A benefits specialist is employed by a company to manage their employees’ benefit plans, which can include a variety of additional payments, such as savings, healthcare plans (including dental), as well as the employees’ retirement plans. A benefits specialist must keep an active eye on the market, always seeking out the best deals for the company’s employees. Finding appropriate healthcare plans is an especially important duty of a benefits specialist, as the variety of choices in this department that the modern day society presents can sometimes lead to the wrong decisions.
A formal degree of education is required to become a benefits specialist in most cases, though the specific type and level of the degree will vary from company to company. A Bachelor’s in finances, economics or human resources will usually suffice for the lower-ranking companies, while candidates seeking employment in a high-level organization will usually have to earn a Master’s degree first; in some cases, a specific subject of the degree may also be strictly required by the employer.
A benefits specialist can expect to earn between $30,000 – $50,000 annually. The specific amount depends highly on the place of employment, as some companies tend to compensate their benefits specialists noticeably more than others. The payment isn’t heavily affected by previous experience, though the potential for development on the job is high. Benefits specialists rarely go over $50,000 in their annual earnings, though there are exceptions.