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The differences between compensation specialists and senior benefits specialists 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 specialist and a senior benefits specialist. Additionally, a compensation specialist has an average salary of $67,722, which is higher than the $50,211 average annual salary of a senior benefits specialist.
The top three skills for a compensation specialist include human resources, compensation programs and customer service. The most important skills for a senior benefits specialist are customer service, HR, and HRIS.
| Compensation Specialist | Senior Benefits Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $67,722 | $50,211 |
| Hourly rate | $32.56 | $24.14 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 32,642 | 34,999 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A compensation specialist is responsible for evaluating the organization's benefits package for the employees, following the state regulations and legislation procedures. Compensation specialists identify the staff needs and develop opportunities that would maximize productivity and increase efficiency. They also analyze the market performance to adjust compensation rates according to roles as needed with the coordination of the finance department. A compensation specialist facilitates orientations for new programs and informs the employees about any changes in the payment system.
Typically working in a company's human resources department, a senior benefits specialist manages benefits and compensation programs for the employees. They are mostly in charge of designing and developing plans for retirement, stock ownership, healthcare, and pension. To carry out their duties, they must perform extensive research and analysis, coordinate efforts with staff and other experts, put costs and budgets into consideration, and liaise with external parties such as vendors and plan providers, building positive relationships for a smooth workflow. Moreover, a senior benefits specialist must also assist employees by answering their inquiries and explaining how the benefits programs work.
Compensation specialists and senior benefits specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Compensation Specialist | Senior Benefits Specialist | |
| Average salary | $67,722 | $50,211 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $110,000 | Between $34,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | - |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a compensation specialist and a senior benefits specialist in terms of educational background:
| Compensation Specialist | Senior Benefits Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between compensation specialists' and senior benefits specialists' demographics:
| Compensation Specialist | Senior Benefits Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.3% Female, 74.7% | Male, 25.4% Female, 74.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 7.4% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 7.3% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |