Career profile for Benefits Administrator

What does a Benefits Administrator do?

Benefits Administrators conduct programs of compensation and benefits and job analysis for employer.

In addition, Benefits Administrators may specialize in specific areas, such as position classification and pension programs.

What kind of tasks does a Benefits Administrator perform regularly?

Benefits Administrators are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following tasks:

Evaluate job positions, determining classification, exempt or non-exempt status, and salary.
Ensure company compliance with federal and state laws, including reporting requirements.
Prepare occupational classifications, job descriptions, and salary scales.
Provide advice on the resolution of classification and salary complaints.
Research job and worker requirements, structural and functional relationships among jobs and occupations, and occupational trends.
Advise managers and employees on state and federal employment regulations, collective agreements, benefit and compensation policies, personnel procedures, and classification programs.
Prepare reports, such as organization and flow charts and career path reports, to summarize job analysis and evaluation and compensation analysis information.
Perform multifactor data and cost analyses that may be used in areas such as support of collective bargaining agreements.
Plan, develop, evaluate, improve, and communicate methods and techniques for selecting, promoting, compensating, evaluating, and training workers.
Assess need for and develop job analysis instruments and materials.
Consult with, or serve as, technical liaison between business, industry, government, and union officials.
Observe, interview, and survey employees and conduct focus group meetings to collect job, organizational, and occupational information.
Assist in preparing and maintaining personnel records and handbooks.
Analyze organizational, occupational, and industrial data to facilitate organizational functions and provide technical information to business, industry, and government.

The above responsibilities are specific to Benefits Administrators. More generally, Benefits Administrators are involved in several broader types of activities:

Activities	Importance	Details
Getting Information		Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Analyzing Data or Information		Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Working with Computers		Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates		Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems		Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Getting Information

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Analyzing Data or Information

Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Working with Computers

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

What is a Benefits Administrator salary?

The median salary for a Benefits Administrator is $67,190, and the average salary is $72,610. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Benefits Administrator salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Benefits Administrators earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Benefits Administrators earn less than $41,490 per year, 25% earn less than $52,010, 75% earn less than $86,590, and 90% earn less than $111,930.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Benefits Administrators is expected to change by 9.6%, and there should be roughly 9,400 open positions for Benefits Administrators every year.

Median annual salary: $67,190
Typical salary range: $41,490 - $111,930
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): 9.6%

What personality traits are common among Benefits Administrators?

Interests

Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.

Compared to most occupations, those who work as a Benefits Administrator are usually higher in their Enterprising and Conventional interests.

Benefits Administrators typically have very strong Enterprising interests. Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Also, Benefits Administrators typically have very strong Conventional interests. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Values

People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Compared to most people, those working as a Benefits Administrator tend to value Relationships, Support, and Achievement.

Most importantly, Benefits Administrators strongly value Relationships. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Second, Benefits Administrators strongly value Support. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Lastly, Benefits Administrators moderately value Achievement. Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Psychological Demands

Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.

In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Benefits Administrators must consistently demonstrate qualities such as integrity, attention to detail, and analytical thinking.

Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Benefits Administrators, ranked by importance:

Demands	Importance	Details
Integrity		Job requires being honest and ethical.
Attention to Detail		Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Analytical Thinking		Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative		Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Integrity

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Attention to Detail

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Analytical Thinking

Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Dependability

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Initiative

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

What education and training do Benefits Administrators need?

Many Benefits Administrators will have a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Benefits Administrators usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Educational degrees among Benefits Administrators

0.6% did not complete high school or secondary school
13.5% completed high school or secondary school
20.1% completed some college coursework
12.1% earned a Associate's degree
41.0% earned a Bachelor's degree
10.9% earned a Master's degree
1.7% earned a doctorate or professional degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Benefits Administrators

Benefits Administrators may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as personnel and human resources, administration and management, or mathematics knowledge.

The list below shows several areas in which most Benefits Administrators might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.

Knowledge areas	Importance	Details
Personnel and Human Resources		Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Administration and Management		Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Mathematics		Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Customer and Personal Service		Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Law and Government		Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Personnel and Human Resources

Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Administration and Management

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Law and Government

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Important Abilities needed by Benefits Administrators

Benefits Administrators must develop a particular set of abilities to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.

For example, Benefits Administrators need abilities such as oral expression, oral comprehension, and written comprehension in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Benefits Administrators, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
Oral Expression		The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension		The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension		The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Deductive Reasoning		The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Speech Clarity		The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Critical Skills needed by Benefits Administrators

Skills are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.

Benefits Administrators frequently use skills like reading comprehension, critical thinking, and active listening to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Benefits Administrators, ranked by their relative importance.

Skills	Importance	Details
Reading Comprehension		Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Critical Thinking		Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Active Listening		Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking		Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing		Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

What is the source of this information?

The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.

Career profile Benefits Administrator

Benefits Administrator

Table of Contents

Would Benefits Administrator be a good fit for you?