SOC 11-3111

Compensation and Benefits Managers Salary in Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + DC
COL Index: 158.92 (+58.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 64.1% Realized
$110,183 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $171,950 $82.67/hr
Effective Tax Drag 29.92% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$51,450 $1,978.86/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $82.67 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$10,317/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$2,476/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$27,526
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$10,661
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$2,493
District of Columbia Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$10,770
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$110,183 ($4,237.79 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Compensation and Benefits Managers Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $171,950
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $117k 25th $143k Median: $171,950 50th (Median) $172k 75th $217k 90th $281k You: $171,950
10th (Entry) $116,580 $56.05/hr
25th (Junior) $143,160 $68.83/hr
50th (Median) $171,950 $82.67/hr
75th (Senior) $216,980 $104.32/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $281,000 $135.10/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Compensation and Benefits Managers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
1
Compensation & Benefits AnalystBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$102,781$49.41/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Senior Analyst, Total RewardsDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$130,434$62.71/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Compensation & Benefits ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$171,915$82.65/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Senior Manager, Total RewardsOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$231,141$111.13/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Director of Total RewardsExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$295,667$142.15/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV medianView National Compensation and Benefits Managers Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists-$71,020/yr
National median: $78,210
Skill overlap: 96%
Human Resources Specialists-$73,290/yr
National median: $75,940
Skill overlap: 93%
Labor Relations Specialists-$53,810/yr
National median: $95,420
Skill overlap: 93%
Human Resources Managers+$50/yr
National median: $149,280
Skill overlap: 89%View Salary
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
24% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,204/month Requires minimum annual gross of $88,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,438/month Requires minimum annual gross of $97,520
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $35.15/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $29.27/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$171,950-$51,450$110,183$4,237.79
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$204,191-$62,583$129,356$4,975.23
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$236,431-$73,540$148,705$5,719.44
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$268,672-$86,572$165,980$6,383.84
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$300,913-$100,045$182,813$7,031.26
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Compensation and Benefits Managers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and District of Columbia tax codes.

Market Baseline
$171,950/yr
$82.67/hr · SOC 11-3111
Statutory Tax Drag
29.92% Effective
-$51,450 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
24% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$6,978/mo
Post-$2,204/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 11-3111
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Compensation and Benefits Managers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: Market Snapshot

Compensation and Benefits Managers roles in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV report a median annual wage of $171,950, 15.2% above the national median of $149,230. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $116,580 to $281,000, and HUD’s $2,204 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 15.4% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $35.15 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Compensation and Benefits Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$221,800+29.0%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$218,860+27.3%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$216,580+26.0%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$215,180+25.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$188,850+9.8%
Trenton-Princeton, NJ$186,700+8.6%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$185,590+7.9%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$179,730+4.5%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$168,850-1.8%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$168,540-2.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$195,190$93.84/hr
Public Relations Managers$195,190$93.84/hr
Financial Manager$185,270$89.07/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$185,220$89.05/hr
Marketing Managers$181,260$87.14/hr
Human Resources Managers$177,960$85.56/hr
Sales Managers$175,820$84.53/hr
Purchasing Managers$172,150$82.76/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$169,060$81.28/hr
Emergency Management Directors$163,220$78.47/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 90 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Compensation and Benefits Managers Salary in Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV Overview

Compensation & Benefits Managers median pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $171,950 a year ($82.67/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes. Official 2026 economic data for Compensation and Benefits Managers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Compensation and Benefits Managers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

The median annual wage is $171,950 ($82.67 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $116,580 and $281,000. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Compensation and Benefits Managers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV after taxes?

On the median wage of $171,950, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $117,147 a year ($9,762 a month) after $54,803 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 31.87%, using 2026 tax rules.