Plan administrator vs employee benefits manager

The differences between plan administrators and employee benefits managers 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 an employee benefits manager. Additionally, an employee benefits manager has an average salary of $85,621, 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 an employee benefits manager are customer service, HR, and client relationships.

Plan administrator vs employee benefits manager overview

	Plan Administrator	Employee Benefits Manager
Yearly salary	$68,435	$85,621
Hourly rate	$32.90	$41.16
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	51,856	13,906
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	6	6

What does a plan administrator do?

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.

What does an employee benefits manager do?

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.

Plan administrator vs employee benefits manager salary

Plan administrators and employee benefits managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Plan Administrator	Employee Benefits Manager
Average salary	$68,435	$85,621
Salary range	Between $45,000 And $103,000	Between $53,000 And $137,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	New York, NY
Highest paying state	New York	New Jersey
Best paying company	Apple	DLA Piper
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Finance

Differences between plan administrator and employee benefits manager education

There are a few differences between a plan administrator and an employee benefits manager in terms of educational background:

	Plan Administrator	Employee Benefits Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Plan administrator vs employee benefits manager demographics

Here are the differences between plan administrators' and employee benefits managers' demographics:

	Plan Administrator	Employee Benefits Manager
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 39.1% Female, 60.9%	Male, 31.7% Female, 68.3%
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, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 8.2% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	35%	35%

Differences between plan administrator and employee benefits manager duties and responsibilities

Plan administrator example responsibilities.

Create custom macro to expedite data transfer of manage ESOP.
Participate in establishing and testing pension plans on PeopleSoft to automate applicable calculations.
Establish and maintain IRA, SEP, SARSEP and Keogh plans.
Gather plan date (census, assets) from clients, CPA's, attorneys, and investment brokers.
Process monthly stock option and RSU grants.
Prepare RSU tax withholding calculations for mobility employees on a monthly basis.

Employee benefits manager example responsibilities.

Lead the RFP process to select a new global payroll provider; balancing the needs of all global stakeholders.
Create reports using SQL database and manage reports, perform from internet-base tools for research projects need for client insight.
Advise executive committee on design of benefit plans and compliance with applicable IRC and ERISA regulations and DOL guidelines.
Upload electronic data interchanges, for FSA, H.S.A , 403b , 457b.
Create and maintain updated ACA relate employer require reports.
Drive full replacement CDHP plans with HSA and wellness initiatives.

Plan administrator vs employee benefits manager skills

Common plan administrator skills

Payroll, 9%
HR, 7%
Plan Administration, 6%
Database, 5%
PowerPoint, 4%
SOX, 4%

Common employee benefits manager skills

Customer Service, 13%
HR, 9%
Client Relationships, 6%
Senior Level Management, 6%
Due Diligence, 5%
Cross-Selling, 5%

Plan Administrator vs. similar jobs

Plan Administrator related careers

Plan Administrator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Executive Management Industry
Plan Administrator
Plan Administrator vs Employee Benefits Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs