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Compensation/benefits specialist salary
Average compensation/benefits specialist salary
$52,140
Understanding Compensation/Benefits Specialist Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a compensation/benefits specialist stands at $52,140 per year, translating to approximately $25 per hour. Salaries can differ significantly based on several factors, including geographic location and industry. For instance, specialists working in finance and insurance tend to earn more than those in non-profit sectors.
Salary Variations by State
The average salary varies widely across states. States like California and New York offer some of the highest salaries, primarily due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. Understanding where compensation/benefits specialists earn the most can guide your job search effectively.
Top Paying Cities
Some of the highest-paying cities for this role include San Francisco, New York City, and Washington, D.C., where the combination of high demand and cost of living drives compensation rates up. If you’re looking to enter this field or advance your career, consider these locations for optimal salary potential.
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Where can a Compensation/Benefits Specialist earn more?
Average compensation/benefits specialist salary by state
The average compensation/benefits specialist salary in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average compensation/benefits specialist salary states are Indiana, Wisconsin, and Florida.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for compensation/benefits specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $69,051 | $33.20 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $64,761 | $31.14 |
| 3 | Vermont | $59,262 | $28.49 |
| 4 | Alaska | $60,183 | $28.93 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $70,113 | $33.71 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $65,931 | $31.70 |
| 7 | Delaware | $56,036 | $26.94 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $59,138 | $28.43 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $59,303 | $28.51 |
| 10 | Washington | $59,405 | $28.56 |
| 11 | Maryland | $60,068 | $28.88 |
| 12 | Oregon | $57,036 | $27.42 |
| 13 | California | $61,952 | $29.78 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $55,789 | $26.82 |
| 15 | Iowa | $49,381 | $23.74 |
| 16 | Idaho | $53,778 | $25.85 |
| 17 | Virginia | $54,662 | $26.28 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $56,394 | $27.11 |
| 19 | Nevada | $50,208 | $24.14 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $48,949 | $23.53 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $53,720 | $25.83 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $53,710 | $25.82 |
| 23 | Arizona | $47,231 | $22.71 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $47,317 | $22.75 |
| 25 | Illinois | $51,853 | $24.93 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $45,856 | $22.05 |
| 27 | Ohio | $48,972 | $23.54 |
| 28 | Georgia | $46,401 | $22.31 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $43,402 | $20.87 |
| 30 | Colorado | $49,525 | $23.81 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $47,802 | $22.98 |
| 32 | Missouri | $47,356 | $22.77 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $44,563 | $21.42 |
| 34 | Maine | $48,797 | $23.46 |
| 35 | Kansas | $46,774 | $22.49 |
| 36 | Texas | $44,672 | $21.48 |
| 37 | Michigan | $45,422 | $21.84 |
| 38 | Alabama | $42,566 | $20.46 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $41,127 | $19.77 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $36,577 | $17.59 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $43,765 | $21.04 |
| 42 | Utah | $40,765 | $19.60 |
| 43 | Florida | $37,055 | $17.81 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $43,050 | $20.70 |
| 45 | Montana | $32,134 | $15.45 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $40,991 | $19.71 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $42,549 | $20.46 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $43,056 | $20.70 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $40,103 | $19.28 |
| 50 | Indiana | $40,414 | $19.43 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $32,104 | $15.43 |
Highest paying cities for compensation/benefits specialists
The highest-paying cities for compensation/benefits specialists are Edison, NJ, New York, NY, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edison, NJ | $70,137 | $33.72 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $69,367 | $33.35 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $66,662 | $32.05 |
| 4 | Stamford, CT | $66,435 | $31.94 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $64,741 | $31.13 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $60,473 | $29.07 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $59,777 | $28.74 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $59,104 | $28.42 |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | $56,448 | $27.14 |
| 10 | Virginia Beach, VA | $54,824 | $26.36 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh, PA | $52,292 | $25.14 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $52,069 | $25.03 |
| 13 | Durham, NC | $49,645 | $23.87 |
| 14 | Denver, CO | $49,480 | $23.79 |
| 15 | Alpharetta, GA | $46,558 | $22.38 |
| 16 | Commerce, MI | $45,488 | $21.87 |
| 17 | Austin, TX | $44,927 | $21.60 |
| 18 | Memphis, TN | $44,433 | $21.36 |
| 19 | Lafayette, IN | $40,315 | $19.38 |
| 20 | Clearwater, FL | $37,505 | $18.03 |
Compensation/benefits specialist salary details
A compensation/benefits specialist's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $74,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a compensation/benefits specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $52,140 | $4,345 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
Highest paying compensation/benefits specialist jobs
The highest paying types of compensation/benefits specialists are benefits advisor, compensation specialist, and compensation analyst.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benefits & Payroll Administrator | $50,662 | $4,222 | $24.36 | 61,356 |
| Benefits Manager | $64,064 | $5,339 | $30.80 | 11,164 |
| Benefits Representative | $38,694 | $3,225 | $18.60 | 13,058 |
| Workers Compensation Coordinator | $61,323 | $5,110 | $29.48 | 22,910 |
| Payroll And Benefits Coordinator | $45,858 | $3,821 | $22.05 | 29,242 |
| Benefits Advisor | $71,377 | $5,948 | $34.32 | 48,023 |
Top companies hiring compensation/benefits specialists now:
Which companies pay compensation/benefits specialists the most?
Compensation/benefits specialist salaries at Microsoft and Santander Bank are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average compensation/benefits specialist salary at companies like International Software Systems and U.S. Pharmacopeia are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $100,469 | $48.30 |
| 2 | Santander Bank | $77,200 | $37.12 |
| 3 | International Software Systems | $70,535 | $33.91 |
| 4 | U.S. Pharmacopeia | $70,278 | $33.79 |
| 5 | Pwc | $70,229 | $33.76 |
| 6 | Santander Private Banking International | $69,795 | $33.56 |
| 7 | Frontier Technologies | $68,491 | $32.93 |
| 8 | CIBC World Markets | $64,770 | $31.14 |
| 9 | Infotech | $64,331 | $30.93 |
| 10 | IntelliPro | $64,324 | $30.93 |
| 11 | CARE | $64,004 | $30.77 |
| 12 | Bluebeam | $63,361 | $30.46 |
| 13 | Wellex | $62,876 | $30.23 |
| 14 | The Washington Post | $60,874 | $29.27 |
| 15 | Atlanta Braves | $59,618 | $28.66 |
| 16 | Mercer | $57,470 | $27.63 |
| 17 | QuantumScape | $55,757 | $26.81 |
| 18 | Prometric | $55,396 | $26.63 |
| 19 | ASML Holding | $53,170 | $25.56 |
| 20 | Washington State University | $52,880 | $25.42 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Compensation/Benefits Specialist salary by industry
The average compensation/benefits specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average compensation/benefits specialist salary in the manufacturing industry is $63,485, the highest of any industry.
- The average compensation/benefits specialist salary in the finance industry is $61,566.
- Compensation/benefits specialists in the transportation industry earn an average salary of $47,326, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for compensation/benefits specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $63,485 | $30.52 |
| 2 | Technology | $61,566 | $29.60 |
| 3 | Health Care | $58,920 | $28.33 |
| 4 | Retail | $55,159 | $26.52 |
| 5 | Professional | $54,603 | $26.25 |
| 6 | Start-up | $50,683 | $24.37 |
| 7 | Hospitality | $47,775 | $22.97 |
| 8 | Transportation | $47,326 | $22.75 |
High paying compensation/benefits specialist jobs
Compensation/benefits specialist salary trends
The average compensation/benefits specialist salary has risen by $7,162 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average compensation/benefits specialist earned $44,978 annually, but today, they earn $52,140 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for compensation/benefits specialists over the last decade.
Compare compensation/benefits specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average compensation/benefits specialist salary over time
Compare compensation/benefits specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Compensation/benefits specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,100 | $25.07 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $50,100 | $24.09 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $48,900 | $23.50 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $48,600 | $23.38 | +1.0% |
| 2021 | $48,200 | $23.16 | +2.0% |
Recently added compensation/benefits specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Association of School | Compensation and Benefits Specialist | Wheaton, IL | 06/18/2025 | $70,000 |
| Genesee Regional Bank | Compensation & Benefit Specialist | Rochester, NY | 05/21/2025 | $76,400 |
| Normann Staffing | Compensation & Benefits Specialist | Gardiner, NY | 04/22/2025 | $55,000 |
| Illinois Association of School | Compensation and Benefits Specialist | Wheaton, IL | 04/19/2025 | $65,000 |
| Green Street Advisors | Compensation & Benefits Specialist-Global | Newport Beach, CA | 03/30/2025 | $90,000 |
| Fenwick & West | Benefits & Compensation Specialist | San Francisco, CA | 03/28/2025 | $94,000 |
| Green Street Advisors | Compensation & Benefits Specialist-Global | New York, NY | 03/28/2025 | $90,000 |
| Belcan | Compensation Benefits Specialist | Pittsburgh, PA | 03/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Jaguar Land Rover | Compensation & Benefits Specialist | Mahwah, NJ | 03/22/2025 | $70,500 |
| Sanhua International Inc. | Compensation and Benefits Specialist | Houston, TX | 03/14/2025 | $60,000 |
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