Compensation and Benefits Managers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for compensation and benefits managers is $149,230, or $71.75 per hour. About 22,940 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $199,190 in Washington to $89,250 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 45 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $199,190 | $95.77 | 460 | 0.88 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $197,970 | $95.18 | 480 | 1.91 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $184,070 | $88.50 | 670 | 1.24 |
| 4 | New York | $175,620 | $84.43 | 2,260 | 1.58 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $168,370 | $80.95 | 950 | 1.51 |
| 6 | California | $166,730 | $80.16 | 2,970 | 1.10 |
| 7 | Delaware | $166,070 | $79.84 | 50 | 0.65 |
| 8 | Colorado | $165,770 | $79.70 | 280 | 0.66 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $163,390 | $78.55 | 360 | 0.82 |
| 10 | Georgia | $163,060 | $78.40 | 1,010 | 1.40 |
| 11 | Oregon | $161,470 | $77.63 | 240 | 0.84 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $160,990 | $77.40 | 130 | 1.25 |
| 13 | Virginia | $153,660 | $73.87 | — | — |
| 14 | Illinois | $151,730 | $72.95 | 780 | 0.86 |
| 15 | Michigan | $151,620 | $72.89 | 580 | 0.90 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $149,340 | $71.80 | 50 | 0.70 |
| 17 | Ohio | $141,920 | $68.23 | 460 | 0.56 |
| 18 | Maryland | $139,860 | $67.24 | 430 | 1.04 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $139,040 | $66.85 | 770 | 0.86 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $136,950 | $65.84 | 100 | 1.02 |
| 21 | Texas | $136,930 | $65.83 | 2,230 | 1.07 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $135,240 | $65.02 | 880 | 1.21 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $132,780 | $63.84 | 670 | 1.37 |
| 24 | Utah | $132,620 | $63.76 | 200 | 0.77 |
| 25 | Arizona | $129,890 | $62.45 | 510 | 1.07 |
| 26 | Maine | $129,690 | $62.35 | 50 | 0.54 |
| 27 | Florida | $127,960 | $61.52 | 1,670 | 1.14 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $127,920 | $61.50 | — | — |
| 29 | New Mexico | $124,390 | $59.80 | 40 | 0.32 |
| 30 | Alaska | $122,490 | $58.89 | 30 | 0.66 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $121,630 | $58.48 | 140 | 0.90 |
| 32 | Alabama | $118,470 | $56.96 | 90 | 0.29 |
| 33 | Iowa | $118,250 | $56.85 | 120 | 0.54 |
| 34 | Indiana | $118,180 | $56.82 | 170 | 0.37 |
| 35 | Nevada | $115,180 | $55.38 | 180 | 0.77 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $114,290 | $54.95 | 110 | 0.37 |
| 37 | Kansas | $114,070 | $54.84 | 70 | 0.34 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $110,120 | $52.94 | 60 | 0.69 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $107,760 | $51.81 | 180 | 0.71 |
| 40 | Missouri | $106,490 | $51.20 | 250 | 0.57 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $100,810 | $48.47 | 140 | 0.73 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $99,840 | $48.00 | 220 | 0.76 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $99,630 | $47.90 | 330 | 0.97 |
| 44 | Idaho | $90,020 | $43.28 | 100 | 0.76 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $89,250 | $42.91 | 70 | 0.41 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do compensation and benefits managers make?
The median annual wage for compensation and benefits managers in the United States is $149,230, or $71.75 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $89,160, and the top 10% earn $256,570.
How many compensation and benefits managers are employed in the U.S.?
About 22,940 people work as compensation and benefits managers nationwide.
Which state pays compensation and benefits managers the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $199,190, followed by Connecticut ($197,970) and Massachusetts ($184,070).
Which state pays compensation and benefits managers the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $89,250.
Where are compensation and benefits managers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Connecticut at 1.91×.