Benefits coordinators assist benefits specialists and other human resources (HR) personnel in administering employee benefits programs. These professionals can be found in HR departments across a variety of industries, including construction, finance, manufacturing and telecommunications. Benefits coordinators often serve as an employee’s first contact regarding benefits issues. The path to a benefits coordinator career can begin with an associate’s degree in applied psychology.
Through at least 2022, employment opportunities are projected to increase across various HR-related occupations, including benefits specialists, benefits managers and human resources specialists, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Job growth will be driven by factors such as healthcare reform and increasing complexity in the arena of employment law.
As with many professions, employment prospects should be stronger for prospective benefits coordinators who have a college degree and/or relevant experience.
A benefits coordinator’s typical duties can include:
Numerous factors determine potential salary ranges, from a candidate’s work experience and education to market conditions, and the size and type of employer. There also are variations within occupational fields. For example, as of May 2013, the average annual salary for human resources specialists nationwide was $61,560, while benefits specialists earned an average of $63,310, according to BLS data. At the supervisory level, meanwhile, benefits managers earned about $112,000 a year on average.
With advanced education and experience, benefits coordinators may advance to positions with greater earnings potential.
A future career as a benefits coordinator can begin with enrolling in an Associate of Arts in Applied Psychology degree program. Coursework typically includes group behavior, philosophy of human nature, social problems and human behavior perspective.
Graduates of an associate’s degree in applied psychology program should be able to:
Some employers offer opportunities for continuing education through tuition assistance programs.
If you have excellent organizational and communication skills, strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work on a team, you could be a good fit for a benefits coordinator career, which can eventually lead to advanced positions in the human resources field.
