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Job outlook for compensation consultants in the United States
Compensation consultant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected compensation consultant job growth rate is 2% from 2018-2028.
About 200 new jobs for compensation consultants are projected over the next decade.
Compensation consultant salaries have increased 8% for compensation consultants in the last 5 years.
There are over 8,069 compensation consultants currently employed in the United States.
There are 11,745 active compensation consultant job openings in the US.
The average compensation consultant salary is $90,436.
Are compensation consultant jobs in demand?
Compensation consultant job and salary trends over time
Compensation consultant jobs over time
Compensation consultant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,069 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 8,206 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 8,376 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 7,818 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 7,589 | 0.00% |
Average compensation consultant salary over time
Compensation consultant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $90,436 | $43.48 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $88,369 | $42.49 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $87,459 | $42.05 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $86,093 | $41.39 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $84,011 | $40.39 | +4.3% |
Compensation consultant jobs by state
Most common states for compensation consultants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 177 | 20% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 113 | 16% |
| 3 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 598 | 12% |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 488 | 12% |
| 5 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 287 | 10% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 476 | 7% |
| 7 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 261 | 6% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 85 | 6% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 64 | 6% |
| 10 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 631 | 5% |
| 11 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 388 | 5% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 295 | 5% |
| 13 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 143 | 5% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 33 | 5% |
| 15 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,661 | 4% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 545 | 4% |
| 17 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 383 | 4% |
| 18 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 66 | 4% |
| 19 | Delaware | 961,939 | 43 | 4% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 31 | 4% |
Most common cities for compensation consultants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 2 | 5% | $93,617 |
| 2 | Lansing | 3 | 3% | $88,531 |
| 3 | Bethesda | 2 | 3% | $93,249 |
| 4 | Bowie | 2 | 3% | $93,466 |
| 5 | Grand Rapids | 3 | 2% | $87,333 |
| 6 | Baltimore | 8 | 1% | $93,763 |
| 7 | Boston | 8 | 1% | $98,559 |
| 8 | Atlanta | 7 | 1% | $81,182 |
| 9 | Indianapolis | 7 | 1% | $71,322 |
| 10 | Denver | 4 | 1% | $79,976 |
| 11 | Minneapolis | 4 | 1% | $77,954 |
| 12 | Washington | 4 | 1% | $102,817 |
| 13 | Baton Rouge | 2 | 1% | $77,203 |
| 14 | Chicago | 8 | 0% | $81,970 |
| 15 | San Francisco | 4 | 0% | $114,909 |
| 16 | Dallas | 3 | 0% | $86,721 |
| 17 | Detroit | 3 | 0% | $90,134 |
| 18 | Philadelphia | 3 | 0% | $108,677 |
Compensation Consultant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of compensation consultant experts
Emory Oxford College
David J. Smith Consulting
Temple University
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Compensation Consultants to find work opportunities?
Christopher Blake Ph.D.: If you had asked me last year, I would say that several places a graduate could find ample work opportunities. Any city with a Federal Reserve Branch Bank is a safe bet for those interested in public policy. The private sector is always looking for qualified economists to help with data analysis, modeling, and strategy. While there is still decent demand for those with strong communication, modeling, and data skills, the movement to more remote work makes it more likely a graduate can find a job anywhere. This may be one of the few positives from this job market cycle, relative to last year's, as there will be many jobs that no longer ask that one moves to the job's physical location.
Digital "places" are then perhaps more critical. For academic and research jobs, always keep an eye on the Job Openings for Economists list through the American Economic Association website (https://www.aeaweb.org/joe/listings?). A handful of other sites are devoted to academic and research jobs, though these are used less frequently (EconJobMarket comes to mind: https://econjobmarket.org/). Outside of academic and research positions, the world is truly your oyster - as they say. Remaining active on job boards, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms, and even checking specific large company websites can all prove valuable sources to find work opportunities. There will always be a demand for strong candidates who can understand the plethora of data collected these days.
What type of skills will young Compensation Consultants need?
David Smith: Of course, the need for tech-based skills will continue. But moreover, in the next couple of years, there will be increased demands for careers where personal and humanistic approaches are needed. These are wide-ranging: from home health aids to life coaches. For that reason, the ability to show empathy, apply good listening abilities, and understand and respond to a client's personal challenges will be critical. As society continues to diversify along ethnic, cultural, political, and economic lines, there will be an urgent need for professionals who can seek to connect with clients and help them build bridges, at times, with those who are different.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Compensation Consultants to find work opportunities?
Elizabeth Gordon: Almost every type of organization, whether a corporation, a non-profit, or a government entity, needs an accountant. So, there will be opportunities for accounting majors throughout the United States. Regions that are growing will be particularly good places in the United States to find work opportunities after graduation.