Compensation Manager Average Salary in United States 2024
How much money does a person working as Compensation Manager make in United States?
LOW
67,900
USD AVERAGE
128,000
USD HIGH
195,000
USD
A person working as Compensation Manager in United States typically earns around 128,000 USD. Salaries range from 67,900 USD (lowest) to 195,000 USD (highest).
Salary Variance
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Compensation Manager salaries in United States vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Compensation Manager Pay Scale and Salaries in United States
Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison
115,000 USD or more
103,000 to 115,000 USD
75,700 USD or less
75,700 to 103,000 USD
 67,900 USD |
116,000 USD |
195,000 USD |
Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range
Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary
Salaries for the position Compensation Manager in United States range from 67,900 USD (starting salary) to 195,000 USD (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.
Median Salary
With a median salary of 116,000 USD, half of the professionals who work as Compensation Manager in United States earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.
Percentiles and Salary Scale
The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Compensation Manager in United States earn less than 96,300 USD, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 131,000 USD while 25% earn more.
Pay Scale Structure
To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Compensation Manager in United States compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 75,700 USD to 103,000 USD. About 20% of salaries are below the 75,700 USD mark, while 10% fall within the range of 103,000 USD to 115,000 USD. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 115,000 USD.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Compensation Manager / United States
How do experience and age affect pay?
| 0 - 2 Years | 78,100 USD | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +23% | 95,800 USD |
| 5 - 10 Years | +42% | 136,000 USD |
| 10 - 15 Years | +17% | 159,000 USD |
| 15 - 20 Years | +10% | 175,000 USD |
| 20+ Years | +6% | 185,000 USD |
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Compensation Manager and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 78,100 USD.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 95,800 USD, 23% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 136,000 USD, 42% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 159,000 USD, 17% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 175,000 USD, 10% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 185,000 USD, 6% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Salary Comparison By Education / Compensation Manager / United States
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Compensation Manager.
| Bachelor's Degree | 88,200 USD | |
| Master's Degree | +93% | 171,000 USD |
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Compensation Manager in order to make a comparison.
Level 1: Bachelor's Degree
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 88,200 USD.
Level 2: Master's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 171,000 USD, 93% more than the previous level.
Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?
A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in United States costs anywhere from 39,600 USD to 119,000 USD and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.
Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support the theory. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.
If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers
Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Compensation Manager / United States
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Compensation Manager in United States, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 6%.
| Male | 131,000 USD | |
| Female | -5% | 124,000 USD |
Salary Comparison By Gender in United States for all Careers
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Compensation Manager / United States
How much are annual salary increments in United States for individuals working as Compensation Manager? How often do employees get salary raises?
Individuals working as Compensation Manager in United States are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 12% every 17 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 16 months.
United States / All Professions
The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
How to calculate the salary increment percentage?
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency
Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs
Salary Packages and Schemes
Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.
Bonus and Incentive Rates / Compensation Manager / United States
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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21% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 79% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 6% to 8% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 79% | |
| No Bonus | 21% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based BonusesThe most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
Bonuses Are Not Commissions!
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?
The main two types of jobs | |
| Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
Average Hourly Wage / Compensation Manager / United States
62 USD per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Compensation Manager in United States is 62 USD.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.
About The Hourly Pay Rate
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?
The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Compensation Manager in United States is 33 USD. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Human Resources |  -100% | |
| Benefits Administrator | 62,400 USD | -51% |
| Benefits Analyst | 76,800 USD | -40% |
| Benefits Manager | 121,000 USD | -6% |
| Benefits Specialist | 75,900 USD | -41% |
| Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer | 128,000 USD | -0% |
| Chief Happiness Officer | 132,000 USD |  +3% |
| Chief Human Resources Officer | 153,000 USD | +19% |
| Chief Listening Officer | 116,000 USD | -9% |
| Chief People Officer | 154,000 USD | +20% |
| Chief Remote Work and Collaboration Officer | 113,000 USD | -12% |
| Compensation Analyst | 73,700 USD | -42% |
| Compensation and Benefits Manager | 128,000 USD | -0% |
| Compensation and Benefits Officer | 54,400 USD | -58% |
| Compensation and Benefits Specialist | 75,900 USD | -41% |
| Compensation Manager | 128,000 USD | -0% |
| Corporate Director of Human Resources | 160,000 USD | +25% |
| Corporate Recruiter | 101,000 USD | -21% |
| Corporate Trainer | 74,900 USD | -42% |
| Director of Talent Acquisition | 153,000 USD | +19% |
| Diversity and Inclusion Specialist | 94,600 USD | -26% |
| Employee Benefits Administrator | 86,100 USD | -33% |
| Employee Benefits Consultant | 114,000 USD | -11% |
| Employee Benefits Coordinator | 45,800 USD | -64% |
| Employee Communications Manager | 106,000 USD | -17% |
| Employee Development Specialist | 104,000 USD | -19% |
| Employee Engagement Specialist | 107,000 USD | -17% |
| Employee Experience Manager | 121,000 USD | -6% |
| Employee Health and Wellness Administrator | 96,500 USD | -25% |
| Employee Performance Specialist | 80,000 USD | -38% |
| Employee Relations Analyst | 106,000 USD | -17% |
| Employee Relations Manager | 105,000 USD | -18% |
| Employee Relations Practitioner | 107,000 USD | -17% |
| Employee Relations Representative | 79,500 USD | -38% |
| Employee Relations Specialist | 98,800 USD | -23% |
| Employee Services Manager | 108,000 USD | -16% |
| Employee Services Specialist | 103,000 USD | -20% |
| Employee Wellness Officer | 79,600 USD | -38% |
| Employment Advice Worker | 48,200 USD | -62% |
| Employment Interviewer | 71,400 USD | -44% |
| Employment Relations Officer | 46,700 USD | -64% |
| Employment Service Specialist | 60,500 USD | -53% |
| Employment Services Coordinator | 71,700 USD | -44% |
| Enrollment Counselor | 101,000 USD | -21% |
| Equal Opportunity Representative | 76,900 USD | -40% |
| Executive Human Capital Management | 151,000 USD | +18% |
| Executive Recruiter | 103,000 USD | -20% |
| Expatriate Administration Manager | 104,000 USD | -19% |
| Expatriate Administration Supervisor | 72,900 USD | -43% |
| Global Mobility Manager | 131,000 USD | +2% |
| Head of Culture | 119,000 USD | -7% |
| Head of Human Resources | 150,000 USD | +17% |
| Headhunter | 112,000 USD | -13% |
| Health Benefits Coordinator | 61,700 USD | -52% |
| HRIS Analyst | 56,700 USD | -56% |
| HRIS Manager | 95,300 USD | -26% |
| HRIS Officer | 47,500 USD | -63% |
| HRIS Supervisor | 51,000 USD | -60% |
| Human Resources Administration Specialist | 59,400 USD | -54% |
| Human Resources Administrative Assistant | 44,100 USD | -66% |
| Human Resources Administrative Coordinator | 61,200 USD | -52% |
| Human Resources Administrator | 63,100 USD | -51% |
| Human Resources Advisor | 101,000 USD | -21% |
| Human Resources Analyst | 91,200 USD | -29% |
| Human Resources Assessor | 56,800 USD | -56% |
| Human Resources Assistant | 41,000 USD | -68% |
| Human Resources Assistant Manager | 115,000 USD | -10% |
| Human Resources Associate | 39,100 USD | -69% |
| Human Resources Compliance Officer | 98,500 USD | -23% |
| Human Resources Consultant | 119,000 USD | -7% |
| Human Resources Coordinator | 43,400 USD | -66% |
| Human Resources Data Analytics Manager | 89,500 USD | -30% |
| Human Resources Data Scientist | 89,400 USD | -30% |
| Human Resources Deputy Manager | 119,000 USD | -7% |
| Human Resources Development Manager | 131,000 USD | +2% |
| Human Resources Director | 156,000 USD | +22% |
| Human Resources Executive | 101,000 USD | -21% |
| Human Resources Generalist | 79,600 USD | -38% |
| Human Resources Manager | 148,000 USD | +15% |
| Human Resources Officer | 60,200 USD | -53% |
| Human Resources Recruiter | 108,000 USD | -16% |
| Human Resources Representative | 57,600 USD | -55% |
| Human Resources Section Head | 102,000 USD | -20% |
| Human Resources Services Manager | 132,000 USD | +3% |
| Human Resources Shared Services Manager | 101,000 USD | -21% |
| Human Resources Specialist | 79,400 USD | -38% |
| Human Resources Superintendent | 53,900 USD | -58% |
| Human Resources Systems Administrator | 82,700 USD | -35% |
| Human Resources Technology Consultant | 94,500 USD | -26% |
| Human Resources Training Executive | 106,000 USD | -17% |
| Human Resources Transformation Consultant | 102,000 USD | -20% |
| Human Resources Vice President | 147,000 USD | +15% |
| Industrial Organizational Psychologist | 128,000 USD | -0% |
| Job Evaluation Specialist | 105,000 USD | -18% |
| Labor Relations Director | 115,000 USD | -10% |
| Labor Relations Manager | 119,000 USD | -7% |
| Labor Relations Specialist | 57,700 USD | -55% |
| Learning and Development Manager | 124,000 USD | -3% |
| Learning and Development Specialist | 89,400 USD | -30% |
| Occupational Health and Safety Officer | 54,400 USD | -58% |
| Organizational Development Consultant | 119,000 USD | -7% |
| Organizational Development Manager | 135,000 USD | +5% |
| Organizational Development Specialist | 68,300 USD | -47% |
| Payroll Assistant | 49,900 USD | -61% |
| Payroll Supervisor | 58,900 USD | -54% |
| People Development Officer | 78,200 USD | -39% |
| People Operations Analyst | 99,900 USD | -22% |
| Personnel Officer | 41,900 USD | -67% |
| Personnel Recruiter | 102,000 USD | -20% |
| Records Clerk | 39,000 USD | -70% |
| Records Manager | 65,400 USD | -49% |
| Recruiter | 102,000 USD | -20% |
| Recruiting Coordinator | 56,300 USD | -56% |
| Recruiting Manager | 136,000 USD | +6% |
| Recruitment Consultant | 102,000 USD | -20% |
| Recruitment Officer | 56,600 USD | -56% |
| Recruitment Supervisor | 88,000 USD | -31% |
| Remote Collaboration Consultant | 79,700 USD | -38% |
| Remote Work Compliance Manager | 114,000 USD | -11% |
| Remote Work Coordinator | 70,600 USD | -45% |
| Remote Work Manager | 97,000 USD | -24% |
| Research Associate | 49,200 USD | -62% |
| SAP Resource Manager | 110,000 USD | -14% |
| Talent Acquisition Manager | 143,000 USD | +12% |
| Talent Acquisition Specialist | 86,900 USD | -32% |
| Talent Brand Manager | 118,000 USD | -8% |
| Talent Management Officer | 63,500 USD | -50% |
| Technical Recruiter | 65,400 USD | -49% |
| Training Administrator | 56,700 USD | -56% |
| Training and Development Manager | 128,000 USD | -0% |
| Training and Development Section Head | 104,000 USD | -19% |
| Training Executive | 122,000 USD | -5% |
| Training Manager | 126,000 USD | -2% |
| Training Officer | 53,600 USD | -58% |
| Training Specialist | 77,700 USD | -39% |
| Workforce Planning Analyst | 87,500 USD | -32% |
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Boston | 125,000 USD |
| Chicago | 151,000 USD |
| Houston | 144,000 USD |
| Las Vegas | 124,000 USD |
| Los Angeles | 142,000 USD |
| New York | 145,000 USD |
| San Francisco | 130,000 USD |
| San Jose | 143,000 USD |
Salary Comparison By State
| State | Average Salary |
| Alabama | 133,000 USD |
| Alaska | 109,000 USD |
| Arizona | 134,000 USD |
| Arkansas | 129,000 USD |
| California | 138,000 USD |
| Colorado | 130,000 USD |
| Connecticut | 118,000 USD |
| Delaware | 114,000 USD |
| District of Columbia | 116,000 USD |
| Florida | 135,000 USD |
| Georgia | 138,000 USD |
| Hawaii | 122,000 USD |
| Idaho | 115,000 USD |
| Illinois | 140,000 USD |
| Indiana | 139,000 USD |
| Iowa | 121,000 USD |
| Kansas | 125,000 USD |
| Kentucky | 121,000 USD |
| Louisiana | 126,000 USD |
| Maine | 120,000 USD |
| Maryland | 127,000 USD |
| Massachusetts | 132,000 USD |
| Michigan | 142,000 USD |
| Minnesota | 126,000 USD |
| Mississippi | 124,000 USD |
| Missouri | 124,000 USD |
| Montana | 114,000 USD |
| Nebraska | 122,000 USD |
| Nevada | 117,000 USD |
| New Hampshire | 117,000 USD |
| New Jersey | 141,000 USD |
| New Mexico | 117,000 USD |
| New York | 142,000 USD |
| North Carolina | 130,000 USD |
| North Dakota | 110,000 USD |
| Ohio | 141,000 USD |
| Oklahoma | 120,000 USD |
| Oregon | 125,000 USD |
| Pennsylvania | 144,000 USD |
| Rhode Island | 111,000 USD |
| South Carolina | 129,000 USD |
| South Dakota | 119,000 USD |
| Tennessee | 131,000 USD |
| Texas | 144,000 USD |
| Utah | 115,000 USD |
| Vermont | 111,000 USD |
| Virginia | 140,000 USD |
| Washington | 130,000 USD |
| West Virginia | 120,000 USD |
| Wisconsin | 136,000 USD |
| Wyoming | 108,000 USD |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in United States is 5% on average across all career fields.
| Private Sector | 92,800 USD | |
| Public Sector | +5% | 97,500 USD |
Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide
What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for the job title Compensation Manager in United States?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 116,000 USD and 131,000 USD. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.
Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
Base / Basic Salary
The base salary for a careers like Compensation Manager in United States ranges from 67,900 USD to 96,300 USD. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary
