Compensation and Benefits Managers Salary
Compensation and Benefits Managers in Charleston-North Charleston, SC make a median of $150,810 a year, or about $72.51 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $226K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.96), that's roughly $149,376 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,787/month, or 19.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $151K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (100.96). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About compensation and benefits managers
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What this looks like in Charleston-North Charleston
Compensation and benefits managers pay in Charleston-North Charleston tracks closely to the national median, $151K locally vs. $149K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,787/month, 20.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.96) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for compensation and benefits managers in metros near Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $74K | $79K |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $126K | $135K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $166K | $166K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $167K | $172K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level compensation and benefits managers (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $151K. Top earners bring in $226K or more, a $159K spread from bottom to top.
Compensation and Benefits Managers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Compensation and Benefits Managers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $199K | +33% | 460 |
| Connecticut | $198K | +33% | 480 |
| Massachusetts | $184K | +23% | 670 |
| New York | $176K | +18% | 2,260 |
| New Jersey | $168K | +13% | 950 |
| California | $167K | +12% | 2,970 |
| Delaware | $166K | +11% | 50 |
| Colorado | $166K | +11% | 280 |
| Minnesota | $163K | +9% | 360 |
| Georgia | $163K | +9% | 1,010 |
| Oregon | $161K | +8% | 240 |
| District of Columbia | $161K | +8% | 130 |
| Virginia | $154K | +3% | N/A |
| Illinois | $152K | +2% | 780 |
| Michigan | $152K | +2% | 580 |
| Rhode Island | $149K | +0% | 50 |
| Ohio | $142K | -5% | 460 |
| Maryland | $140K | -6% | 430 |
| Pennsylvania | $139K | -7% | 770 |
| New Hampshire | $137K | -8% | 100 |
| Texas | $137K | -8% | 2,230 |
| North Carolina | $135K | -9% | 880 |
| Tennessee | $133K | -11% | 670 |
| Utah | $133K | -11% | 200 |
| Arizona | $130K | -13% | 510 |
| Maine | $130K | -13% | 50 |
| Florida | $128K | -14% | 1,670 |
| Wisconsin | $128K | -14% | N/A |
| New Mexico | $124K | -17% | 40 |
| Alaska | $122K | -18% | 30 |
| Nebraska | $122K | -18% | 140 |
| Alabama | $118K | -21% | 90 |
| Iowa | $118K | -21% | 120 |
| Indiana | $118K | -21% | 170 |
| Nevada | $115K | -23% | 180 |
| Kentucky | $114K | -23% | 110 |
| Kansas | $114K | -24% | 70 |
| Hawaii | $110K | -26% | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $108K | -28% | 180 |
| Missouri | $106K | -29% | 250 |
| Arkansas | $101K | -32% | 140 |
| Louisiana | $100K | -33% | 220 |
| South Carolina | $100K | -33% | 330 |
| Idaho | $90K | -40% | 100 |
| Mississippi | $89K | -40% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track compensation and benefits managers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a compensation and benefits manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston-North Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $151K, rent takes 20.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,787/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for compensation and benefits managers in Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new compensation and benefits managers typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,071/month. At HUD’s $1,787/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is compensation and benefits manager a high-paying job in Charleston-North Charleston?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $151K locally vs. $149K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for compensation and benefits managers?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $151K median vs. the U.S. average of $149K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $149K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do compensation and benefits managers make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $150,810 a year, that works out to about $73 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,850, and experienced compensation and benefits managers can clear $226,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $151K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,817/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,787/month, which eats 20.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a compensation and benefits managers salary go in Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100.96 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median compensation and benefits managers salary is worth about $149,376 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do compensation and benefits managers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.