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Benefits consultant salary
Average benefits consultant salary
$79,068
Understanding the Benefits Consultant Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Benefits Consultant stands at $79,068 annually, translating to approximately $38 per hour. This role plays a pivotal part in guiding organizations through the complexities of employee benefits, ensuring that packages are competitive and compliant with regulations.
Salary Variations by State
Compensation varies widely across the United States. States such as California, New York, and Texas are among the highest paying, often offering salaries exceeding the national average. Factors such as cost of living and demand for benefits expertise significantly influence these figures.
Opportunities for Growth
With experience, Benefits Consultants can transition into senior roles or specialize in areas like compliance or strategic planning, leading to increased earning potential. Additionally, industries such as healthcare and finance typically offer higher salaries due to the complexity and regulatory requirements involved.
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Where can a Benefits Consultant earn more?
Benefits consultant salary estimates from across the web
Average benefits consultant salary by state
The highest-paying states for benefits consultants are New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The lowest average benefits consultant salary states are Florida, Minnesota, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for benefits consultants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $97,360 | $46.81 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $97,578 | $46.91 |
| 3 | New York | $102,968 | $49.50 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $99,720 | $47.94 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $96,919 | $46.60 |
| 6 | California | $96,399 | $46.35 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $93,053 | $44.74 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $83,846 | $40.31 |
| 9 | Vermont | $85,394 | $41.05 |
| 10 | Nevada | $88,753 | $42.67 |
| 11 | Michigan | $88,208 | $42.41 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $87,228 | $41.94 |
| 13 | Delaware | $94,632 | $45.50 |
| 14 | Maine | $94,240 | $45.31 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $85,585 | $41.15 |
| 16 | Missouri | $81,374 | $39.12 |
| 17 | Virginia | $82,609 | $39.72 |
| 18 | Idaho | $83,817 | $40.30 |
| 19 | Illinois | $81,275 | $39.07 |
| 20 | Ohio | $79,724 | $38.33 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $83,733 | $40.26 |
| 22 | Arizona | $78,722 | $37.85 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $78,868 | $37.92 |
| 24 | Oregon | $76,774 | $36.91 |
| 25 | Maryland | $84,801 | $40.77 |
| 26 | Kansas | $78,612 | $37.79 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $80,127 | $38.52 |
| 28 | Texas | $74,202 | $35.67 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $79,466 | $38.20 |
| 30 | Utah | $71,544 | $34.40 |
| 31 | Iowa | $78,314 | $37.65 |
| 32 | Alabama | $67,212 | $32.31 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $70,737 | $34.01 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $77,091 | $37.06 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $74,081 | $35.62 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $66,590 | $32.01 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $72,061 | $34.64 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $62,344 | $29.97 |
| 39 | Georgia | $71,833 | $34.54 |
| 40 | Washington | $71,856 | $34.55 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $65,983 | $31.72 |
| 42 | Montana | $67,030 | $32.23 |
| 43 | Indiana | $68,049 | $32.72 |
| 44 | Alaska | $67,034 | $32.23 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $69,720 | $33.52 |
| 46 | Florida | $66,339 | $31.89 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $61,604 | $29.62 |
| 48 | Colorado | $66,964 | $32.19 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $65,739 | $31.61 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $63,380 | $30.47 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $67,969 | $32.68 |
Highest paying cities for benefits consultants
The highest-paying cities for benefits consultants are New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $103,163 | $49.60 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $100,331 | $48.24 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $99,744 | $47.95 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $98,246 | $47.23 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $93,043 | $44.73 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $89,051 | $42.81 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $87,874 | $42.25 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $85,238 | $40.98 |
| 9 | Arlington, VA | $84,480 | $40.62 |
| 10 | Maryville, TN | $84,463 | $40.61 |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $83,079 | $39.94 |
| 12 | Saint Louis, MO | $82,188 | $39.51 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $81,602 | $39.23 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $78,923 | $37.94 |
| 15 | Des Moines, IA | $77,733 | $37.37 |
| 16 | Albuquerque, NM | $77,082 | $37.06 |
| 17 | Dallas, TX | $74,527 | $35.83 |
| 18 | Raleigh, NC | $72,123 | $34.67 |
| 19 | Seattle, WA | $72,043 | $34.64 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $71,910 | $34.57 |
Benefits Consultants are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Benefits consultant salary details
A benefits consultant's salary ranges from $51,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $121,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a benefits consultant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $121,000 | $10,083 | $58 |
| 75th Percentile | $99,000 | $8,250 | $48 |
| Average | $79,068 | $6,589 | $38 |
| 25th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
Highest paying benefits consultant jobs
The highest paying types of benefits consultants are compensation director, benefit director, and hris manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan Administrator | $68,435 | $5,703 | $32.90 | 51,856 |
| Compensation Director | $117,485 | $9,790 | $56.48 | 18,492 |
| Hris Manager | $105,995 | $8,833 | $50.96 | 10,983 |
| Enrollment Manager | $55,780 | $4,648 | $26.82 | 5,416 |
| Compensation Manager | $100,119 | $8,343 | $48.13 | 7,941 |
| Compensation And Benefits Manager | $99,051 | $8,254 | $47.62 | 14,054 |
Top companies hiring benefits consultants now:
Which companies pay benefits consultants the most?
Benefits consultant salaries at BMO Capital Markets and Northern Trust are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average benefits consultant salary at companies like Sentinel Benefits and Elanco are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BMO Capital Markets | $105,597 | $50.77 |
| 2 | Northern Trust | $102,337 | $49.20 |
| 3 | Sentinel Benefits | $100,360 | $48.25 |
| 4 | Elanco | $97,595 | $46.92 |
| 5 | Albemarle | $94,562 | $45.46 |
| 6 | Santander Private Banking International | $90,502 | $43.51 |
| 7 | Santander Bank | $85,504 | $41.11 |
| 8 | Pinnacle Technical Resources | $85,344 | $41.03 |
| 9 | Namely | $84,854 | $40.80 |
| 10 | Accenture Federal Services LLC | $84,138 | $40.45 |
| 11 | Marsh McLennan Agency - Michigan | $83,815 | $40.30 |
| 12 | Apex Services | $83,809 | $40.29 |
| 13 | Fidelity Investments | $83,632 | $40.21 |
| 14 | Ascensus | $83,483 | $40.14 |
| 15 | Encompass Health | $83,046 | $39.93 |
| 16 | Milliman | $82,396 | $39.61 |
| 17 | Mercer Health & Benefits LLC | $81,932 | $39.39 |
| 18 | Erp Analysts | $81,501 | $39.18 |
| 19 | NFP Ventures | $79,999 | $38.46 |
| 20 | Mercer | $79,516 | $38.23 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Benefits Consultant salary by industry
The average benefits consultant salary varies across industries:
- The average benefits consultant salary in the manufacturing industry is $78,616, the highest of any industry.
- The average benefits consultant salary in the finance industry is $76,802.
- Benefits consultants in the transportation industry earn an average salary of $52,223, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for benefits consultants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $78,616 | $37.80 |
| 2 | Finance | $76,802 | $36.92 |
| 3 | Professional | $76,747 | $36.90 |
| 4 | Insurance | $74,570 | $35.85 |
| 5 | Health Care | $70,916 | $34.09 |
| 6 | Transportation | $52,223 | $25.11 |
High paying benefits consultant jobs
Benefits consultant salary trends
The average benefits consultant salary has risen by $20,751 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average benefits consultant earned $58,317 annually, but today, they earn $79,068 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for benefits consultants over the last decade.
Compare benefits consultant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average benefits consultant salary over time
Compare benefits consultant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Benefits consultant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $79,100 | $38.01 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $77,300 | $37.14 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $76,500 | $36.76 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $75,300 | $36.19 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $73,500 | $35.31 | +4.1% |
Recently added benefits consultant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eversource Energy | Senior Benefits Consultant | Westwood, MA | 06/30/2025 | $108,560 |
| Marsh McLennan Agency-Michigan | Senior Health and Benefits Consultant | Philadelphia, PA | 06/30/2025 | $88,000 |
| Marsh McLennan Agency-Michigan | Senior Health and Benefits Consultant | New York, NY | 06/30/2025 | $88,000 |
| Crump Group, Inc. | CRC Benefits-Proposal Consultant (Contract, Hybrid) | Greenwood Village, CO | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Brown & Brown | Employee Benefits Consultant | Chicago, IL | 06/28/2025 | $100,000 |
| Paychex | Implementation Benefit Consultant | Phoenix, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $49,271 |
| Fidelity | Health & Welfare Benefits Consultant | Chicago, IL | 06/26/2025 | $85,000 |
| Sch Services Inc. | Senior Benefits Consultant | Enon, OH | 06/25/2025 | $112,100 |
| Brown & Brown | Employee Benefits Consultant | Albany, NY | 06/24/2025 | $70,000 |
| Procare HR | Benefits Consultant | Minneapolis, MN | 06/24/2025 | $105,000 |
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