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The differences between human resource specialists and benefit 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 human resource specialist and a benefit specialist. Additionally, a human resource specialist has an average salary of $53,143, which is higher than the $48,756 average annual salary of a benefit specialist.
The top three skills for a human resource specialist include data entry, oversight and life insurance. The most important skills for a benefit specialist are customer service, HR, and patients.
| Human Resource Specialist | Benefit Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $53,143 | $48,756 |
| Hourly rate | $25.55 | $23.44 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 50,511 | 31,663 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A human resources specialist is responsible for assisting in the recruitment and staffing process. Duties of a human resources specialist include updating the requirements and qualifications of a job post, handling employees' inquiries regarding compensation and benefits, maintaining employees' records, updating the status of new joiners, tracking performance reviews, and generating reports as business requires. A human resource specialist must be detail-oriented, as well as excellent in organizational and communication skills. Additionally, a human resource specialist must have a broad knowledge of the recruitment process and structure.
A benefits specialist is responsible for analyzing and processing the compensation package of an organization, ensuring that the salary and benefits received by an employee adhere to the current legislation procedures. Benefits specialists develop benefits programs, adjusting pension plans and insurance options as needed, and updating the employees on recent updates and changes. A benefits specialist responds to employees' inquiries, addresses their concerns, and manages benefits issues. A benefits specialist must have a clear understanding of benefits policies and processes to educate employees about the benefits structure.
Human resource specialists and benefit specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Human Resource Specialist | Benefit Specialist | |
| Average salary | $53,143 | $48,756 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $77,000 | Between $34,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Meta | Qorvo |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between a human resource specialist and a benefit specialist in terms of educational background:
| Human Resource Specialist | Benefit Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between human resource specialists' and benefit specialists' demographics:
| Human Resource Specialist | Benefit Specialist | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.9% Female, 73.1% | Male, 21.1% Female, 78.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 7.6% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 7.5% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |