Compensation Associate Salary in the United States
How much does a Compensation Associate make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Compensation Associate in the United States is $79,211 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $38.
However, a Compensation Associate's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $90,771
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $70,311 to $85,262
Key Factors That Influence Compensation Associate Salaries
A Compensation Associate's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Compensation Associate Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Compensation Associate's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Compensation Associate Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Compensation Associates. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $87,703.
California: $87,370.
Massachusetts: $86,206.
District of Columbia$87,703
California$87,370
Massachusetts$86,206
Washington$85,889
New Jersey$85,857
Alaska$85,746
Connecticut$84,653
New York$84,210
Hawaii$82,792
Rhode Island$82,126
Maryland$81,675
Minnesota$81,057
Colorado$80,819
Illinois$80,740
Oregon$80,439
Delaware$80,217
New Hampshire$80,078
Virginia$79,766
Pennsylvania$78,855
Nevada$78,395
North Dakota$78,245
Michigan$78,007
Wisconsin$77,920
Vermont$77,746
Texas$77,263
Maine$77,231
Arizona$77,183
Ohio$77,128
Georgia$76,399
Indiana$76,035
Wyoming$75,964
Utah$75,853
Iowa$75,805
Kansas$75,425
Louisiana$75,314
North Carolina$75,274
Missouri$75,259
Florida$74,950
Montana$74,783
Nebraska$74,625
Kentucky$74,538
South Carolina$74,221
Tennessee$74,023
Idaho$73,944
New Mexico$73,366
Oklahoma$73,239
Alabama$72,771
South Dakota$71,987
Arkansas$71,559
West Virginia$71,330
Mississippi$70,641
Top Paying Cities for Compensation Associates
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $99,909
San Francisco: $98,815
Oakland: $96,733
San Jose, CA$99,909
San Francisco, CA$98,815
Oakland, CA$96,733
New York, NY$91,203
Paramus, NJ$90,094
Queens Village, NY$90,090
Passaic, NJ$90,015
Bergenfield, NJ$90,008
Stamford, CT$89,834
Huntington, NY$89,801
Newark, NJ$89,216
Bridgeport, CT$89,049
Vallejo, CA$88,891
New Brunswick, NJ$88,859
Petaluma, CA$88,812
Middlesex, NJ$88,661
Somerset, NJ$88,606
Santa Cruz, CA$88,503
Boston, MA$88,020
Monterey, CA$87,742
Seattle, WA$87,560
Santa Rosa, CA$87,544
Los Angeles, CA$87,521
Juneau, AK$87,315
Washington, DC$87,227
Orange, CA$86,945
Santa Ana, CA$86,736
Long Beach, CA$86,657
Anaheim, CA$86,641
Anchorage, AK$86,602
Santa Maria, CA$86,364
Everett, WA$86,348
Danbury, CT$86,069
Bremerton, WA$85,960
Tacoma, WA$85,675
New Suffolk, NY$85,673
Sacramento, CA$85,651
Santa Barbara, CA$85,564
Trenton, NJ$85,477
San Diego, CA$85,477
Brockton, MA$85,390
Fairbanks, AK$85,196
Lompoc, CA$84,994
Lowell, MA$84,930
Ventura, CA$84,915
Nashua, NH$84,899
Stockton, CA$84,891
Modesto, CA$84,313
Poughkeepsie, NY$84,138
Olympia, WA$83,988
Kennewick, WA$83,988
New Haven, CT$83,956
Lawrence, MA$83,671
Hartford, CT$83,592
Riverside, CA$83,576
New Bedford, MA$83,497
Richland, WA$83,497
Bakersfield, CA$83,386
San Bernardino, CA$83,354
New Britain, CT$83,346
Atlantic City, NJ$83,346
New London, CT$83,314
Norwich, CT$83,291
Portsmouth, NH$83,275
Boulder, CO$83,107
Portland, OR$82,998
Worcester, MA$82,990
Minneapolis, MN$82,744
Philadelphia, PA$82,633
Honolulu, HI$82,372
Saint Paul, MN$82,334
Vineland, NJ$82,316
Providence, RI$82,087
Chicago, IL$81,857
Bellingham, WA$81,762
Springfield, MA$81,699
Baltimore, MD$81,675
Chico, CA$81,477
Pittsfield, MA$81,263
Manchester, NH$81,112
Spokane, WA$80,764
Denver, CO$80,756
Albany, NY$80,384
Troy, NY$80,352
Nassau, NY$80,267
Schenectady, NY$80,186
Wilmington, DE$80,122
Burlington, VT$80,011
Salem, OR$79,980
Portland, ME$79,734
Yakima, WA$79,655
Rochester, MN$79,409
Reno, NV$79,370
Fresno, CA$79,370
Milwaukee, WI$79,298
Detroit, MI$79,219
Ann Arbor, MI$79,206
Allentown, PA$79,195
Colorado Springs, CO$79,061
Syracuse, NY$79,021
Carson City, NV$79,021
Houston, TX$78,910
Eugene, OR$78,871
Gary, IN$78,776
Springfield, OR$78,712
Bismarck, ND$78,696
Galveston, TX$78,641
Medford, OR$78,522
Fort Collins, CO$78,490
Concord, NH$78,451
Austin, TX$78,427
Mesa, AZ$78,261
Reading, PA$78,253
Phoenix, AZ$78,245
Dallas, TX$78,221
Saint Cloud, MN$78,145
Madison, WI$78,039
Utica, NY$77,825
Rochester, NY$77,698
Des Moines, IA$77,690
Raleigh, NC$77,683
Atlanta, GA$77,564
Battle Creek, MI$77,540
Salt Lake City, UT$77,516
Lancaster, PA$77,397
Harrisburg, PA$77,286
Kansas City, MO$77,207
Champaign, IL$77,191
Kansas City, KS$77,191
Fort Worth, TX$77,183
Columbus, OH$77,170
Boca Raton, FL$77,152
Pittsburgh, PA$77,120
Richmond, VA$77,088
Indianapolis, IN$77,073
Cleveland, OH$77,065
Las Vegas, NV$76,970
Cincinnati, OH$76,970
Petersburg, VA$76,851
Huntsville, AL$76,732
Lansing, MI$76,679
Lebanon, PA$76,669
Pueblo, CO$76,661
Appleton, WI$76,637
Buffalo, NY$76,605
Dayton, OH$76,581
Racine, WI$76,566
Charlotte, NC$76,558
Saint Louis, MO$76,534
York, PA$76,486
Elkhart, IN$76,486
Gastonia, NC$76,471
Billings, MT$76,452
Beaumont, TX$76,431
Lorain, OH$76,415
Benton Harbor, MI$76,399
Toledo, OH$76,383
Binghamton, NY$76,344
Rock Hill, SC$76,336
Rockford, IL$76,296
Springfield, IL$76,265
Elyria, OH$76,257
Fargo, ND$76,257
Flagstaff, AZ$76,201
Fort Lauderdale, FL$76,154
Duluth, MN$76,106
Miami, FL$76,106
Cheyenne, WY$76,051
Grand Forks, ND$76,051
Bangor, ME$75,877
Cedar Rapids, IA$75,789
Durham, NC$75,756
Louisville, KY$75,750
Grand Rapids, MI$75,734
Hialeah, FL$75,726
Casper, WY$75,615
Scranton, PA$75,520
New Orleans, LA$75,496
Virginia Beach, VA$75,488
Akron, OH$75,449
Peoria, IL$75,346
Sarasota, FL$75,330
Nashville, TN$75,274
Omaha, NE$75,274
Green Bay, WI$75,274
Baton Rouge, LA$75,235
Charleston, SC$75,219
Jamestown, NY$75,179
Davenport, IA$75,179
Tucson, AZ$75,140
Saint Petersburg, FL$75,092
Tampa, FL$75,076
Evansville, IN$75,029
Port Arthur, TX$75,029
Bradenton, FL$74,997
Santa Fe, NM$74,855
Orlando, FL$74,712
Clearwater, FL$74,688
Canton, OH$74,522
La Crosse, WI$74,522
Albuquerque, NM$74,474
Newport News, VA$74,467
High Point, NC$74,443
Ogden, UT$74,411
Corpus Christi, TX$74,348
Norfolk, VA$74,300
Laramie, WY$74,300
Rock Island, IL$74,253
Saginaw, MI$74,237
Jacksonville, FL$74,229
Salisbury, NC$74,213
Boise, ID$74,197
Moline, IL$74,158
Fort Myers, FL$74,134
Memphis, TN$74,118
Tulsa, OK$74,078
Waterloo, IA$74,031
Spartanburg, SC$73,952
Lincoln, NE$73,912
Fort Wayne, IN$73,896
Provo, UT$73,888
Cedar Falls, IA$73,793
San Antonio, TX$73,762
Greensboro, NC$73,730
South Bend, IN$73,722
Savannah, GA$73,635
Muskegon, MI$73,603
Birmingham, AL$73,595
Winston Salem, NC$73,556
Lake Charles, LA$73,366
Anderson, IN$73,350
Lexington, KY$73,326
Augusta, GA$73,302
Greenville, SC$73,302
Lima, OH$73,239
Wichita, KS$73,231
Tuscaloosa, AL$73,231
Columbia, SC$73,160
Springfield, OH$73,144
Asheville, NC$73,017
Bloomington, IN$72,962
Knoxville, TN$72,676
Shreveport, LA$72,668
Wilmington, NC$72,565
Roanoke, VA$72,565
Topeka, KS$72,423
Frankfort, KY$72,414
Oklahoma City, OK$72,360
Chillicothe, OH$72,328
Longview, TX$72,320
Melbourne, FL$72,312
Sioux Falls, SD$72,185
Mobile, AL$72,177
Terre Haute, IN$72,146
Altoona, PA$72,098
Amarillo, TX$72,043
Killeen, TX$72,019
Fayetteville, AR$71,956
Chattanooga, TN$71,932
Sioux City, IA$71,860
Idaho Falls, ID$71,845
Lynchburg, VA$71,781
Gainesville, FL$71,678
Portsmouth, OH$71,639
Little Rock, AR$71,623
Lafayette, LA$71,591
Youngstown, OH$71,591
Daytona Beach, FL$71,544
Clarksville, TN$71,536
Pensacola, FL$71,528
Temple, TX$71,522
Hopkinsville, KY$71,290
Erie, PA$71,274
Florence, SC$71,243
Charleston, WV$71,116
Great Falls, MT$71,076
Macon, GA$70,965
Tallahassee, FL$70,957
Fayetteville, NC$70,942
Waco, TX$70,926
Helena, MT$70,870
Pine Bluff, AR$70,840
Vincennes, IN$70,744
Lubbock, TX$70,712
Alamogordo, NM$70,664
Twin Falls, ID$70,593
Rapid City, SD$70,569
Jackson, MS$70,427
Huntington, WV$70,421
Greenville, MS$70,419
Parkersburg, WV$70,338
Montgomery, AL$70,324
Wichita Falls, TX$70,245
Springfield, MO$70,245
Biloxi, MS$70,205
Monroe, LA$70,126
Johnstown, PA$70,070
Sumter, SC$70,039
Columbus, GA$70,031
Pascagoula, MS$69,880
Abilene, TX$69,880
Kingsport, TN$69,674
Albany, GA$69,674
Gulfport, MS$69,650
Alexandria, LA$69,389
Fort Smith, AR$69,191
El Paso, TX$68,977
Las Cruces, NM$68,621
Harlingen, TX$68,420
Pocatello, ID$68,407
Florence, AL$68,304
Brownsville, TX$68,288
Mcallen, TX$68,122
Dothan, AL$68,011
Columbus, MS$67,540
Altus, OK$67,171
Lawton, OK$67,021
Pierre, SD$66,736
What Skills Can Increase a Compensation Associate's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 18.14% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Data Analysis (Mentioned in 1.57% Job Postings): Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names, and is used in different business, science, and social science domains. In today's business world, data analysis plays a role in making decisions more scientific and helping businesses operate more effectively. Data mining is a particular data analysis technique that focuses on modeling and knowledge discovery for predictive rather than purely descriptive purposes, while business intelligence covers data analysis that relies heavily on aggregation, focusing mainly on business information. In statistical applications, data analysis can be divided into descriptive statistics, exploratory data analysis (EDA), and confirmatory data analysis (CDA). EDA focuses on discovering new features in the data while CDA focuses on confirming or falsifying existing hypotheses. Predictive analytics focuses on application of statistical models for predictive forecasting or classification, while text analytics applies statistical, linguistic, and structural techniques to extract and classify information from textual sources, a species of unstructured data. All of the above are varieties of data analysis.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Compensation Associate's salary.
Compensation Planning: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Partnering: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Executive Compensation: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Compensation Associate Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Compensation Associate roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 32% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Pharmaceuticals
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 18% above the average.
In contrast, Compensation Associate positions in Biotechnology or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Compensation Associate as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Compensation Associate
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities
$93,469
$45.0
18%
Pharmaceuticals
$91,885
$44.0
16%
Insurance
$87,132
$42.0
10%
Chemicals
$84,756
$41.0
7%
Internet
$83,964
$40.0
6%
How Education impacts a Compensation Associate's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Compensation Associates enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Compensation Associate with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$77,611
and $81,954).
Compensation Associate Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Compensation Associate's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$70,311
Average$79,211/year
$85,262
$5,859
Average$6,601/month
$7,105
$1,352
Average$1,523/week
$1,640
$34
Average$38/hour
$41
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$85,262
$7,105
$1,640
$41
Average
$79,211
$6,601
$1,523
$38
25th Percentile
$70,311
$5,859
$1,352
$34
Salaries of Jobs related to Compensation Associate
Salaries for a Compensation Associate can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $72,412 in 2023
to around $71,529 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Compensation Associate salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Compensation Associate Over Time
$???
$72,412
$71,988
$71,529
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$72,412
2024
$71,988
2025
$71,529
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Compensation Associate
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Compensation Associate
Here are companies hiring for Compensation Associate and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Compensation Associate Job
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FAQ about Compensation Associate
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Compensation Associate?
The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Compensation Associate roles,
with salaries approximately 18% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
