Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Compensation and Benefits Manager Salary in New York, NY

Compensation and Benefits Managers in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $179,730 a year — 20% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $124,548 take-home, or $10,379 a month.

Median salary
$179,730
$86.41 per hour
Typical range
$120,760 – $239,200+
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in New York, NY
2,420
1.73× national concentration
▼2.2%
Pay trend: The median for compensation and benefits managers in New York, NY fell from $183,770 (May 2024) to $179,730 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 4.6%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median compensation and benefits manager salary in New York, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Compensation and Benefits Manager in New York, NY
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$124,548
per year · effective tax rate 30.7%
$10,379Monthly
$5,189Twice a month
$4,790Every 2 weeks
$59.88Hourly
  • Federal income tax$31,869
  • Social Security (6.2%)$11,143
  • Medicare (1.45%)$2,606
  • New York income tax$9,564
  • Take-home pay$124,548

Marginal rate: 24% federal + 5.90% state

Living in New York City? City residents also pay New York City’s city income tax — about $6,531 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $118,016 ($9,835 a month). Choose “New York City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.

The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Compensation and Benefits Manager pay by experience in New York, NY

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$120,760$58.06$87,700$7,308
25th percentile$143,280$68.88$101,785$8,482
Median (50th)$179,730$86.41$124,548$10,379
75th percentile$224,990$108.17$154,514$12,876
90th percentile (top earners)$289,680+$139.27$192,031$16,003

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $179,730 buys in New York, NY

Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median compensation and benefits manager's $124,548 take-home pay has the buying power of $110,647 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$2,378
23% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,697
26% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$8,001
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

New York, NY has 1.7× the national concentration of compensation and benefits manager jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for compensation and benefits managers, adjusted for cost of living

New York, NY ranks #1 of 1 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1New York, NY $179,730$124,548$110,647

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 1 metros →

About the job: compensation and benefits managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities of an organization. Job analysis and position description managers are included in "Human Resources Managers" (11-3121).

Typical education
Bachelor's degree
Work experience
5 years or more
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
+1.1% (slower than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a compensation and benefits manager make in New York, NY?

The median compensation and benefits manager salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $179,730 a year, or about $86.41 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $143,280 and $224,990.

What is a compensation and benefits manager’s take-home pay in New York, NY?

On the median $179,730 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $124,548 a year ($10,379 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $9,564 in New York taxes in 2026.

Is New York, NY a good place to work as a compensation and benefits manager?

Pay here is 20% above the national median of $149,230. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $110,647 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #1 of 1 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a compensation and benefits manager afford rent in New York, NY?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 23% of a median compensation and benefits manager’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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