The salary of a Compensation Manager in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Compensation Manager in the United States is $127,739. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $116,666 to a high of $149,025, with most professionals earning between $121,943 and $138,881.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $138,881 | $11,573 | $2,671 | $67 |
| Average | $127,739 | $10,645 | $2,457 | $61 |
| 25th Percentile | $121,943 | $10,162 | $2,345 | $59 |
An entry-level Compensation Manager with less than 1 year of experience earns about $125,576. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $125,836. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $126,441. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $127,133, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $128,903.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Compensation Manager | $125,576 |
| Intermediate Level Compensation Manager | $125,836 |
| Senior Level Compensation Manager | $126,441 |
| Specialist Level Compensation Manager | $127,133 |
| Expert Level Compensation Manager | $128,903 |
| Entry Level | 2% |
| Mid Level | 1% |
| Senior Level | 1% |
| Top Level | 0% |
| Experienced | 1% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of April 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Compensation Manager compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $122,492 in 2023 to approximately $122,003 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Compensation Manager salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Compensation Manager information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Compensation Manager job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Compensation Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $127,739 | 72.4% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $9,772 | 5.5% | ||
| 401K/403B | $5,365 | 3.0% | ||
| Disability | $2,555 | 1.4% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 4.7% | ||
| Pension | $6,898 | 3.9% | ||
| Time Off | $15,722 | 8.9% | ||
| Total Compensation | $176,403 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 0.4% |
| High School | 4.2% |
| Associates | 2.5% |
| Bachelors | 47.5% |
| Masters | 43.2% |
| Doctorate | 2.1% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of Compensation Manager is $127,739. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Compensation Manager is $61; the average weekly pay of Compensation Manager is $2,457; the average monthly pay of Compensation Manager is $10,645.
A Compensation Manager's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Compensation Manager earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Compensation Manager is $161,117.
The highest pay for Compensation Manager is $149,025.
The lowest pay for Compensation Manager is $116,666.
Leads the development, implementation, and administration of compensation programs, policies, and procedures. Manages common compensation functions, including survey participation, job evaluation, salary structure development, incentive plan design, pay program administration and other associated initiatives. Ensures that base pay, incentive pay and performance management programs remain competitive and conform to current compensation strategy. Directs data collection and analysis processes for market, pay equity, and other compensation studies. Requires a bachelor's degree. May require a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) certification. Typically reports to a head of a unit/department. Manages subordinate staff in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. True first level manager. Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets. Has full authority for personnel actions. Typically requires 5 years experience in the related area as an individual contributor. 1 - 3 years supervisory experience may be required. Extensive knowledge of the function and department processes.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Analysis: Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Promotion: Developing and implementing promotional activities to attract and increase the awareness of customers in buying products.
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Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
