Designs and benchmarks pay packages for CEOs and senior executives, advising boards on salary, bonuses and stock awards. BLS does not publish separate figures for compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists; it counts them within compensation, benefit, and job analysis specialist (SOC 13-1141), whose median pay is $78,210 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 13-1141
- Business and Financial Operations
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Executive Compensation Consultant in four numbers
- Median pay
- $78,210a year, or $37.60/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $49KTop 10% $129K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +6.0%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 9,000118,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025118.1K
- Projected 2035125.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 118.1K Projected 2035 125.2K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school4.8%
- Bachelor's85.7%
- Post-bacc certificate9.5%
Highest education held by compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists Segment Value High school 4.8% Bachelor's 85.7% Post-bacc certificate 9.5%
Also advertised as: Executive Compensation Analyst, Executive Compensation Manager, Executive Rewards Consultant, Compensation Consultant, Director of Executive Compensation.
Pay
How much do Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists make?
Every executive compensation consultant in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$78,210
Middle half earn $60,890 to $100,400
- 10th
- $49,480
- 25th
- $60,890
- 75th
- $100,400
- 90th
- $128,920
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $49,480 |
| 25th | $60,890 |
| Median | $78,210 |
| 75th | $100,400 |
| 90th | $128,920 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $78,210
- Median hourly wage
- $37.60/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $84,330
- People employed
- 112,380
Versus all US occupations
At $78,210, Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists earn 53% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $27,230 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
Inside the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730, this is 3% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $128,920 or more while the bottom 10% earn $49,480, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 55% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Delaware pays the most at $99,560, and still leads at $99,752 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Delaware | $99,560 | $99,752 | 290 |
| 2Massachusetts | $95,890 | $90,670 | 3,390 |
| 3Colorado | $92,560 | $89,819 | 1,980 |
| 4California | $91,410 | $82,560 | 13,430 |
| 5District of Columbia | $86,710 | $78,898 | 650 |
| 6Washington | $86,630 | $80,953 | 3,350 |
| 7New Jersey | $85,040 | $78,158 | 3,150 |
| 8New Mexico | $83,540 | $90,596 | 340 |
| 9Oregon | $83,320 | $80,611 | 1,330 |
| 10New York | $83,200 | $77,093 | 11,470 |
Job outlook
Is Executive Compensation Consultant a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +6.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists | +6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists to change 6.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 7,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 9,000 openings are projected each year, 7.6% of the 118,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Executive Compensation Consultant
Most executive compensation consultants have a bachelor's degree in finance, economics, accounting or business, and many have an MBA. Strong Excel modeling and a solid grasp of stock options, restricted stock and performance metrics are essential. Many begin as analysts at compensation consulting firms or in corporate compensation departments.
WorldatWork offers the Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) credential and the Certified Executive Compensation Professional (CECP), which is earned by passing an exam on the executive compensation body of knowledge. Knowing SEC proxy disclosure requirements and the accounting and tax treatment of equity awards is part of the job. Some consultants come from law, accounting or investment banking.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists.
- Bachelor's Degree85.7%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate9.5%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)4.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 85.7% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 9.5% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 4.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Executive Compensation Consultant do?
Executive compensation consultants advise company boards and HR leaders on how top executives are paid. They benchmark salaries, bonuses and equity awards against peer companies, design short-term and long-term incentive plans tied to performance goals, and model what those plans would pay out under different scenarios.
At public companies, the work is shaped by disclosure rules. Consultants help prepare the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of the annual proxy statement, analyze shareholder say-on-pay votes, and review how proxy advisory firms will view a pay plan. Many work at independent consulting firms that report directly to a board's compensation committee, while others lead executive pay inside large companies.
Day-to-day tasks
- Benchmark executive pay against peer company data
- Design annual bonus and long-term incentive plans
- Model payouts under different performance scenarios
- Prepare materials for board compensation committee meetings
- Draft proxy statement compensation disclosures
- Analyze say-on-pay results and shareholder feedback
- Advise on equity award accounting and tax effects
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Executive compensation consultants work at consulting firms, accounting firms and corporate headquarters. The job is office or hybrid based, with travel to board and committee meetings. Workloads peak during proxy season and year-end pay decisions. The work is detailed and confidential, and involves presenting to directors and senior executives.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Active Listening3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Writing3.4
- Active Learning3.4
- Mathematics3.1
- Monitoring3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Writing | 3.4 |
| Active Learning | 3.4 |
| Mathematics | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Systems Analysis3.1
- Systems Evaluation3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Persuasion3.0
- Negotiation3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.1 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 |
| Negotiation | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Time accounting software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Executive Compensation Consultant?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ECI) built on O*NET's Compensation, Benefit, and Job Analysis Specialist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Executive Compensation Consultant |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Conventional5.8
- Enterprising5.6
- Investigative3.8
- Social3.6
- Artistic1.4
- Realistic1.3
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Executive Compensation Consultant
O*NET related occupations
- Business and Financial Operations
Compensation, Benefit, and Job Analysis Specialist
$78,210median a year
Most earn $49K to $129K
+6.0%Bachelor's - Management
- Office and Administrative Support
Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping
$50,610median a year
Most earn $37K to $68K
−6.2%Associate's - Office and Administrative Support
Eligibility Interviewer, Government Programs
$54,210median a year
Most earn $39K to $75K
+1.6%High school - Business and Financial Operations
- Management
More business and financial operations careers
Median annual pay, with compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists highlighted
- Financial Advisor$105,070
- Accountant$83,680
- Insurance Underwriter$81,370
- Coroner$80,730
- Executive Compensation Consultant$78,210
- Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator$78,000
- Loan Officer$76,690
- Human Resources Specialist$75,940
- Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate$67,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Financial Advisor | $105,070 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 |
| Coroner | $80,730 |
| Executive Compensation Consultant | $78,210 |
| Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator | $78,000 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $75,940 |
| Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate | $67,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Executive Compensation Consultant appears on
Questions
Executive Compensation Consultant: frequently asked questions
How much do Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists. It counts them within compensation, benefit, and job analysis specialist, whose median pay is $78,210 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $60,890 and $100,400, and the top 10% earn $128,920 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Executive Compensation Consultant?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 85.7% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Executive Compensation Consultant a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6.0% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 9,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Executive Compensation Consultant do?
Executive compensation consultants advise company boards and HR leaders on how top executives are paid. A typical task: benchmark executive pay against peer company data. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Data base user interface and query software, Development environment software.
Which states pay Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists the most?
The highest state medians for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists are Delaware ($99,560), Massachusetts ($95,890), Colorado ($92,560) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Executive Compensation Consultant?
O*NET scores Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists highest on the Conventional, Enterprising and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.