What is the salary and career path for a compensation and benefits analyst?
Compensation and benefits analysts are reported under Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists (SOC 13-1141), a close match spanning both pay and benefits work. Its OEWS May 2025 median is $78,210 a year ($37.60 an hour), from $49,480 at the 10th percentile up to $128,920 at the 90th. BLS projects this code up about 5.3% over 2024–2034, about average, with roughly 8,500 openings a year. A bachelor's degree plus analytical skill, with WorldatWork credentials like CCP or CBP common, is the typical path.
- Compensation and Benefits Analysts earn a national median $78,210/yr ($37.60/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1141); the top 10% clear $128,920.
- The role maps closely to Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists (13-1141), spanning both pay and benefits.
- BLS projects the code up about 5.3% through 2034, roughly average, with around 8,500 openings a year.
- Pay runs from a total-rewards coordinator near $49,480 to a total-rewards manager at the $128,920 top decile, with WorldatWork's CCP and CBP common levers.
Career Path
How do you become a compensation and benefits analyst?
Total-rewards / HR coordinator
Supporting surveys, data entry and benefits administration starts near the $49,480 10th percentile.
Compensation and Benefits Analyst
Owning pay benchmarking and benefits analysis earns around the $78,210 specialist median.
Senior compensation and benefits analyst
Leading pay-structure and plan design lifts pay toward the $100,400 75th percentile.
Total rewards manager
Owning the total-rewards function reaches the $128,920 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays compensation and benefits analysts the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1141. National median: $78,210. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does compensation and benefits analyst pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles compensation and benefits analysts most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: compensation and benefits analysts rank 4 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +5.3% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly compensation and benefits analysts clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1141 (compensation and benefits analysts) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do compensation and benefits analysts need?
The typical foundation for a compensation and benefits career. See all state licences →
WorldatWork's flagship credential for compensation design and analysis.
WorldatWork's credential focused on benefits-plan design and management.
SHRM or HRCI credentials that ground total-rewards work in HR practice.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do compensation and benefits analysts use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 13-1141
Salary Levers
How do compensation and benefits analysts earn above the $78,210 BLS median?
Move from coordinator to analyst
Owning benchmarking and plan analysis instead of administration lifts pay off the $49,480 band toward the median.
Lead pay-structure and plan design
Designing structures and benefits plans lifts pay toward the $100,400 upper band.
Reach total-rewards manager
Owning the full total-rewards function reaches the $128,920 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a compensation and benefits analyst worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1141. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Compensation and Benefits Analyst Career, Frequently Asked Questions
Compensation and Benefits Analyst career research journey
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