Payroll and Benefits Administrators: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of payroll and benefits administrators about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for payroll and benefits administrators to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of payroll and benefits administrators expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for payroll and benefits administrators.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Payroll and Benefits Administrators?
Do payroll and benefits administrators need a degree? What kind of experience do payroll and benefits administrators typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for payroll and benefits administrators to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Payroll and Benefits Administrators
Jobs Postings for Payroll and Benefits Administrators By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 44,945 (53%)
- No Education Listed: 18,417 (22%)
- High School or GED: 13,634 (16%)
- Master's degree: 6,900 (8%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 687 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of payroll and benefits administrators. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 53% of positions. In 22% of job listings no education level was listed and in 16% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Payroll and Benefits Administrators
Jobs Postings for Payroll and Benefits Administrators By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 9,237 (17%)
- 2-3 Years: 24,377 (46%)
- 4-6 Years: 15,257 (29%)
- 7-9 Years: 2,546 (5%)
- 10+ Years: 1,376 (3%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for payroll and benefits administrators. In 46% of job postings for Payroll and Benefits Administrators, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 29% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 17% of job postings for payroll and benefits administrators.
What Kind of Degree Do Payroll and Benefits Administrators Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for payroll and benefits administrators, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 1 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective payroll and benefits administrators, and in 2021 a total of 18,408 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective payroll and benefits administrators.
Top Degree Programs for Payroll and Benefits Administrators
Top 5 Degree Programs for Payroll and Benefits Administrators (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General. | 18,408 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Payroll and Benefits Administrators
Find ways to attract, train, and retain the very best talent by implementing effective benefits and labor-relations strategies.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
Learn the strategic skills needed to be a leader in the evolving field of Human Resources.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Payroll and Benefits Administrators Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by payroll and benefits administrators to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for payroll and benefits administrators, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Payroll and Benefits Administrators
Based on 75,004 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Payroll and Benefits Administrators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Auditing | 17,013 | 23% |
| Finance | 12,933 | 17% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 12,547 | 17% |
| Compensation Analysis | 11,974 | 16% |
| Project Management | 10,870 | 14% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Payroll and Benefits Administrators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 36,798 | 49% |
| Management | 24,345 | 32% |
| Microsoft Excel | 24,189 | 32% |
| Customer Service | 22,335 | 30% |
| Detail Oriented | 19,557 | 26% |
Based on 75,004 job postings related to payroll and benefits administrators, auditing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 23% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for finance, human resources information system (hris), compensation analysis, project management and accounting were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for payroll and benefits administrators, followed by management, microsoft excel, customer service, detail oriented and problem solving.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Auditing | 17,013 | 23% |
| Finance | 12,933 | 17% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 12,547 | 17% |
| Compensation Analysis | 11,974 | 16% |
| Project Management | 10,870 | 14% |
| Accounting | 9,513 | 13% |
| Benefits Enrollment Processes | 9,083 | 12% |
| Data Analysis | 8,145 | 11% |
| Benefits Administration | 7,337 | 10% |
| Billing | 7,200 | 10% |
| Process Improvement | 5,975 | 8% |
| Invoicing | 5,768 | 8% |
| Workday (Software) | 5,282 | 7% |
| Data Entry | 3,894 | 5% |
| Pivot Tables And Charts | 3,788 | 5% |
| Workflow Management | 3,774 | 5% |
| Healthcare Industry Knowledge | 3,509 | 5% |
| Marketing | 3,458 | 5% |
| Benchmarking | 3,376 | 5% |
| Medicaid | 3,342 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 36,798 | 49% |
| Management | 24,345 | 32% |
| Microsoft Excel | 24,189 | 32% |
| Customer Service | 22,335 | 30% |
| Detail Oriented | 19,557 | 26% |
| Problem Solving | 15,523 | 21% |
| Microsoft Office | 15,415 | 21% |
| Research | 14,686 | 20% |
| Writing | 14,543 | 19% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 13,903 | 19% |
| Leadership | 11,746 | 16% |
| Operations | 11,596 | 15% |
| Presentations | 11,515 | 15% |
| Sales | 10,488 | 14% |
| Organizational Skills | 10,069 | 13% |
| Planning | 9,822 | 13% |
| Analytical Skills | 9,232 | 12% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 9,120 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 8,987 | 12% |
| Time Management | 8,531 | 11% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about payroll and benefits administrators? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for payroll and benefits administrators.
What do payroll and benefits administrators do?
How much do payroll and benefits administrators make?
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