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Compensation and Benefits Managers

Also called: Benefits Manager, Compensation and Benefits Manager, Compensation Director, Compensation Manager

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

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Median pay BLS, 2025$149,230
Openings a year BLS, 2025–351,600
Typical education to start BLSBachelor's degree
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 High
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +1.1%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 16 of its 22 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 1.1% by 2035. How to think about this →

About this projection

BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”

It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”

On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”

Recent conditions

  • In 2024, 0.0% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
  • From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 44% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.

How to read these

Pay compared with all occupations BLS median wages Pays more than 95% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$89k$199knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$118,470$101,300 to $152,88090
Alaska$122,490$89,200 to $135,22030
Arizona$129,890$106,170 to $175,250510
Arkansas$100,810$82,000 to $167,890140
California$166,730$127,420 to $217,5102,970
Colorado$165,770$130,290 to $203,760280
Connecticut$197,970$131,520 to $282,410480
Delaware$166,070$148,730 to $220,47050
District of Columbia$160,990$129,540 to $204,230130
Florida$127,960$100,720 to $166,5601,670
Georgia$163,060$124,790 to $215,0501,010
Hawaii$110,120$86,470 to $138,12060
Idaho$90,020$85,060 to $120,220100
Illinois$151,730$104,060 to $202,910780
Indiana$118,180$97,770 to $152,250170
Iowa$118,250$94,640 to $167,940120
Kansas$114,070$92,710 to $146,04070
Kentucky$114,290$99,990 to $138,330110
Louisiana$99,840$84,850 to $162,960220
Maine$129,690$100,850 to $176,09050
Maryland$139,860$117,500 to $192,480430
Massachusetts$184,070$161,000 to $223,150670
Michigan$151,620$118,450 to $176,540580
Minnesota$163,390$127,260 to $203,850360
Mississippi$89,250$77,230 to $126,99070
Missouri$106,490$96,600 to $172,390250
Nebraska$121,630$95,890 to $150,290140
Nevada$115,180$74,750 to $148,420180
New Hampshire$136,950$92,020 to $169,450100
New Jersey$168,370$137,720 to $210,850950
New Mexico$124,390$99,620 to $160,41040
New York$175,620$137,420 to $223,0402,260
North Carolina$135,240$104,010 to $175,260880
Ohio$141,920$108,140 to $179,390460
Oklahoma$107,760$86,250 to $143,900180
Oregon$161,470$127,290 to $180,750240
Pennsylvania$139,040$108,930 to $187,870770
Puerto Rico$97,500$64,320 to $147,44030
Rhode Island$149,340$122,410 to $231,45050
South Carolina$99,630$75,080 to $158,000330
Tennessee$132,780$104,560 to $170,580670
Texas$136,930$106,470 to $178,9202,230
Utah$132,620$98,300 to $167,980200
Virginia$153,660$126,570 to $215,060not published
Washington$199,190$140,850 to $256,570460
Wisconsin$127,920$101,540 to $178,870not published

Nationally: $149,230. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this

How AI touches the work

What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.

AI could halve the time on 16 of its 22 tasks

5 · AI alone could halve the time 11 · AI + software built on it could 6 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
AI + software Direct preparation and distribution of written and verbal information to inform employees of benefits, compensation, and personnel policies. Not published
AI + software Design, evaluate, and modify benefits policies to ensure that programs are current, competitive, and in compliance with legal requirements. Not published
AI + software Fulfill all reporting requirements of all relevant government rules and regulations, including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Not published
Not much Identify and implement benefits to increase the quality of life for employees by working with brokers and researching benefits issues. Not published
AI + software Manage the design and development of tools to assist employees in benefits selection, and to guide managers through compensation decisions. Not published
Not much Administer, direct, and review employee benefit programs, including the integration of benefit programs following mergers and acquisitions. Not published
See all 22 tasks
AI + software Mediate between benefits providers and employees, such as by assisting in handling employees' benefits-related questions or taking suggestions. Not published
AI alone Formulate policies, procedures and programs for recruitment, testing, placement, classification, orientation, benefits and compensation, and labor and industrial relations. under 0.01%
AI + software Analyze compensation policies, government regulations, and prevailing wage rates to develop competitive compensation plan. Not published
AI alone Develop methods to improve employment policies, processes, and practices, and recommend changes to management. 0.01%
Not much Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations. Not published
AI + software Study legislation, arbitration decisions, and collective bargaining contracts to assess industry trends. Not published
AI + software Prepare detailed job descriptions and classification systems and define job levels and families, in partnership with other managers. Not published
AI + software Plan and conduct new-employee orientations to foster positive attitude toward organizational objectives. Not published
AI + software Prepare budgets for personnel operations. Not published
AI alone Prepare personnel forecasts to project employment needs. under 0.01%
Not much Negotiate bargaining agreements. Not published
AI + software Maintain records and compile statistical reports concerning personnel-related data, such as hires, transfers, performance appraisals, and absenteeism rates. under 0.01%
Not much Contract with vendors to provide employee services, such as food services, transportation, or relocation service. Not published
AI alone Analyze statistical data and reports to identify and determine causes of personnel problems, and develop recommendations for improvement of organization's personnel policies and practices. Not published
AI alone Advise management on such matters as equal employment opportunity, sexual harassment, and discrimination. under 0.01%
Not much Represent organization at personnel-related hearings and investigations. Not published

Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 5 of the 22 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.

Where people already use AI

The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 22 tasks fall under 20 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.

Tasks AI could speed up16 of 22 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most3 of 20 activities
  • #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
  • #32 Monitor external affairs, trends, or events
  • #33 Compile records, documentation, or other data
Microsoft Copilot (2024), ranked among all 332 activities. The cut-off of 50 is ours.
Work activity This occupation's tasks under it People asked AI for help
in 10,000 conversations		 AI did it for them
in 10,000 conversations
Perform human resources activities 2.34#188 1.46#144
Manage human resources activities 0.71#255 0.19#244
Evaluate programs, practices, or processes 15#67 5.67#80
Analyze data to improve operations 3.31#159 1.09#162
Maintain operational records 2.92#170 0.49#209
Develop organizational policies, systems, or processes 2.70#175 1.31#148
Negotiate contracts or agreements 1.06#233 0.13#263
Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise 408#4 247#8
Show all 20 activities
Monitor external affairs, trends, or events 56#32 25#43
Compile records, documentation, or other data 52#33 33#37
Advise others on business or operational matters 11#86 34#35
Communicate with others about operational plans or activities 9.39#92 28#39
Advise others on legal or regulatory matters 8.33#101 22#45
Determine resource needs of projects or operations 6.29#111 2.93#115
Manage budgets or finances 4.12#143 0.51#203
Prepare legal or regulatory documents 3.40#156 0.50#204
Coordinate activities with clients, agencies, or organizations 2.97#168 2.18#124
Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets 2.96#169 0.55#196
Train others on operational or work procedures 1.60#211 29#38
Supervise personnel activities 0.56#266 0.05#283
Task: AI alone Task: AI + software Task: not much #: rank among all 332 activities Microsoft measured (#1 = most common; activities that never came up share last place, shown as “tied”)
Where the two sources differ: “Manage human resources activities” holds 2 tasks rated AI + software, yet people asked AI for help with it in 0.71 of every 10,000 conversations, #255 of 332.

How people in this work use Claude

What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations

  • A document or report36%
  • Advice or a recommendation10%
  • A plan or strategy10%
  • Data or a spreadsheet10%
  • An analysis or summary6%

How they worked with Claude

39% handed the task off61% worked on it together

88% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.

How to read this

Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for compensation and benefits managers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.

The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.

More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude

High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs

BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.

AI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213 growingModerate151 of 206 growingHigh165 of 206 growingVery high141 of 206 growing11 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Click a dot to see that occupation.Compensation and benefits managers: +1.1%Compensation and Benefits ManagersAI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213Moderate151 of 206High165 of 206Very high141 of 20611 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Tap a dot.Compensation and benefits managers: +1.1%Compensation and Benefits Managers

Career moves into and out of this occupation

From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.

Where people moved next

of 16,605 moves out

  1. 1 Human Resources Managers High +5.5% 14%
  2. 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 9%
  3. 3 Human Resources Specialists Very high +6.4% 8%
  4. 4 Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists Very high +6.0% 7%
  5. 5 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 5%

Where people moved in from

of 21,701 moves in

  1. 1 Human Resources Managers High +5.5% 13%
  2. 2 Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists Very high +6.0% 10%
  3. 3 Human Resources Specialists Very high +6.4% 9%
  4. 4 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 8%
  5. 5 First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers Very high +0.1% 4%

Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).

Education and training for the occupation

Education people in it hold

O*NET survey of workers in this occupation

  • 76% bachelor's
  • 10% post-bachelor's certificate
  • 14% master's

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 21 people answered.

Census survey (American Community Survey)

  • 1% less than high school
  • 7% high school
  • 11% some college
  • 11% associate's
  • 44% bachelor's
  • 23% master's
  • 1% professional degree

Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 243 people surveyed.

Why the two can differ

O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide

Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation

Programs that prepare people for it (NCES)
5 programs, such as Business Administration and Management, General, Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General and Labor and Industrial Relations.
See all
  • Business Administration and Management, General
  • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General
  • Labor and Industrial Relations
  • Organizational Behavior Studies
  • Insurance

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

11.8% this occupation

45.3% all occupations

By kindThis occupationAll occupations
a license<0.5%19.1%
a certification3.9%5.8%
an educational certificate<0.5%2.8%

Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this

Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor

These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide

See where your own career could go Start by uploading your resume Browse careers

BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS

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