Retirement Plan Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Retirement Plan Specialist make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Retirement Plan Specialist in the United States is $63,850 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $31.

However, a Retirement Plan Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $83,306
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $57,194 to $74,034
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $51,134
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View as table View as graph 25% $57,194 10% $51,134 90% $83,306 75% $74,034 $63,850 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Retirement Plan Specialist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $74,034 $6,170 $1,424 $36
Average $63,850 $5,321 $1,228 $31
25th Percentile $57,194 $4,766 $1,100 $27
Check out Retirement Plan Specialist Job Openings in the United States
VP Retirement Plan Services

USI Insurance Services - Columbus, OH

Specialist Health Plan Growth&amp Community Engagement

Molina Healthcare - Cincinnati, OH

Retirement Customer CARE Specialist

OPOC.US - Columbus, OH

Director of Retirement Plan Services

Farmers National Bank - Dublin, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Retirement Plan Specialist Salaries

A Retirement Plan Specialist'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 Retirement Plan Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Retirement Plan Specialist'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $60,971
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $61,165
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $63,102
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $66,846
  • Expert (over 8 years): $68,343
Levels Salary
Entry Level Retirement Plan Specialist$60,971
Intermediate Level Retirement Plan Specialist$61,165
Senior Level Retirement Plan Specialist$63,102
Specialist Level Retirement Plan Specialist$66,846
Expert Level Retirement Plan Specialist$68,343
$60,971 0 yr
$61,165 < 2 yrs
$63,102 2-4 yrs
$66,846 5-8 yrs
$68,343 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Retirement Plan Specialists

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: $80,535
  • San Francisco: $79,653
  • Oakland: $77,974

What Skills Can Increase a Retirement Plan Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 8.19% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Microsoft Excel (Mentioned in 2.22% Job Postings): Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It features calculation or computation capabilities, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications.
  • Workday (Mentioned in 1.74% Job Postings): A cloud-based human resource management software system that unifies a wide range of HR functionality into a single system.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 8.19%
Microsoft Excel 2.22%
Workday 1.74%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
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 Retirement Plan Specialist's salary.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
  • Loan Review: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Consulting
$77,259
21%
Leadership
$75,982
19%
Loan Review
$69,597
9%
Business Model
$69,597
9%
Presentation
$69,597
9%
Oral Communication
$67,681
6%
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How Education impacts a Retirement Plan Specialist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Retirement Plan Specialists 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 Retirement Plan Specialist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $61,813 and $68,170).

Retirement Plan Specialist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Retirement Plan Specialist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.6%
High School 15.2%
Associates 8.0%
Bachelors 64.8%
Masters 10.4%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Retirement Plan Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Retirement Plan Specialist'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.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Retirement Plan Specialist

Salaries for a Retirement Plan Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $58,043 in 2023 to around $56,787 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Retirement Plan Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Retirement Plan Specialist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$58,043
2024
$57,121
2025
$56,787
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
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2023 $58,043
2024 $57,121
2025 $56,787
2026
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2027
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Most common benefits for Retirement Plan Specialist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Retirement Plan Specialist

Here are companies hiring for Retirement Plan Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Retirement Plan Specialist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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