Compensation and Benefits Managers Salary
Compensation and Benefits Managers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA make a median of $188,850 a year, or about $90.79 an hour. The range runs from $125K at the entry level to $304K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 115.61), so that salary is closer to $163,351 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,604/month, about 33.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $189K get you in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont’s Regional Price Parity (115.61). 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont sits well above the national pay line for compensation and benefits managers, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $149K. Rent runs $3,604/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 16% above the national average (BEA RPP 115.61), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for compensation and benefits managers in metros near San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $155K | $137K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $215K | $195K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $161K | $144K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $159K | $149K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Entry-level compensation and benefits managers (10th percentile) start around $125K. Mid-career wages sit at $189K. Top earners bring in $304K or more, a $180K 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a compensation and benefits manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $189K, rent takes 34.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,604/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $3,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for compensation and benefits managers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new compensation and benefits managers typically earn — is $125K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,479/month. At HUD’s $3,604/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $189K here vs. $149K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 16% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont compare to the national average for compensation and benefits managers?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays $189K median vs. the U.S. average of $149K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 115.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $163K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do compensation and benefits managers make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The median is $188,850 a year, that works out to about $91 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $124,650, and experienced compensation and benefits managers can clear $304,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $189K enough to live in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,577/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,604/month, which eats 34.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a compensation and benefits managers salary go in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has a Regional Price Parity of 115.61 (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 $163,351 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.