Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists

Pay and outlook

Median annual wage, May 2025

$78,210

Half earn more, half earn less

Middle half earn

$60,890 – $100,400

25th to 75th percentile

People employed, May 2025

112,380

Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)

Projected change, 2025–35

+6%

At or above the all-jobs rate (3.5% to under 7%)

Openings a year (projected)

9,000

New jobs plus replacing people who leave

Typical education to enter

Bachelor's degree

BLS

• All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
• Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
• Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.

What the work involves

Conduct programs of compensation and benefits and job analysis for employer. May specialize in specific areas, such as position classification and pension programs.

Main 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.

Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.

Getting in

Typical education to enter (BLS)

Bachelor's degree

Work experience in a related job: less than 5 years

O*NET Job Zone 4

Considerable preparation

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Fields of study that lead here

From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 4 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.

Related careers

Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.

• Compensation and Benefits Managers

  $149,230 median · +1.1% projected

• Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping

  $50,610 median · -6.2% projected

• Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs

  $54,210 median · +1.6% projected

• Human Resources Specialists

  $75,940 median · +6.4% projected

• Human Resources Managers

  $149,280 median · +5.5% projected

• First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers

  $69,500 median · +0.1% projected