# Compensation and Benefits Managers

US SOC code 11-3111. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/11-3111

Also called: Compensation manager, Benefits manager, Total rewards manager, Director of compensation, Director of benefits.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **22,940** US compensation and benefits managers, with median pay of **$149,230** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2012, the May 2025 count is the highest. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1950-1959) of **12,000** from 1950, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for compensation and benefits managers: AI-native compensation benchmarking, 2019 to 2023.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 1.1% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=11-3111&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **46.1%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Compensation and Benefits Managers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1910
- Latest US employment: 22,940 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [4]
- Latest US median pay: $149,230 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [7]
- Outlook: +1.1% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [23]

### All 20 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1950 | 12,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., University of Missouri Libraries [1] |
| 1955 | n/a | $6,500 (estimate) | Est., University of Missouri Libraries [5] |
| 1975 | 22,000 (estimate) | $22,000 (estimate) | Est., DOL / EBSA (employment) [2]; Est., University of Missouri Libraries (pay) [6] |
| 1997 | 28,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., CNBC / Guideline [3] |
| 2010 | 29,830 | $89,270 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [4] |
| 2011 | 24,580 | $92,290 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [4] |
| 2012 | 19,960 | $95,250 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [4] |
| 2013 | 17,570 | $101,490 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [4] |
| 2014 | 16,380 | $108,070 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [4] |
| 2015 | 15,930 | $111,430 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [4] |
| 2016 | 15,230 | $116,240 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [4] |
| 2017 | 15,520 | $119,120 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [4] |
| 2018 | 15,660 | $121,010 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [4] |
| 2019 | 16,900 | $122,270 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [4] |
| 2020 | 16,340 | $125,130 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [4] |
| 2021 | 15,330 | $127,530 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [4] |
| 2022 | 16,850 | $131,280 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [4] |
| 2023 | 18,690 | $136,380 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [4] |
| 2024 | 20,070 | $140,360 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [4] |
| 2025 | 22,940 | $149,230 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [4] |

## Sources (76)

### Employment series

1. [IPUMS USA / University of Missouri Libraries -- "Prices and Wages by Decade: 1950-1959" and Census personnel manager category documentation](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1950-1959), University of Missouri Libraries
2. [DOL / EBSA -- "History of EBSA and ERISA" (ERISA 1974 and the growth of benefits administration)](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/about-ebsa/about-us/history-of-ebsa-and-erisa), U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration
3. [CNBC / Guideline -- "A brief history of the 401(k), which changed how Americans retire" (1997: DC plans surpass DB plans)](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/04/a-brief-history-of-the-401k-which-changed-how-americans-retire.html), CNBC
4. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

5. [University of Missouri Libraries -- "Prices and Wages by Decade: 1950-1959" (BLS-sourced wage surveys, corporate management occupations)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1950-1959), University of Missouri Libraries / BLS historical sources
6. [University of Missouri Libraries -- "Prices and Wages by Decade: 1970-1979" (BLS-sourced survey data, HR management occupations)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1970-1979), University of Missouri Libraries / BLS historical sources
7. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
8. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Tool eras

9. [EH.net -- "The History of American Labor Market Institutions and Outcomes" (scientific management and wage administration)](https://eh.net/encyclopedia/the-history-of-american-labor-market-institutions-and-outcomes/), EH.net / Economic History Association
10. [Graduate School.edu -- "Civil Service History 101: Position Classification" (Classification Act 1923 and point-factor origins)](https://www.graduateschool.edu/learn/position-classification/civil-service-history-101), The Graduate School USA
11. [Wikipedia -- Edward N. Hay (biography, development of the Hay Guide Chart method 1943-1951)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_N._Hay), Wikipedia
12. [The BRPI Journal of HR Management -- "The Hay System of Job Evaluation: A Critical Analysis" Vol. 3 No. 1 (2015)](https://jhrmls.thebrpi.org/journals/jhrmls/Vol_3_No_1_June_2015/1.pdf), The BRPI
13. [WorldatWork -- "The Story of WorldatWork" (founding 1955 as Ohio Wage and Salary Association, ACA 1963, CCP 1976, survey history)](https://worldatwork.org/the-story-of-worldatwork), WorldatWork
14. [DOL / EBSA -- "History of EBSA and ERISA" (ERISA 1974 passage, fiduciary rules, PBGC creation)](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/about-ebsa/about-us/history-of-ebsa-and-erisa), U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration
15. [EBSCO Research Starters -- "U.S. Congress Protects Employee Benefits" (Studebaker 1963 catalyst, ERISA 1974 legislative history)](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/us-congress-protects-employee-benefits), EBSCO Research Starters
16. [CNBC -- "A brief history of the 401(k), which changed how Americans retire" (Revenue Act 1978, IRS rules 1981, 1997 DC/DB crossover)](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/04/a-brief-history-of-the-401k-which-changed-how-americans-retire.html), CNBC
17. [Wikipedia -- 401(k): history, Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code (Revenue Act 1978)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/401%28k%29), Wikipedia
18. [Workday -- Our Story (founded 2005, first true cloud application provider for HR and finance)](https://www.workday.com/en-us/company/about-workday/our-story.html), Workday
19. [Pave -- Real-time compensation benchmarking platform (founded 2019, HRIS-aggregated market data)](https://www.pave.com/), Pave
20. [WorldatWork -- 2025 Compensation Programs and Practices Survey (AI adoption in compensation benchmarking and merit-cycle coordination)](https://worldatwork.org/resources/publications/compensation-programs-and-practices-survey), WorldatWork
21. [Rippling -- Pay Transparency Laws by State: A Guide for Employers (CA SB 1162 eff. Jan 2023, NY S9427-A eff. Sep 2023, CO EPEWA)](https://www.rippling.com/blog/pay-transparency-laws-state-by-state-guide), Rippling
22. [Workday -- Illuminate AI Agents for Compensation Planning: merit cycle automation and guardrail enforcement (Sep 2025)](https://newsroom.workday.com/2025-09-16-Workday-Illuminate-TM-Expands-with-New-AI-Agents-for-HR,-Finance,-and-Industry), Workday

### Forecasts and exposure studies

23. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 11-3111 Compensation and benefits managers (2025: 23.7 thousand; 2035: 24.0 thousand; +1.1%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=11-3111&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
24. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 11-3111.00, human-rated β 0.461)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

25. [U.S. Department of Labor -- "Chapter 4: Workers of a New Century" (National War Labor Board 1918)](https://www.dol.gov/general/aboutdol/history/chapter4), U.S. Department of Labor
26. [PeopleKeep -- "The Complete History of Employer-Provided Health Insurance" (WWII wage freeze, WLB exemption, 9% to 63% coverage 1940-1953)](https://www.peoplekeep.com/blog/the-complete-history-of-employer-provided-health-insurance), PeopleKeep
27. [Wikipedia -- Edward N. Hay (career, Hay Group founding 1943, Guide Chart method)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_N._Hay), Wikipedia
28. [WorldatWork -- "The Story of WorldatWork" (founding 1955 in Toledo, Ohio)](https://worldatwork.org/the-story-of-worldatwork), WorldatWork
29. [EEOC -- Equal Pay Act of 1963 (statutory text and compliance obligations)](https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/equal-pay-act-1963), U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
30. [DOL / EBSA -- "History of EBSA and ERISA" (ERISA 1974, Studebaker catalyst, PBGC creation)](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/about-ebsa/about-us/history-of-ebsa-and-erisa), U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration
31. [CNBC -- "A brief history of the 401(k), which changed how Americans retire" (IRS rules 1981, Ted Benna, mass adoption)](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/04/a-brief-history-of-the-401k-which-changed-how-americans-retire.html), CNBC
32. [SEC -- Pay-Versus-Performance Final Rule 17 CFR 229.402(v): Compensation Actually Paid, effective FY 2023 proxy filings](https://www.sec.gov/files/rules/final/2022/33-11126.pdf), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
33. [Rippling -- Pay Transparency Laws by State: A Guide for Employers (CA SB 1162 eff. Jan 2023, NY S9427-A eff. Sep 2023, CO EPEWA)](https://www.rippling.com/blog/pay-transparency-laws-state-by-state-guide), Rippling

### Predecessors & successors

34. [EH.net -- "The History of American Labor Market Institutions and Outcomes" (employment manager role, scientific management era)](https://eh.net/encyclopedia/the-history-of-american-labor-market-institutions-and-outcomes/), EH.net / Economic History Association

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-24
- [O\*NET 30.3 — Compensation and Benefits Managers (11-3111.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/11-3111.00), accessed 2026-05-24
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Compensation and Benefits Managers (2024)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/compensation-and-benefits-managers.htm), accessed 2026-05-24
- [WorldatWork — 2025 Compensation Programs and Practices Survey](https://worldatwork.org/resources/publications/compensation-programs-and-practices-survey), accessed 2026-05-24
- [SEC — Pay-Versus-Performance Final Rule (17 CFR 229): Compensation Actually Paid disclosure effective FY 2023](https://www.sec.gov/files/rules/final/2022/33-11126.pdf), accessed 2026-05-24
- [EU Pay Transparency Directive 2023/970/EU — Gender pay-gap reporting, effective June 2026](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32023L0970), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Mercer: Global Talent Trends 2026 (report page): a survey of nearly 12,000 executives, HR leaders, employees and investors on redesigning work around AI and recalibrating the employee value exchange](https://www.mercer.com/insights/people-strategy/future-of-work/global-talent-trends/), accessed 2026-10-07
- [Willis Towers Watson — 2025 Benefits Trends Survey: AI-driven personalization and cost management](https://www.wtwco.com/en-us/insights/2025/01/2025-benefits-trends-survey), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Workday — Illuminate AI Agents for Compensation Planning (Sep 2025)](https://newsroom.workday.com/2025-09-16-Workday-Illuminate-TM-Expands-with-New-AI-Agents-for-HR,-Finance,-and-Industry), accessed 2026-05-24
- [ADP — SmartCompliance: Automated Pay Compliance, EEO-1, and Merit Cycle Reporting (2025)](https://www.adp.com/what-we-offer/products/adp-smartcompliance.aspx), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Compa (homepage): AI agents for enterprise compensation teams (Analyst Agent, Partner Agent) and live market data from millions of offer, employee and equity grant observations](https://www.compa.ai/), accessed 2026-10-07
- [Pave — Real-time compensation benchmarking and band management platform (2024)](https://www.pave.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [OpenComp — AI-powered compensation intelligence and pay band management (2025)](https://www.opencomp.com/), accessed 2026-05-24

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.