation and benefits manager?
- Business, 37%
- Psychology, 8%
- Accounting, 6%
- Other Majors, 30%
Most common colleges for compensation and benefits managers
| Compensation and benefits manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 10.08% |
| University of Connecticut | 6.72% |
| DePaul University | 6.72% |
| The University of Tennessee - Knoxville | 5.04% |
| Michigan State University | 5.04% |
Best majors for compensation and benefits managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 36.7% |
| 2 | Human Resources Management | 19.2% |
| 3 | Psychology | 7.8% |
| 4 | Accounting | 5.7% |
| 5 | Management | 5.2% |
Best colleges for compensation and benefits managers
The best colleges for compensation and benefits managers are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Boston University.
A compensation and benefits manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for compensation and benefits managers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become compensation and benefits managers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
4. SUNY College at Oswego
Oswego, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,440
Enrollment
7,039
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. Baylor University
Waco, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$45,542
Enrollment
14,159
7. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
9. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
10. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
20 best online courses for compensation and benefits managers
Advertising disclosure
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5. Ultimate HR Generalist and Human Resource Management Course
Hands-on HR Certification: All HRM topics. Master Employee Life Cycle, Payroll, Recruitment, Engagement, EXDesign and AI...
6. Certification Course in Human Resource Management
Curriculum commensurate to Top B School's Management Program : with downloadable resources, quiz, assessments & exercise...
7. Diploma Course in Human Resource Management (HRM)
Become top-notch HRM Practitioner - Get Live Projects, Ready-to-use Templates, Demos, Quizzes, Articles, Case studies...
8. The Human Resources Certification Program (HRCI - PHR/SPHR)
An Exam Preparation Guide to the Human Resource Body of Knowledge...
9. Business Fundamentals: Management and HR Management
Management and HR Management Fundamentals: Become a more effective leader and supercharge your business for success...
10. Program Management Interview Course
Learn how to interview for program manager roles at tech companies...
11. Program Management Course - Program Manager Essentials
In this Program Management course you will learn the essentials and more to become an effective Program Manager...
12. Program Management Fundamentals: The Essentials
In this course you will learn the essentials of program management. Become your bosses boss start this course today...
13. Strategic Planning Basics for Human Resources
Learn to collaborate with your organizational leaders on the development and implementation of a strategic plan...
14. Introduction to Human Resource Management
HRM is an important function of any organization. It includes managing people in a structured and thorough manner...
15. Payroll Management
Use free UK payroll software to perform essential payroll management...
16. The Complete Recruiting Masterclass - HR Resources - Hiring
HR Managers - You Can Hire the Right People - Talent Management Skills for Human Resources Professionals...
17. Management Coaching Employee Performance Coach Certification
Set expectations, assess performance, provide feedback, increase productivity, develop employee potential...
18. Effective Human Resource Administration
Effective Human Resource Administration...
19. Hands-On HR Analytics Online Course for Human Resources
People Analytics & Analytical Process to Human Capital XL & Open Source Data Mining & ML Tools 6 Data Assignments...
20. Certification Course in Human Resource Management (HRM)
Excel in the HR domain!...
Top 10 most affordable universities for compensation and benefits managers
The most affordable schools for compensation and benefits managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and california state university - dominguez hills.
If the best universities for compensation and benefits managers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for compensation and benefits managers.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for compensation and benefits managers
The hardest universities for compensation and benefits managers to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Boston University.
Some great schools for compensation and benefits managers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for compensation and benefits managers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for compensation and benefits managers
The easiest schools for compensation and benefits managers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a compensation and benefits manager without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for compensation and benefits managers.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
8. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
9. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
10. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
Average compensation and benefits manager salary by education level
| Compensation and benefits manager education level | Compensation and benefits manager salary |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $118,501 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $97,343 |
Compensation and benefits manager education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025