Compensation and Benefits Managers Salary
Compensation and Benefits Managers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC make a median of $105,310 a year, or about $50.63 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $183K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $107,933 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,711/month, or 25.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $105K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). 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 Durham-Chapel Hill
Pay for compensation and benefits managers in Durham-Chapel Hill runs about 29% below the U.S. median of $149K. Rent runs $1,711/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $167K | $172K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $132K | $134K |
| Winston-Salem | $130K | $141K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $132K | $142K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level compensation and benefits managers (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $105K. Top earners bring in $183K or more, a $119K 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 with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track compensation and benefits managers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a compensation and benefits manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Yes — at the median salary of $105K, rent takes 26.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for compensation and benefits managers in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new compensation and benefits managers typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,824/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
Local pay runs 29% below the national median — $105K here vs. $149K nationally.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for compensation and benefits managers?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $105K median vs. the U.S. average of $149K — that’s -29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $108K — below the national median.
How much do compensation and benefits managers make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $105,310 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,740, and experienced compensation and benefits managers can clear $182,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $105K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,478/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 26.4% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median compensation and benefits managers salary is worth about $107,933 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.