Career comparison
Compensation and Benefits Manager vs. Human Resources Manager
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Human resources managers earn more at the median ($149,280 vs. $149,230), while compensation and benefits managers usually get to work faster (5+ years of experience of training). Compensation and benefits managers design how an organization pays its people and what benefits they get. Human resources managers lead hiring, employee relations and people programs for an organization.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Compensation and Benefits Manager | Human Resources Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $149,230 ($71.75/hr) | $149,280 ($71.77/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $89,160 – $256,570 | $88,200 – $267,810 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +1.1% (slower than average) | +5.5% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 1,600 | 16,800 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 5+ years of experience | 5+ years of HR experience |
| Key credential | CCP | SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP |
| Work setting | Managers work in offices, often in large organizations.. | HR managers work in offices in every industry.. |
What each job does
Compensation and Benefits Manager
- Design pay structures
- Analyze market pay data
- Run annual raise and bonus cycles
- Select and manage benefit plans
- Manage benefits vendors
Human Resources Manager
- Lead HR staff
- Oversee recruiting and hiring
- Handle employee relations
- Manage performance programs
- Write and enforce policies
How they’re similar
Both careers involve high-pay, desk work, working with people, and high responsibility. Both are part of the business & office field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose compensation and benefits manager if…
- I like data and people
- I keep things confidential
- I want fair pay
Choose human resources manager if…
- I like helping people at work
- I keep things confidential
- I stay fair in conflict
Still torn? Take the Compensation and Benefits Manager fit quiz and the Human Resources Manager fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, compensation and benefits manager or human resources manager?
Human Resources Managers earn more at the median: $149,280 versus $149,230 for compensation and benefits managers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Compensation and Benefits Managers typically train faster (5+ years of experience) than human resources managers (5+ years of HR experience).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects human resources managers to grow +5.5% from 2025–35, compared with +1.1% for compensation and benefits managers.