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The differences between compensation consultants and 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 compensation consultant and a human resources consultant. Additionally, a compensation consultant has an average salary of $90,436, which is higher than the $71,882 average annual salary of a human resources consultant.
The top three skills for a compensation consultant include human resources, project management and data analysis. The most important skills for a human resources consultant are performance management, shared services, and workforce planning.
| Compensation Consultant | Human Resources Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $90,436 | $71,882 |
| Hourly rate | $43.48 | $34.56 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 11,745 | 52,761 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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.
A human resources consultant is responsible for supporting the human resources management of an organization by advising on policies and procedures for effective employee relations. Human resources consultants analyze HR programs and current processes and initiate projects to maintain stable operations. They also facilitate strategic plans to resolve HR matters and improve culture management. A human resources consultant must be highly-knowledgeable of the human resources industry, its techniques, regulations, and disciplines to help with the implementation of business advancements and achieve the organization's objectives.
Compensation consultants and human resources consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Compensation Consultant | Human Resources Consultant | |
| Average salary | $90,436 | $71,882 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $124,000 | Between $53,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Eli Lilly and Company |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a compensation consultant and a human resources consultant in terms of educational background:
| Compensation Consultant | Human Resources Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between compensation consultants' and human resources consultants' demographics:
| Compensation Consultant | Human Resources Consultant | |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.1% Female, 62.9% | Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4% |
| 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% |