Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between plan administrators and benefits counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a plan administrator and a benefits counselor. Additionally, a benefits counselor has an average salary of $72,268, which is higher than the $68,435 average annual salary of a plan administrator.
The top three skills for a plan administrator include payroll, HR and plan administration. The most important skills for a benefits counselor are veterans, HR, and open enrollment.
| Plan Administrator | Benefits Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $68,435 | $72,268 |
| Hourly rate | $32.90 | $34.74 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 51,856 | 34,132 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 46 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A plan administrator's duties depend on their line of work or place of employment. Still, they typically include understanding the client or the project's needs, developing plans, performing research and analysis, liaising with internal and external parties, setting goals, establishing guidelines and timelines, and developing strategies to optimize procedures. They must also respond to issues and concerns, resolving them efficiently. Moreover, as a plan administrator, it is essential to monitor the daily operations and manage staff, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A benefits counselor manages the company or organization's employee benefits programs. Job responsibilities may include designing and administering the benefits program to ensure company and employee needs are met, as well as assisting and educating employees in benefits enrollment activities. This job requires a full understanding of health care benefits, comprising medical, dental, and life insurance, including knowledge of pertinent regulations and legislation. In addition, benefits counselors may also need to be knowledgeable and updated with other incentives such as pensions and stock ownership.
Plan administrators and benefits counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plan Administrator | Benefits Counselor | |
| Average salary | $68,435 | $72,268 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $103,000 | Between $44,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | Apple | - |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a plan administrator and a benefits counselor in terms of educational background:
| Plan Administrator | Benefits Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between plan administrators' and benefits counselors' demographics:
| Plan Administrator | Benefits Counselor | |
| Average age | 46 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.1% Female, 60.9% | Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 8.2% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 6.9% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 35% | 9% |