Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,480 | $23.79 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $78,210 | $37.60 |
| Mean (average) | $84,330 | $40.54 |
| 90th percentile | $128,920 | $61.98 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $57,710 | $51,390 | $98,100 | 1,000 | 0.66 |
| Alaska | $79,160 | $58,730 | $111,620 | 180 | 0.78 |
| Arizona | $74,930 | $44,000 | $114,400 | 2,230 | 0.95 |
| Arkansas | $61,280 | $40,830 | $106,780 | 490 | 0.52 |
| California | $91,410 | $60,070 | $150,180 | 13,430 | 1.02 |
| Colorado | $92,560 | $62,280 | $152,370 | 1,980 | 0.95 |
| Connecticut | $83,100 | $50,750 | $133,460 | 1,140 | 0.93 |
| Delaware | $99,560 | $61,260 | $136,700 | 290 | 0.83 |
| District of Columbia | $86,710 | $60,560 | $127,930 | 650 | 1.28 |
| Florida | $65,020 | $42,990 | $109,480 | 6,610 | 0.92 |
| Georgia | $66,690 | $42,030 | $122,130 | 4,780 | 1.35 |
| Hawaii | $64,090 | $48,550 | $108,660 | 260 | 0.57 |
| Idaho | $63,680 | $43,710 | $103,730 | 500 | 0.81 |
| Illinois | $79,300 | $55,190 | $128,720 | 4,410 | 1 |
| Indiana | $68,300 | $38,190 | $108,920 | 1,820 | 0.78 |
| Iowa | $67,160 | $49,710 | $103,830 | 1,070 | 0.95 |
| Kansas | $67,990 | $50,240 | $111,100 | 640 | 0.62 |
| Kentucky | $64,690 | $40,730 | $94,370 | 670 | 0.47 |
| Louisiana | $62,700 | $39,350 | $98,980 | 1,050 | 0.75 |
| Maine | $77,400 | $55,690 | $104,440 | 180 | 0.38 |
| Maryland | $79,700 | $51,820 | $117,940 | 1,650 | 0.83 |
| Massachusetts | $95,890 | $63,230 | $161,120 | 3,390 | 1.29 |
| Michigan | $79,480 | $52,470 | $127,870 | 2,480 | 0.78 |
| Minnesota | $78,770 | $38,840 | $130,920 | ||
| Mississippi | $51,670 | $36,840 | $83,920 | 370 | 0.44 |
| Missouri | $74,260 | $49,370 | $118,390 | 1,670 | 0.79 |
| Montana | $75,290 | $55,850 | $105,150 | 190 | 0.51 |
| Nebraska | $67,410 | $43,770 | $109,670 | 460 | 0.62 |
| New Hampshire | $80,810 | $61,010 | $116,150 | 380 | 0.77 |
| New Jersey | $85,040 | $56,820 | $136,080 | 3,150 | 1.02 |
| New Mexico | $83,540 | $55,240 | $153,750 | 340 | 0.54 |
| New York | $83,200 | $58,740 | $131,110 | 11,470 | 1.64 |
| North Carolina | $67,970 | $47,590 | $127,490 | 3,930 | 1.1 |
| North Dakota | $70,480 | $50,010 | $103,620 | 100 | 0.33 |
| Ohio | $75,780 | $46,790 | $109,970 | 2,950 | 0.74 |
| Oklahoma | $64,260 | $42,940 | $101,290 | 1,200 | 0.97 |
| Oregon | $83,320 | $58,860 | $125,500 | 1,330 | 0.94 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,640 | $46,400 | $120,830 | 4,910 | 1.12 |
| Puerto Rico | $42,110 | $31,160 | $83,700 | 290 | 0.43 |
| Rhode Island | $80,330 | $59,440 | $172,660 | 300 | 0.83 |
| South Carolina | $63,450 | $41,580 | $104,860 | 1,160 | 0.7 |
| South Dakota | $64,630 | $48,330 | $91,390 | 630 | 1.91 |
| Tennessee | $69,990 | $47,560 | $112,320 | 2,150 | 0.91 |
| Texas | $74,800 | $49,570 | $121,790 | ||
| Utah | $52,090 | $52,090 | $132,800 | ||
| Vermont | $76,030 | $57,520 | $97,240 | 170 | 0.78 |
| Virginia | $81,190 | $54,410 | $136,030 | 3,500 | 1.18 |
| Washington | $86,630 | $60,750 | $135,810 | 3,350 | 1.3 |
| West Virginia | $48,080 | $37,120 | $119,960 | 580 | 1.14 |
| Wisconsin | $72,130 | $52,810 | $103,500 | 1,840 | 0.87 |
| Wyoming | $69,090 | $64,330 | $69,090 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 9,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Business Administration and Management, General CIP 52.0201
- Finance, General CIP 52.0801
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General CIP 52.1001
- Insurance CIP 52.1701
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Administer employee insurance, pension, and savings plans, working with insurance brokers and plan carriers.
- Ensure company compliance with federal and state laws, including reporting requirements.
- Research employee benefit and health and safety practices, and recommend changes or modifications to existing policies.
- Advise managers and employees on state and federal employment regulations, collective agreements, benefit and compensation policies, personnel procedures, and classification programs.
- Plan and develop curricula and materials for training programs and conduct training.
- Assist in preparing and maintaining personnel records and handbooks.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Workday software (in demand)
- Oracle HRIS (in demand)
- IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Kronos Workforce Timekeeper (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft SQL Server (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination.
Common job titles: Benefits Analyst, Benefits Consultant, Benefits Specialist, Compensation Analyst, Compensation and Benefits Analyst, Compensation and Benefits Specialist, Compensation Consultant, Compensation Specialist, Employee Benefits Specialist, Position Classification Specialist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists make?
The national median annual wage for compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists was $78,210 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $49,480 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $128,920. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists to change +6.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 9,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Delaware ($99,560), Massachusetts ($95,890), Colorado ($92,560). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.