Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$49,480
- 25th Percentile — Junior$60,890
- 50th Percentile — Median$78,210
- 75th Percentile — Senior$100,400
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$128,920
The top 10% of Compensation and Benefits Specialists earn $128,920 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $49,480, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $104,470 | +23.9% |
| Delaware | $100,230 | +18.9% |
| Colorado | $99,510 | +18.0% |
| California | $98,480 | +16.8% |
| Washington | $97,150 | +15.2% |
| Rhode Island | $94,420 | +12.0% |
| New Mexico | $93,060 | +10.4% |
| New Jersey | $92,580 | +9.8% |
| District of Columbia | $92,350 | +9.5% |
| New York | $91,070 | +8.0% |
| Connecticut | $90,520 | +7.3% |
| Virginia | $89,320 | +5.9% |
| Oregon | $88,990 | +5.5% |
| Illinois | $86,460 | +2.5% |
| New Hampshire | $86,220 | +2.2% |
| Nevada (est.) | $86,017 | +2.0% |
| Minnesota | $83,900 | -0.5% |
| Maryland | $83,830 | -0.6% |
| Michigan | $83,750 | -0.7% |
| Alaska | $83,220 | -1.3% |
| Maine | $81,610 | -3.2% |
| Texas | $81,100 | -3.8% |
| Montana | $80,200 | -4.9% |
| North Carolina | $78,400 | -7.0% |
| Missouri | $77,890 | -7.6% |
| Arizona | $77,870 | -7.7% |
| Ohio | $77,760 | -7.8% |
| Vermont | $77,290 | -8.3% |
| Wisconsin | $76,610 | -9.2% |
| Georgia | $76,500 | -9.3% |
| Pennsylvania | $76,130 | -9.7% |
| North Dakota | $75,820 | -10.1% |
| Hawaii | $75,530 | -10.4% |
| Kansas | $75,200 | -10.8% |
| Tennessee | $74,720 | -11.4% |
| Nebraska | $74,500 | -11.7% |
| Iowa | $74,460 | -11.7% |
| Indiana | $72,790 | -13.7% |
| Florida | $72,260 | -14.3% |
| Utah | $71,690 | -15.0% |
| Oklahoma | $70,670 | -16.2% |
| Louisiana | $70,020 | -17.0% |
| South Carolina | $69,810 | -17.2% |
| Arkansas | $69,360 | -17.8% |
| Wyoming | $68,830 | -18.4% |
| South Dakota | $67,890 | -19.5% |
| Alabama | $67,730 | -19.7% |
| Idaho | $67,160 | -20.4% |
| Kentucky | $66,740 | -20.9% |
| West Virginia | $64,080 | -24.0% |
| Mississippi | $59,490 | -29.5% |
What Factors Affect Compensation and Benefits Specialists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Compensation and Benefits Specialists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Massachusetts pays an average of $104,470, while Mississippi pays $59,490 — a gap of $44,980 per year.
The middle half of Compensation and Benefits Specialists earn between $60,890 and $100,400 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $49,480, while the top 10% earn more than $128,920.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Compensation and Benefits Specialists?
The average salary for Compensation and Benefits Specialists in the United States is $84,330 per year, with a median of $78,210.
What is the starting salary for Compensation and Benefits Specialists?
Entry-level Compensation and Benefits Specialists typically earn between $49,480 and $60,890 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Compensation and Benefits Specialists the most?
Massachusetts pays Compensation and Benefits Specialists the most at $104,470 per year on average, followed by Delaware ($100,230) and Colorado ($99,510).
How much do Compensation and Benefits Specialists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $84,330, Compensation and Benefits Specialists earn approximately $40.54 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Compensation and Benefits Specialists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 112,380 Compensation and Benefits Specialists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $84,330 and a median of $78,210 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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