Compensation and Benefits Managers

What Compensation and Benefits Managers Do

Plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities of an organization.

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience

5 years or more

On-the-job training

None

Self-employed

1.4%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

• Personnel and Human Resourcesimportance 4.3/5
• English Languageimportance 4.1/5
• Administration and Managementimportance 4.0/5
• Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.8/5
• Economics and Accountingimportance 3.4/5
• Mathematicsimportance 3.3/5
• Administrativeimportance 3.0/5
• Law and Governmentimportance 3.0/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

• E-Mail5.0/5
• Telephone Conversations5.0/5
• Spend Time Sitting4.9/5
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7/5
• Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.5/5
• Contact With Others4.4/5

Related Careers

• Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists
• Human Resources Specialists
• Human Resources Managers
• Labor Relations Specialists
• Financial Managers
• Compliance Officers
• Accountants and Auditors
• Financial Examiners

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

• Financial Managers99% skill match
• Advertising and Promotions Managers98% skill match
• Marketing Managers98% skill match
• Human Resources Managers98% skill match
• Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists97% skill match
• Budget Analysts97% skill match
• Sales Managers97% skill match
• Training and Development Specialists97% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

• Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.9/5
• Time Managementimportance 3.6/5
• Management of Personnel Resourcesimportance 3.6/5
• Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.5/5
• Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.4/5
• Systems Analysisimportance 3.3/5
• Systems Evaluationimportance 3.3/5
• Management of Financial Resourcesimportance 3.3/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

• Dependability
• Attention to Detail
• Integrity
• Leadership Orientation
• Cautiousness
• Cooperation
• Achievement Orientation

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

• EnterprisingHigh
• ConventionalHigh
• SocialMedium
• InvestigativeLow
• ArtisticLow
• RealisticLow

Specific Interests

A more detailed breakdown of this occupation’s interest profile, per O*NET.

• Human Resources
• Management/Administration
• Accounting
• Finance
• Law
• Business Initiatives

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where compensation and benefits managers make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1. 1Durham-Chapel Hill, NC4.01× national avg
2. 2Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT3.92× national avg
3. 3Tallahassee, FL2.97× national avg
4. 4Columbia, SC2.13× national avg
5. 5San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA1.93× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

• Financial ManagersLateral Move
• Human Resources ManagersLateral Move
• Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis SpecialistsCareer Change
• Medical and Health Services ManagersLateral Move

See the full career path from Compensation and Benefits Managers →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.