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What is an employee benefits specialist and how to become one
Employee benefits specialists are sometimes known as compensation specialists. No matter what they are called, both employee benefits specialists and compensation specialists work at a company and manage their benefits packages. This could include retirement programs, health insurance plans, short-term disability leave, and more.
The day-to-day of an employee benefits specialist involves many tasks. They could meet with employees to help them understand what benefits are eligible for. Some days, they could help employees file for disability leave or dispute charges with health insurance companies. They could even work with the company to develop a better benefits plan, especially if competitors are luring away valuable employees.
Most employee benefits specialists are women--about 67% of them. But that does not mean that men can't do this job! With a background in customer service or human resources, and sometimes a diploma in business or human resources management, anyone can become an employee benefits specialist.
Avg. Salary $45,893
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 7%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.35%
Asian 7.67%
Black or African American 11.42%
Hispanic or Latino 14.84%
Unknown 3.66%
White 62.07%
Genderfemale 71.87%
male 28.13%
Age - 45American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 45Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Employee benefits specialist career paths
Key steps to become an employee benefits specialist
Explore employee benefits specialist education requirements
Start to develop specific employee benefits specialist skills
Skills Percentages RFP 12.65% Health Benefits 9.87% Cobra 5.82% Human Resources 5.53% HIPAA 4.97% Complete relevant employee benefits specialist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New employee benefits specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an employee benefits specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real employee benefits specialist resumes.Research employee benefits specialist duties and responsibilities
- Manage submission process of all documents to the IRS for approval.
- Manage newly trusteed and terminate pension plans to ensure termination complies with ERISA.
- Manage payroll deductions, responsible for monthly insurance premium payments, and coordinate/communicate annual open enrollment.
- Account coordinator for health, dental, fsa, hsa, supplemental coverages.
Prepare your employee benefits specialist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your employee benefits specialist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an employee benefits specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable employee benefits specialist resume templates
Build a professional employee benefits specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your employee benefits specialist resume.
Apply for employee benefits specialist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an employee benefits specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first employee benefits specialist job
Are you an employee benefits specialist?
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Average employee benefits specialist salary
The average employee benefits specialist salary in the United States is $45,893 per year or $22 per hour. Employee benefits specialist salaries range between $31,000 and $67,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do employee benefits specialists rate their job?
Employee benefits specialist reviews
Being alone and not having my partner, did this to end up with nothing has a car now I don't even have that ended up homeless and my partner taken.
I work with all lines of business, from job evaluation to job market analysis to promotion pay recommendation. I mostly work with internal employees and managers who want assistance understanding our pay practices. Must love Excel!
Updated January 8, 2025
