Occupations · Business and Financial Operations
Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists
Conduct programs of compensation and benefits and job analysis for employer. May specialize in specific areas, such as position classification and pension programs.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 13-1141.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 35% between 2010 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $88,390 | 8,420 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $88,920 | 3,590 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $77,390 | 2,650 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $103,640 | 2,630 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $79,250 | 2,630 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $75,720 | 2,360 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $88,320 | 2,350 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $96,460 | 2,220 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $92,180 | 2,190 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $74,300 | 2,180 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $66,400 | 1,650 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $76,900 | 1,570 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Administer employee insurance, pension, and savings plans, working with insurance brokers and plan carriers.
- Ensure company compliance with federal and state laws, including reporting requirements.
- Develop and administer compensation programs, such as merit or incentive pay.
- Research employee benefit and health and safety practices, and recommend changes or modifications to existing policies.
- Prepare occupational classifications, job descriptions, and salary scales.
- Evaluate job positions, determining classification, exempt or non-exempt status, and salary.
- Consult with, or serve as, technical liaison between business, industry, government, and union officials.
- Perform multifactor data and cost analyses that may be used in areas such as support of collective bargaining agreements.
- Develop, implement, administer, and evaluate personnel and labor relations programs, including performance appraisal, affirmative action, and employment equity programs.
- Advise managers and employees on state and federal employment regulations, collective agreements, benefit and compensation policies, personnel procedures, and classification programs.
- Provide advice on the resolution of classification and salary complaints.
- Negotiate collective agreements on behalf of employers or workers, and mediate labor disputes and grievances.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2024-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2024-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Develop and administer compensation programs such as merit or incentive pay.
O*NET 28.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 3 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 26
No longer listed 9
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| occupational analyst | 2423.5 | exact |
| social security administrator | 1213.2.1 | close |
| human resources officer | 2423.3 | close |
| employment agent | 3333.1 | close |
| human resources manager | 1212.1 | close |
| relocation officer | 3339.7 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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