Pay by state · 46 states
Compensation and Benefits Manager Salary by State (2026)
Compensation and Benefits Managers earn the most in Washington at $199,190 a year and the least in Mississippi at $89,250 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $149,230. All 46 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $199,190Washington
- National median
- $149,230BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $89,250Mississippi
- States reporting
- 46of 54 OEWS areas
All states
Compensation and Benefits Manager salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of compensation and benefits managers OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WAWashington | $199,190 | $140,850 | $256,570 | 460 | $186,136 |
| 2 | CTConnecticut | $197,970 | $131,520 | $282,410 | 480 | $191,072 |
| 3 | MAMassachusetts | $184,070 | $161,000 | $223,150 | 670 | $174,050 |
| 4 | NYNew York | $175,620 | $137,420 | $223,040 | 2,260 | $162,730 |
| 5 | NJNew Jersey | $168,370 | $137,720 | $210,850 | 950 | $154,745 |
| 6 | CACalifornia | $166,730 | $127,420 | $217,510 | 2,970 | $150,587 |
| 7 | DEDelaware | $166,070 | $148,730 | $220,470 | 50 | $166,389 |
| 8 | COColorado | $165,770 | $130,290 | $203,760 | 280 | $160,861 |
| 9 | MNMinnesota | $163,390 | $127,260 | $203,850 | 360 | $165,675 |
| 10 | GAGeorgia | $163,060 | $124,790 | $215,050 | 1,010 | $169,337 |
| 11 | OROregon | $161,470 | $127,290 | $180,750 | 240 | $156,219 |
| 12 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $160,990 | $129,540 | $204,230 | 130 | $146,486 |
| 13 | VAVirginia | $153,660 | $126,570 | $215,060 | N/A | $151,982 |
| 14 | ILIllinois | $151,730 | $104,060 | $202,910 | 780 | $151,794 |
| 15 | MIMichigan | $151,620 | $118,450 | $176,540 | 580 | $157,581 |
| 16 | RIRhode Island | $149,340 | $122,410 | $231,450 | 50 | $146,011 |
| 17 | OHOhio | $141,920 | $108,140 | $179,390 | 460 | $152,974 |
| 18 | MDMaryland | $139,860 | $117,500 | $192,480 | 430 | $133,252 |
| 19 | PAPennsylvania | $139,040 | $108,930 | $187,870 | 770 | $142,500 |
| 20 | NHNew Hampshire | $136,950 | $92,020 | $169,450 | 100 | $131,474 |
| 21 | TXTexas | $136,930 | $106,470 | $178,920 | 2,230 | $141,082 |
| 22 | NCNorth Carolina | $135,240 | $104,010 | $175,260 | 880 | $143,375 |
| 23 | TNTennessee | $132,780 | $104,560 | $170,580 | 670 | $144,530 |
| 24 | UTUtah | $132,620 | $98,300 | $167,980 | 200 | $134,144 |
| 25 | AZArizona | $129,890 | $106,170 | $175,250 | 510 | $129,017 |
| 26 | MEMaine | $129,690 | $100,850 | $176,090 | 50 | $133,632 |
| 27 | FLFlorida | $127,960 | $100,720 | $166,560 | 1,670 | $123,736 |
| 28 | WIWisconsin | $127,920 | $101,540 | $178,870 | N/A | $135,948 |
| 29 | NMNew Mexico | $124,390 | $99,620 | $160,410 | 40 | $134,896 |
| 30 | AKAlaska | $122,490 | $89,200 | $135,220 | 30 | $119,667 |
| 31 | NENebraska | $121,630 | $95,890 | $150,290 | 140 | $134,990 |
| 32 | ALAlabama | $118,470 | $101,300 | $152,880 | 90 | $133,378 |
| 33 | IAIowa | $118,250 | $94,640 | $167,940 | 120 | $134,739 |
| 34 | INIndiana | $118,180 | $97,770 | $152,250 | 170 | $126,627 |
| 35 | NVNevada | $115,180 | $74,750 | $148,420 | 180 | $115,204 |
| 36 | KYKentucky | $114,290 | $99,990 | $138,330 | 110 | $126,765 |
| 37 | KSKansas | $114,070 | $92,710 | $146,040 | 70 | $126,649 |
| 38 | HIHawaii | $110,120 | $86,470 | $138,120 | 60 | $100,154 |
| 39 | OKOklahoma | $107,760 | $86,250 | $143,900 | 180 | $122,673 |
| 40 | MOMissouri | $106,490 | $96,600 | $172,390 | 250 | $117,258 |
| 41 | ARArkansas | $100,810 | $82,000 | $167,890 | 140 | $115,958 |
| 42 | LALouisiana | $99,840 | $84,850 | $162,960 | 220 | $113,188 |
| 43 | SCSouth Carolina | $99,630 | $75,080 | $158,000 | 330 | $106,273 |
| 44 | PRPuerto Rico | $97,500 | $64,320 | $147,440 | 30 | N/A |
| 45 | IDIdaho | $90,020 | $85,060 | $120,220 | 100 | $94,268 |
| 46 | MSMississippi | $89,250 | $77,230 | $126,990 | 70 | $102,642 |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Compensation and Benefits Managers, that changes the ranking: Washington leads on raw pay at $199,190, while Connecticut leads once prices are taken into account at $191,072.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Compensation and Benefits Manager pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Compensation and Benefits Managers the most?
Washington reports the highest median wage for Compensation and Benefits Managers at $199,190 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Connecticut ($197,970) and Massachusetts ($184,070).
Which state pays Compensation and Benefits Managers the least?
Mississippi reports the lowest median for Compensation and Benefits Managers at $89,250 a year, $109,940 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Compensation and Benefits Managers earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts Connecticut first at $191,072 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $197,970. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.