What Do Payroll and Benefits Administrators Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for payroll and benefits administrators?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what payroll and benefits administrators do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Payroll and Benefits Administrators Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about payroll and benefits administrators by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Payroll and Benefits Administrators conduct programs of compensation and benefits and job analysis for employer. May specialize in specific areas, such as position classification and pension programs.
Popular Job Titles For Payroll and Benefits Administrators
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Compensation Analysts
- Benefits Specialists
- Benefits Analysts
- Benefits Coordinators
- Benefits Administrators
- Compensation Consultants
- Benefit Specialists
- Compensation Specialists
- Benefits Consultants
- Benefits Representatives
- Payroll and Benefits Specialists
- Sales Compensation Analysts
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for payroll and benefits administrators can be found.
Best Industries for Payroll and Benefits Administrators
Payroll and Benefits Administrators Jobs By Industry
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 12.8%
- Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities: 12.6%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 7.8%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 6.8%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 6.5%
- Employment Services: 4.8%
- Other: 48.7%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of payroll and benefits administrators can be found working in the Management of Companies and Enterprises sector. In 2022, about 12.8% of all jobs for payroll and benefits administrators were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (12.6%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (7.8%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (6.8%), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (6.5%) and Employment Services (4.8%).
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What Do Payroll and Benefits Administrators Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what payroll and benefits administrators do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work payroll and benefits administrators do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that payroll and benefits administrators tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for payroll and benefits administrators, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - 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% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Payroll and Benefits Administrators
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Compensation Analysts | 22,757 | 20% |
| Benefits Specialists | 16,913 | 14.9% |
| Benefits Analysts | 8,551 | 7.5% |
| Benefits Coordinators | 7,657 | 6.7% |
| Benefits Administrators | 7,744 | 6.8% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was compensation analysts, with 9,846 unique job postings. Benefits specialists were second, with 3,673 postings, followed by benefits analysts, benefits coordinators and benefits administrators.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to payroll and benefits administrators.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Compensation Analysts | 22,757 | 20% |
| Benefits Specialists | 16,913 | 14.9% |
| Benefits Analysts | 8,551 | 7.5% |
| Benefits Coordinators | 7,657 | 6.7% |
| Benefits Administrators | 7,744 | 6.8% |
| Compensation Consultants | 4,852 | 4.3% |
| Benefit Specialists | 5,913 | 5.2% |
| Compensation Specialists | 4,506 | 4% |
| Benefits Consultants | 3,224 | 2.8% |
| Benefits Representatives | 6,950 | 6.1% |
| Payroll and Benefits Specialists | 4,576 | 4% |
| Sales Compensation Analysts | 2,199 | 1.9% |
| Reimbursement Specialists | 3,006 | 2.6% |
| Benefit Programs Specialists | 1,872 | 1.6% |
| Payroll and Benefits Administrators | 2,682 | 2.4% |
| Workforce Analysts | 2,118 | 1.9% |
| Benefits Assistants | 2,418 | 2.1% |
| Health Care Consultants | 1,263 | 1.1% |
| Retirement Plan Specialists | 1,559 | 1.4% |
| Employee Benefits Specialists | 3,003 | 2.6% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for payroll and benefits administrators? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for payroll and benefits administrators.
How much do payroll and benefits administrators make?
Payroll and Benefits Administrators: How do you become one?
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