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The differences between employee benefits managers and compensation directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an employee benefits manager and a compensation director. Additionally, a compensation director has an average salary of $117,485, which is higher than the $85,621 average annual salary of an employee benefits manager.
The top three skills for an employee benefits manager include customer service, HR and client relationships. The most important skills for a compensation director are human resources, healthcare, and HRIS.
| Employee Benefits Manager | Compensation Director | |
| Yearly salary | $85,621 | $117,485 |
| Hourly rate | $41.16 | $56.48 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 13,906 | 18,492 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An employee benefits manager is responsible for leading the human resources department in establishing the appropriate benefits package and compensation for the employees according to industry regulations and business requirements. Employee benefits managers facilitate the programs and orientations in sharing retirement plans, insurance policies, and other related packages across the organization. They also assist the employee benefits staff in resolving issues and handling disputes from employees' concerns. An employee benefits manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, as well as extensive knowledge of the human resources practices to build recommendations that would support the employees' needs and welfare.
A compensation director spearheads and oversees an organization or company's compensation programs, ensuring they adhere to state and federal standards. They primarily set objectives and guidelines among their staff, delegate responsibilities, facilitate research and assessments, and develop strategies to optimize compensation operations. They also lead the development of employee benefits, including salary structures, retirement plans, and insurance policies. Additionally, as a director, it is essential to empower staff to reach goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Employee benefits managers and compensation directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Employee Benefits Manager | Compensation Director | |
| Average salary | $85,621 | $117,485 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $137,000 | Between $85,000 And $160,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Beaverton, OR |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Idaho |
| Best paying company | DLA Piper | Milbank |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Professional |
There are a few differences between an employee benefits manager and a compensation director in terms of educational background:
| Employee Benefits Manager | Compensation Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between employee benefits managers' and compensation directors' demographics:
| Employee Benefits Manager | Compensation Director | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.7% Female, 68.3% | Male, 53.8% Female, 46.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 8.2% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 8.3% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 35% | 35% |