Compensation and Benefits Managers Salary
Compensation and Benefits Managers in Memphis, TN-MS-AR make a median of $133,150 a year, or about $64.02 an hour. The range runs from $90K at the entry level to $234K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.18), which stretches that salary to about $144,446 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,274/month, or 14.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $133K get you in Memphis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Memphis’s Regional Price Parity (92.18). 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 Memphis
Pay for compensation and benefits managers in Memphis runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $149K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,274/month, 15% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.18 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Memphis can be a reasonable trade-off for compensation and benefits managerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for compensation and benefits managers in metros near Memphis, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $124K | $128K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $166K | $166K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $167K | $172K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $105K | $108K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Entry-level compensation and benefits managers (10th percentile) start around $90K. Mid-career wages sit at $133K. Top earners bring in $234K or more, a $144K 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 Memphis numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a compensation and benefits manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in Memphis?
Yes — at the median salary of $133K, rent takes 15% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,274/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for compensation and benefits managers in Memphis?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new compensation and benefits managers typically earn — is $90K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,423/month. At HUD’s $1,274/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is compensation and benefits manager a high-paying job in Memphis?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $133K here vs. $149K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Memphis compare to the national average for compensation and benefits managers?
Memphis pays $133K median vs. the U.S. average of $149K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $144K — below the national median.
How much do compensation and benefits managers make in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
The median is $133,150 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $90,390, and experienced compensation and benefits managers can clear $234,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $133K enough to live in Memphis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,480/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,274/month, which eats 15% 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 Memphis?
Memphis has a Regional Price Parity of 92.18 (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 $144,446 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.