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The differences between compensation consultants and human resources business partners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a compensation consultant and a human resources business partner. Additionally, a compensation consultant has an average salary of $90,436, which is higher than the $86,363 average annual salary of a human resources business partner.
The top three skills for a compensation consultant include human resources, project management and data analysis. The most important skills for a human resources business partner are employee engagement, HRBP, and succession planning.
| Compensation Consultant | Human Resources Business Partner | |
| Yearly salary | $90,436 | $86,363 |
| Hourly rate | $43.48 | $41.52 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 11,745 | 103,520 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A compensation consultant is responsible for supporting the human resources department's operations by reviewing the organization's compensation policies and programs, ensuring that the guidelines adhere to state regulations and requirements. Compensation consultants conduct market research analysis to identify salary grades according to job positions and financial stability. They also study benefit plans and facilitate the dissemination of information by organizing orientations and utilizing the company's media platforms. A compensation consultant should have excellent knowledge of the payroll processes to respond to employees' inquiries and concerns and settle salary discrepancies.
Human resource (HR) business partners' primary job is to ensure that business objectives are aligned with the management and employees within an organization. They typically focus more on developing HR strategy than implementing the company policies. They often work with individual business units, and their work is related to the company's current and future success. HR business partners are also responsible for providing performance management guidance, developing contract terms for new employees, transfers, and promotions, and providing advice on business units.
Compensation consultants and human resources business partners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Compensation Consultant | Human Resources Business Partner | |
| Average salary | $90,436 | $86,363 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $124,000 | Between $62,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a compensation consultant and a human resources business partner in terms of educational background:
| Compensation Consultant | Human Resources Business Partner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between compensation consultants' and human resources business partners' demographics:
| Compensation Consultant | Human Resources Business Partner | |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.1% Female, 62.9% | Male, 28.1% Female, 71.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 8.4% White, 66.6% 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% |