A
P U B L I C A T I O N
O F
T H E
W E L L N E S S
C O U N C I L
O F
A M E R I C A
W E L C O A’ S
N AT I O N A L W E L L N E S S
C OM P E N SAT I O N R E P O R T
WE LCOA .ORG
About WELCOA
For 30+ years, WELCOA has served as the source of information and inspiration to propel the
workplace wellness profession forward. WELCOA provides a thriving community of wellness enthusiasts,
comprehensive training led by the nation’s top experts, and access to an expansive library of effective tools
and templates. WELCOA’s mission is to be a transformative force that improves the health and well-being
of all working people. As a purpose-driven, nonprofit organization, we are squarely and solely focused on
generating health and prosperity for our members, their companies, and the places we all call home.
Learn more at welcoa.org.
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 4
Survey Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 5
Survey Sample & Data Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 6
Part I: Descriptive Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 7
A. Demographic Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 7
B. Occupational Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 12
C. Influence & Impact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 19
F. Financial Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 23
G. Median Salary Comparisons Across Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 29
Part II: Statistical Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 35
A. Aggregate Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 35
B. Salary by Position Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 36
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg 37
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Executive Summary
WELCOA’s National Wellness Compensation Report shines a light on the key demographic, occupational,
financial, worksite health management, professional development, and quality of life insights reported
by survey respondents. The original survey, first conducted in 2012, was believed to be the first-ever
compensation survey conducted on a cross-section of worksite wellness and affiliated health management
personnel. Since then, the field of worksite well-being, and the professional roles and responsibilities of the
career track, have changed dramatically.
It’s time to take another deep dive.
This report includes a 10-year comparative analysis of the 2012 survey results, as well as implications and
applications of the insights.
This report serves to establish wage differentials between roles and identify trends in both wages and the
need for specific skills. It assesses not only base salary, but total compensation including incentives and
benefits value.
Recruitment firms, career advisors in educational institutions, students and recent graduates, employers, and
aspiring professionals alike are invited to use this report to understand the going wage, salary, and benefits
scales of specific occupations and to achieve an equitable supply and demand equation.
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Survey Design
WELCOA’s National Wellness Compensation Survey consists of 32 questions. The original survey was
subjected to a series of external peer reviews by outside experts including approximately 100 WELCOA
Faculty. This process included various content revisions based on feedback obtained in the peer review
process to ensure that the final survey had a high level of content validity and construct validity.
» Content validity represents the degree to which a survey has included all of the variables that are likely
associated with the key variable (salary).
» Construct validity represents the degree to which a survey is actually measuring what it is supposed to
measure (e.g. association of a person’s salary with other variables)
TABLE 1. SURVEY QUESTIONS
Survey Question
What is your age?
What is your gender?
In what type of organization are you currently employed?
In which region of the U.S. is your job position based?
How many full-time employees currently work in your organization?
Which best describes your job position (on-site, hybrid, remote)?
What is your current position: full-time or part-time?
Which of the following would best describe your current position (entry-, mid-, senior-level)?
In your current position, how many hours do you work per week?
How many years have you worked in your current position?
In which of the following areas is your primary type of work?
In which of the following areas is your secondary type of work?
In which of the following areas is your third type of work?
How many employees do you supervise in your job position?
Which best describes your role in the industry (internal vs external)?
How many years have you worked in the field of worksite health management?
Which of the following titles best describes your primary job function related to worksite health management?
What is the extent of your responsibilities for employee wellness in your organization (or those that your serve as a consultant)?
If you work as an independent wellness/health/benefits consultant, do you own your own business?
Which best describes your primary motivation for entering the field of worksite health management?
In your current position, how many hours are devoted to worksite health management?
In your worksite (or those that you serve as a consultant), how are employee wellness programs viewed by management?
In your organization (or those that you serve as a consultant), how is your position viewed by employees and management?
What level of satisfaction do you feel in your current position?
What is the highest level of education you have completed?
How often do you engage in professional development activities such as attending conferences and/or webinars, earning certifications, etc.?
What is your current salary without bonuses and incentives?
When it comes to your current salary, what is your level of satisfaction?
In your current position, how does your salary compare to others?
In five years, what annual base salary would you like to earn?
Last year, what was the annual value of your bonus and incentives?
Last year, what was the annual value of your employee benefits package?
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Survey Sample & Data Analysis
The level of response to both the 2012 and the 2022 surveys is associated with a confidence interval of 5%
and a confidence level of 95%.
2022
2012
1000
966
800
785
600
400
» Confidence level represents how often the true
percentage of the population who would pick an
answer lies within the confidence interval.
200
0
» Confidence interval, otherwise known as
the “margin of error,” represents the relative
likelihood that a specific percentage of the sampled
population would have answered a particular
question similarly to that of the entire population.
RESPONDENTS
Survey data provided by the respondents were subjected to both (1) descriptive and (2) statistical
analyses. Financial compensation (e.g. median annual salary) is the primary dependent variable. The
statistical analysis determines which variable(s) in the descriptive analysis are directly related to financial
compensation.
Chi-square analysis using the K Independent Sample Median Test was used to examine the difference in
median annual salary across the sample of targeted independent variables. The Median Test is used to test
for location differences between two or more independent populations (e.g. female vs male). The Median
Test does not take into account the distance from the median; it only takes into account which side of the
median the observations lie on (above the median or equal/below the median). Statistical analysis based on
median (instead of mean or average) is preferred for compensation evaluation in which equity is of concern
because it limits the impact of outliers on the interpretation of the data, resulting in more accurate analysis.
Median salaries were not included in the analyses in any category where there were fewer than five
respondents, due to skewing effect. The thresholds established for statistical significance were set at the:
» p<.05 level: the distribution of scores which appear above and below the median are due to chance or
error in fewer than 5 of every 100 cases (e.g., 95% reliability).
» p<.01 level: the distribution of scores which appear above and below the median are due to chance or
error in fewer than one of every 100 cases (e.g., 99% reliability).
» p<.001 level: the distribution of scores which appear above and below the median are due to chance or
error in fewer than one of every 1,000 cases (e.g., 99.99% reliability)
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Part I: Descriptive Analysis
DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
» What is your gender?
» What is your age?
» What is the highest level of education you have completed?
» In what type of organization (industry) are you currently employed?
» In which region of the US is your job position based?
» Which best describes your job position? (on-site, hybrid, remote)
» How many full-time employees currently work in your organization?
GENDER
Professionals who identify as male increased by 67% compared to 2012, from 16% of subjects in 2012 to
27% of subjects in 2022 identifying as male. Additionally, in 2022, 1% of subjects indicated they prefer not
to answer or that their gender identity was not listed in the possible answers. In 2012, this survey question
only supplied “Male” and “Female” as possible selections.
FIGURE 1. GENDER CLASSIFICATION
Male
27%
Female
72%
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Not Listed/Prefer
Not to Answer
1%
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AGE GROUP
Distribution by age group skews significantly younger compared to results from 10 years ago, with nearly
60% of professionals under 40 years of age.
FIGURE 2. AGE GROUP IN 10-YEAR INTERVALS
2022
2012
40%
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
27%
19%
21%
17%
25%
25%
15%
4%
0.31% 0%
Less than 20
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
6%
0.72% 1%
60-69
70+
LEVEL OF EDUCATION
Compared to 2012, more professionals have associate or master’s degrees, although those with bachelor’s or
master’s still represent over 80% of respondents.
FIGURE 3. LEVEL OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
2022
2012
48%
50
41%
40
40%
38%
30
20
10
0
WELCOA .ORG
13%
4%
5%
High School
6%
Associate Degree
(2 Year)
2%
Bachelor’s Degree
Master’s Degree
3%
Doctoral
Degree/M.D.
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INDUSTRY TYPE
Although there is considerable variability among type of organization, the top 7 have not changed since
2012.
FIGURE 4. INDUSTRY OF EMPLOYED ORGANIZATION
18.53%
s
Wellnes
Health/
are/
Health C es
er vic
Social S
nc e
/Insura
Finance
ment
Govern
o
Educati
17.60%
12.63%
10.04%
9.94%
n
cturing
6.42%
ing
Consult
nal/
Professio al
ic
h
c
/Te n
Science
ction
Constru
6.31%
Manufa
2.90%
2.28%
1.86%
Utilities
des
s (Exclu
Ser vice
ment)
Govern
r tation
Transpo
ad
Retail Tr
le
e/Who
1.86%
1.76%
1.35%
sale
1.24%
nt
r tainme
Ar t/Ente
s/
odation
Accomm Ser vice
Food
tion
Informa
0.83%
est
ure/For
0.62%
gy
0.52%
ecif y)
0.52%
s
0.52%
Technolo
M
0.83%
ofit
N on - Pr
Agricult
Other (P
1.04%
lease Sp
e nt C
an a g em
ompanie
Real Esta
0.31%
Mining
te/Rent
0.10%
0
WELCOA .ORG
05
10
15
20
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ORGANIZATION SIZE
WELCOA’s Well Workplace Process can be used to implement and develop an employee well-being strategy for
any size organization. Over the last 10 years, more organizations with 5,000+ employees rely on WELCOA’s
framework.
FIGURE 5. ORGANIZATION SIZE BY # OF FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES
20
17.2%
15
10
16.8%
11.5%
10.2%
8.8%
12.5%
7.6%
6.7%
5.7%
5
3.0%
0
25
1-
0
-10
6
2
50
-2
1
10
00
-5
1
25
00
-1,
1
50
0
-4
01
0
,
1
,99
9
0
5,0
9
9,9
0-
9
0
,0
10
0
,9
-14
99
0
,0
15
0
4,9
-2
99
0
,0
25
0+
GEOGRAPHIC REGION
Generally speaking, WELCOA’s network has grown nationally over the last decade resulting in more even
regional distribution.
FIGURE 6. GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION BY JOB POSITION
2022
50
2012
42%
40
30
28%
18%
20
15%
14%
10%
10
11%
9%
11%
9%
9%
7%
6%
8%
2%
0
WELCOA .ORG
North Central
South Atlantic
Pacific
South Central
Middle
Atlantic
New England
Mountain
2%
My job is
based outside
the U.S.
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However, the ability to work remotely from anywhere in the nation is a recent trend. When asked “In
which region is your job position based?” the respondent is indicating their place of residence, which is
not necessarily the same as where their employer’s regional office or headquarters are located. 23% of
respondents indicated their position is fully remote. Another 37% are hybrid which in some cases may offer
the ability to work and live in different regions. In fact, only 40% of respondents indicated their role is onsite. Through this lens of modern remote work, we see more distribution in the pacific and south-central
regions of the United States.
FIGURE 7. GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF REMOTE PROFESSIONALS
30
25
2022
28%
2022 - Remote
23%
20
19%
18% 18%
14%
15
11%
12%
11% 11%
10
9%
11%
6%
5
0
5%
2%
North Central
South Atlantic
Pacific
South Central
North Central (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North
Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin)
Middle
Atlantic
New England
Mountain
1%
My job is
based outside
the U.S.
FIGURE 8. JOB LOCALE
South Atlantic (Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia)
Pacific (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington)
South Central (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas)
Middle Atlantic (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania)
Remote
23%
On-Site
40%
New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
Mountain (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming)
Hybrid
37%
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OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE
» What is your current employment status: full-time or part-time?
» Which best describes your current position: entry-, mid-, or senior-level?
» How many years have you worked in your current position?
» How many years have you worked in the field of employee health/wellness management?
» How many hours do you work per week in your current position?
» How many hours per week are devoted to employee health/wellness management?
» Which occupational area is a primary, secondary, vs tertiary responsibility in your current role?
» Which title best describes your primary job function related to employee health/wellness management?
EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Of the 966 subjects, 96% reportedly are full-time with the remaining 39 subjects classified as part-time.
FIGURE 9. EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Full-Time
96%
Part-Time
4%
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LEVEL OF CURRENT POSITION
The expertise required of workplace well-being professionals has advanced over the last decade. In response,
more subjects report being in mid-level or senior-level positions compared to 10 years ago.
FIGURE 10. LEVEL OF CURRENT POSITION
2022
2012
70
59%
60
54%
50
40
36%
30
24%
20
17%
10%
10
0
Entry-Level Professional
Mid-Level Manager
Senior-Level Executive
PROFESSIONAL TENURE
60% of professionals have been in their current position for 5 years or less.
11% of professionals who have been in the field for at least 6 years, changed jobs in the last year.
Compared to 10 years ago, the average professional in the field today has more tenure.
FIGURE 11. PROFESSIONAL TENURE
Years in Current Position
50
46%
40
34%
28% 29%
30
20
10
0
WELCOA .ORG
Years in Field
14%
14%
Less Than
1 Year
8%
7%
5%
3%
1-5 Years
6-10 Years
11-15 Years
16-20 Years
6%
5%
1%
21-25 Years
1%
25 Years
or More
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WEEKLY TIME COMMITMENT
Employee well-being professionals have a variety of responsibilities and, in many cases, are not fully
dedicated to health and wellness management within their organization. Only 37% of respondents indicate
that 100% of their time at work is dedicated to health and wellness management.
FIGURE 12. NUMBER OF HOURS WORKED PER WEEK VS OTHER DUTIES
Total Hours Worked
Hours Devoted to Workplace Health and Wellness Management
50
43.8%
40
30
24.8%
20
18.9%
18.4%
10
0
7.5%
1.0%
Less Than
15
26.1%
2.1%
16-20
10.9%
9.2%
5.4%
2.7%
2.5%
21-25
8.9%
6.1% 5.6%
26-30
31-35
36-40
41-45
46-50
2.4%
0.4%
51-55
1.1% 0.1%
0.6% 1.4%
56-60
61 or
More
INDUSTRY ROLE
External wellness professionals work with multiple organizations and focus on improving the health of
multiple populations. They may work in insurance brokerages firms, for insurance or health plans, as
independent consultants, or in government roles. In this study, there was equal representation from each
audience segment. This question was not included in the 2012 survey.
FIGURE 13. INDUSTRY ROLE
External
50%
WELCOA .ORG
Internal
50%
External - I work with multiple organizations and
focus on improving the health of multiple populations
Internal - I work directly with one primary employer
and focus on one employee population
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TITLE
Elevated Leadership: Distribution in title has shifted away from the “specialist/coordinator” role and toward
“program manager”. This shift is indicative of more responsibility and higher positional level.
External Wellness Professionals: Over the last decade, WELCOA’s resources and assessment tool – The
WELCOA Checklist – has been increasingly leveraged by more consultants and coaches as the gold standard in
how to design and measure organizational change management in support of employee well-being.
16% of consultants identify their role in the industry as “internal” consultants. This question was not
included on the 2012 survey. While a trend cannot be identified, it is worth noting the demand for
internal consulting.
Collaboration in Support of Well-Being: More wellness volunteers/volunteer committee members
participated in the survey in 2022 compared to a decade ago. This trend is a good sign that well-being
professionals are not only engaging cross functionally, but that the employees who volunteer to contribute
their time and talents identify as being an integral part of the industry.
FIGURE 14. DISTRIBUTION BY TITLE
2022
30%
30
25
2012
25%
26%
20%
20
16%
15%
15
12%
11%
11%
11%
10
7%
5
0
WELCOA .ORG
4%
Program
Manager
Program
Specialist/
Coordinator
Consultant
Program
Director
Wellness Volunteer/
Volunteer Committee
Member
Wellness
Coach
6%
5%
Other
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FORMAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMPLOYEE WELL -BEING
The increased percentage of professionals who are given (assigned) tasks relating to employee well-being
(vs being official responsible) is additional clear evidence that workplace well-being is often delivered by an
employee (or many employees) who wears many hats.
Although only 11% of respondents identified as wellness volunteers/volunteer wellness committee members,
53% of them identify as being officially responsible for employee wellness and another 35% are given
(assigned) wellness program tasks. As it is best practice for employers to create safe spaces for employees to
voice their opinions and to be a part of implementation of solutions, this is a healthy sign of systemic change
within the industry.
FIGURE 15. RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING
Officially Responsible
Given (Assigned) Tasks
Ask to be Involved
9%
10%
10%
2022
65%
WELCOA .ORG
25%
2012
81%
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OCCUPATIONAL DISCIPLINE
While the trifecta of Wellness, Benefits, and Human Resources has remained the most common top-3
occupational disciplines of workplace well-being professionals, the likelihood of Occupational Health, Risk
Management, Safety, and/or EAP being secondary or tertiary priorities has increased substantially in the last
decade.
Of those who selected “Other”, these open-ended Occupational Disciplines were commonly described:
» Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
» Financial Care and Pay Equity
» On-site Clinical Care
» Work-Life Services beyond EAP (e.g. on-site child care centers, concierge, tuition reimbursement,
lactation support, eldercare, etc.)
» Social Responsibility
» Data Analytics
» Talent Development
» Organizational Change Management & Business Strategy
» Community Care
WELCOA’s Well Workplace Process establishes that Organizational Change Management and Business
Strategy are best practice within the occupation of workplace well-being, as are many of the disciplines that
respondents defined as “Other”. As the definition of well-being expands for employers and the employees
they serve, the lines may blur between how occupational discipline is labeled.
In terms of community care, many respondents report that they are not only responsible for the well-being
of employees, but also students in educational settings, and the community at large in healthcare, education,
government and non-profit organizations. It’s important to note that all employers have the ability to
influence well-being in the communities they serve, however, some industries have formally adopted that
responsibility into their business model.
FIGURE 16. OCCUPATIONAL DISCIPLINE
Primary
80
70
Secondary
Tertiary
69%
60
50
40
33%
30
20
10
0
WELCOA .ORG
22%
19%
21%
20%
23%
32%
29%
27%
18%
9%
Wellness
Benefits
Human
Resources
21% 23%
19%
Occupational
Health
13%
Risk
Management
21%
26%
23%
20%
15%
Safety
14%
EAP
9% 8%
Other
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SUPERVISORY DUTIES
The proportion of professionals with supervisory duties has increased as expected with more professionals
who identified as mid-level managers and senior-level executives than a decade ago. Additionally, those with
supervisory responsibilities are more likely to have a higher quantity of direct reports.
FIGURE 17. EXTENT OF SUPERVISORY DUTIES
2022
2012
60
54%
50
40
39%
30
21%
20
17%
11%
10
0
WELCOA .ORG
19%
13%
12%
7%
0
1 to 2
3 to 5
6 to 10
7%
11 or More
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INFLUENCE AND IMPACT
» Which best describes your primary motivation for entering the field of employee well-being?
» In your worksite (or those you serve externally), how are employee well-being programs viewed by
management?
» In your worksite (or those you serve externally), how is your position viewed by employees and
management?
» What level of satisfaction do you feel in your current position?
» How often do you engage in professional development activities such as attending conferences and/or
webinars, earning certificates, etc.?
MOTIVATION FOR ENTERING THE FIELD
Helping others and moving organizations forward are still leading motivations for entering the field of
employee well-being.
However, it’s notable that making money is a trending motivator compared to a decade ago. Interestingly,
those who work externally (work with multiple organizations and focus on improving the health of multiple
populations) are more likely to be motivated by money than those who work internally (work directly with
one primary employer and focus on one employee population).
FIGURE 18. PRIMARY MOTIVATION FOR ENTERING FIELD
2022
70
60
2012
64%
59%
50
40
30
25%
20%
20
12%
10
0
WELCOA .ORG
7%
7%
2%
1%
I want to
help others
I want to move our
organization forward
I want to
make money
I want to be
healthy myself
2%
I want to work in a
social environment
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ORGANIZATIONAL PRIORITIZATION
Effective employee well-being strategies have the power to positively influence business outcomes such as
retention, recruitment, and productivity even during challenges such as economic downturn and global
health crises. In response, over the last 10 years, we have seen this work take a higher level of priority and
the professionals who execute this work have become a more essential part of the organization.
FIGURE 19. HOW MANAGEMENT PRIORITIZES EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING STRATEGIES
2022
60
51%
50
40
2012
54%
41%
35%
30
20
10
0
8%
High Priority
Moderate Priority
11%
Low Priority
Nearly 1.5X more respondents agree that their position is viewed as an integral (essential) part of the
organization compared to a decade ago. However, this sentiment is lower (42% vs 47%) among professionals
who work internally and higher (51% vs 47%) among professionals who work externally.
FIGURE 20. HOW EMPLOYEES & MANAGEMENT VIEW YOUR POSITION
2022
59%
60
50
2012
47%
47%
40
30
32%
20
10
0
WELCOA .ORG
6%
Integral (essential) part
of the organization
Important (but not
essential) element
8%
I feel like I’m “on the
outside looking in”
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PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL SATISFACTION
Generally, level of satisfaction in current position has decreased compared to 2012. Satisfaction increases for
those who have been in their current position and in the industry longer.
FIGURE 21. LEVEL OF SATISFACTION IN CURRENT POSITION
2022
60
2012
54%
49%
50
40
30
28%
30%
20
17%
14%
10
5%
0
Highly Satisfied
Moderately Satisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
2%
Very Dissatisfied
FIGURE 22. LEVEL OF SATISFACTION IN CURRENT POSITION VS. # OF YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION
Highly Satisfied
Moderately Satisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
Very Dissatisfied
60
56%
55%
53%
50%
50
40
47%
46%
44%
41%
35%
36%
35%
30
28%
27%
20
25%
26%
19%
18%
16%
13%
10
9%
4%
0
WELCOA .ORG
6%
5%
6%
0%
Less Than 1 Year
1-5 Years
6-10 Years
11-15 Years
16-20 Years
0% 0%
21-25 Years
0%
25 Years or More
21 of 37
FIGURE 23. LEVEL OF SATISFACTION IN CURRENT POSITION VS. # OF YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY
Highly Satisfied
Moderately Satisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
Very Dissatisfied
70
63%
60
56%
52%
50%
50
50%
48%
42%
40
30
33%
31%
29%
32%
31%
26%
22%
20
17%
18%
15%
11%
10
6%
4%
0
18%
Less Than 1 Year
5%
1-5 Years
6-10 Years
5%
11-15 Years
9% 9%
4%
16-20 Years
21-25 Years
7% 6%
25 Years or More
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Given the sheer amount of content available on-demand and virtually, the dramatic decrease in frequency
of professionals participating in development opportunities is striking. Noting the decrease in job satisfaction,
it is likely that workload and subsequent burnout has impacted professionals’ capacity and willingness to
participate in extracurricular commitments. In addition, there are fewer opportunities to attend live events as
the professional development landscape evolves in response to the global COVID-19 crisis.
FIGURE 24. FREQUENCY OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
100
80
2022
2012
6%
4%
90%
68%
60
40
25%
20
0
WELCOA .ORG
At Least
Once a Year
Once Every
2-3 Years
2%
Once Every
4-5 Years
2%
2%
Less Than Once
Every 5 Years
22 of 37
FINANCIAL PROFILE
» What is your current salary without bonuses and incentives?
» Last year, what was the annual value of your bonus and incentives?
» Last year, what was the annual value of your employee benefits package?
» When it comes to your current salary, what is your level of satisfaction?
» In your current position, how does your salary compare to others?
» In five years, what annual base salary would you like to earn?
DISTRIBUTION BY SALARY
Median salary across all variables is $75,000. In 2012, the median salary was $55,000. When adjusted for
inflation ($55,000 in 2012 is equivalent to $71,030 today), today’s median salary is $3,970 higher annually
compared to 10 years ago.
FIGURE 25. DISTRIBUTION BY CURRENT SALARY RANGE
35
33%
30
25%
25
20
15%
15
11%
10
5
0
WELCOA .ORG
6%
3%
< $25,000
$25,000 $49,999
$50,000 $74,999
$75,000 $99,999
$100,000 - $125,000 $124,999
$149,999
3%
3%
$150,000 $174,999
> $175,000
23 of 37
SATISFACTION AND GROWTH
It is encouraging to see that professionals are more highly satisfied with their current salary today than they
were 10 years ago. Perhaps those who are motivated monetarily (Figure 26.) have found success negotiating
for the salary they feel is fair for their role.
FIGURE 26. SATISFACTION WITH CURRENT SALARY
2022
60
2012
57%
53%
50
40
30
20
21%
19%
21%
15%
10
0
WELCOA .ORG
8%
Highly
Satisfied
Moderately
Satisfied
Somewhat
Dissatisfied
7%
Highly
Dissatisfied
24 of 37
When asked about desired income in the next 5 years, the median desired increase is 34% more than the
respondent’s current salary.
FIGURE 27. LEVEL OF ANNUAL SALARY DESIRED IN 5 YEARS
25
23%
20
18%
17%
15
16%
12%
11%
10
5
3%
0
Less Than
$51,000
$51,000 $70,000
$71,000 $90,000
$91,000 $110,000
$111,000 $130,000
$131,000 $150,000
More Than
$150,000
While satisfaction with one’s current salary is driven by many factors, perception of fairness is a key
component. Only 22% of respondents feel their salary is below what others make, which is a substantial
improvement compared to a decade ago.
FIGURE 28. SATISFACTION WITH CURRENT SALARY
2022
60
56%
2012
54%
50
40
30
20
10
0
WELCOA .ORG
34%
23%
22%
12%
Above What
Others Make
Consistent With
What Others Make
Below What
Others Make
25 of 37
NON-SALARY COMPENSATION
Nearly all respondents in both 2012 and 2022 indicated they received compensation in the form of bonus
and incentives in the previous year.
FIGURE 29. LEVEL OF ANNUAL BONUS AND INCENTIVES
35
32%
30
25
22%
20
15
14%
12%
10
6%
5
0
< $1,000
$1,000 $5,000
$5,001 $10,000
$10,001 $25,000
$25,001 $50,000
4%
5%
4%
$50,001 $75,000
$75,001 $100,000
> $101,000
Value of employee benefits package had the widest range of responses of any question in this survey as
evidenced by the average value being $106,404 with a median of $11,500 annually.
FIGURE 30. VALUE OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PACKAGE
35
33%
30
25
20
16%
15
15%
9%
10
5%
5
0
WELCOA .ORG
8%
Up to
$5,000
$5,001 $10,000
$10,001 $15,000
4%
6%
4%
$15,001 - $20,001 - $25,001 - $30,001 - $40,001 - > $50,000
$20,000 $25,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000
26 of 37
10-YEAR COMPENSATION COMPARISON
The following 2012 values have been adjusted for inflation in order to make an accurate comparison in
terms of today’s value. The CPI calculator available through the Bureau of Labor Statistics website was used
to evaluate the 2012 data through the lens of the modern workplace. The calculator not only factors in the
year being compared but also the month. In 2012, data was collected in May. In 2022, data was collected
from June through December.
Table data is provided including both average and median salary. This data shines a light on how statistical
analysis based on median (instead of mean or average) is preferred for compensation evaluation, as using
median limits the impact of outliers on the interpretation of the data, resulting in more accurate analysis.
FIGURE 31. SALARY RANGE 10-YEAR COMPARISON
2022
2012 - Adjusted for Inflation
50
43%
40
39%
38%
30
27%
20
17%
12%
10
0
7%
6%
4%
1% 1.2%
1%
7
,28
2
3
<$
4,
$6
7
,28
2
$3
3
57
4,
$6
4
57
0
,86
6
9
-$
1% 0.4%
9
33
06
46
,71
,4
,0
9,1
3
1
6
2
6
19
22
$1
$1
-$
-$
174
0
6
4
3
8
,1
72
6,
1,4
29
3,
6
1
9
$9
1
$
$
$1
1% 0.3%
6,0
22
$
>
06
TABLE 2. 2022 VS 2012 ANNUAL SALARY
WELCOA .ORG
Year
Average
Median
2022
$83,595
$75,000
2012 - Adjusted for Inflation
$74,351
$71,030
27 of 37
FIGURE 32. ANNUAL BONUS AND INCENTIVES 10-YEAR COMPARISON
2022
60
2012 - Adjusted for Inflation
53%
50
40
36%
30
21%
20
23%
14%
10
14%
8%
0
<$1,300
$1,300$6,460
11%
6%
$6,461$12,915
5%
$12,916$32,287
5%
5%
$32,288$64,573
>$64,573
TABLE 3. 2022 VS 2012 ANNUAL BONUS AND INCENTIVES
Year
Average
Median
2022
$21,689
$5,000
2012 - Adjusted for Inflation
$14,688
$646
FIGURE 33. VALUE OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PACKAGE 10-YEAR COMPARISON
2022
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
36%
2012 - Adjusted for Inflation
33%
18%
23%
20%
16%
11% 11%
7%
Up to $6,460
$6,461$12,915
16%
5%
$12,916$19,372
$19,373$25,829
4%
$25,830$32,287
>$32,287
TABLE 4. 2022 VS 2012 BENEFITS PACKAGE
WELCOA .ORG
Year
Average
Median
2022
$106,404
$11,500
2012 - Adjusted for Inflation
$14,654
$12,915
28 of 37
MEDIAN SALARY COMPARISONS ACROSS VARIABLES
In this section, median salaries for various demographic, geographic, and occupational variables were
combined in order to easily compare how salary relates to selected variables.
AGE, GENDER, AND EDUCATION
$82,000
$70,000
$65,000
$58,100
$60,000
$70,000
+
70
$75,000
$82,240
69
$75,000
$79,500
$82,177
$80,000
$80,000
$62,500
$100,000
$75,000
FIGURE 34. MEDIAN ANNUAL SALARY BY AGE, GENDER, AND EDUCATION
$98,000
Salary generally increases with age and with higher education. Unlike in 2012, there is no difference in
median salary between men and women. There were 4 respondents who indicated their gender was “Not
Listed”; the median for these individuals was $56,500. An additional 7 respondents indicated they preferred
not to answer the question relating to gender; the median for these individuals was $80,000. In Figure 34.,
these non-binary responses were combined. Although the sample size is small, it’s worth noting that the
median is less than those who selected a binary gender. A larger sample size is needed to determine statistical
significance.
$40,000
$20,000
$0
9
-2
0
2
30
39
40
49
50
59
60
No
WELCOA .ORG
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29 of 37
INDUSTRY TYPE
The industries at the top of the pay scale have shifted in the last 10 years. Services (excluding government),
management companies, and consulting are among the industries that have shifted resources to well-being
professionals. Construction, transportation, and professional/science/technical are among the industries that
have shifted resources away from well-being professionals.
FIGURE 35. MEDIAN ANNUAL SALARY BY INDUSTRY TYPE
Services (Excludes Government)
$107,000
Technology
$105,000
Utilities
$99,450
Non-Profit
$99,150
Consulting
$96,000
Information
$87,500
$81,000
Professional/Science/Technical
Accommodations/Food Service
$79,000
Health Care/Social Services
$78,750
Finance/Insurance
$75,750
Retail Trade/Wholesale
$75,000
Health/Wellness
$72,500
Manufacturing
$70,000
Education
$70,000
Art/Entertainment
$68,750
Government
$68,000
Transportation
$67,000
Agriculture/Forest
$65,000
Industry: Other
Management Companies
Construction
Real Estate/Rent
Mining
$0
$60,000
$52,000
$49,000
$45,000
$71,000
$20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $80,000$0$100,000$0$120,000
Mining & Real Estate/Rent had fewer than five respondents.
WELCOA .ORG
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TABLE 5. 10-YEAR PERCENT CHANGE IN MEDIAN SALARY BY INDUSTRY
Industry
2022
2012*
Percent Change
Construction
$49,000
$72,241
-32%
Transportation
$67,000
$90,629
-26%
Professional/Science/Technical
$81,000
$105,077
-23%
Manufacturing
$70,000
$85,376
-18%
Accommodations/Food Service
$79,000
$91,943
-14%
Government
$68,000
$73,554
-8%
Finance/Insurance
$75,750
$78,808
-4%
Health/Wellness
$72,500
$70,927
2%
Information
$87,500
$85,376
2%
Education
$70,000
$66,987
4%
Health Care/Social Services
$78,750
$74,868
5%
Agriculture/Forest
$65,000
$61,733
5%
Retail Trade/Wholesale
$75,000
$70,927
6%
Art/Entertainment
$68,750
$61,733
11%
Utilities
$99,450
$88,003
13%
Consulting
$96,000
$80,122
20%
Management Companies
$52,000
$42,031
24%
Services (excludes Government)
$107,000
$80,122
34%
*2012 Median Annual Salary has been adjusted for inflation.
WELCOA .ORG
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GEOGRAPHIC REGION
$72,000
$73,750
North
Central
South
Atlantic
South
Central
$80,000
$71,000
$68,000
$80,000
$66,368
$100,000
$77,000
FIGURE 36. MEDIAN ANNUAL SALARY BY GEOGRAPHIC REGION
$85,120
The northeast and west coast remain the leaders in median salary. Salary by region remains consistent with
the composite cost of living index regionally in the US. The respondents who indicated their job is outside
of the US (n=16) were asked to provide their salary data in terms of US dollars.
$60,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0
My job is
Mountain
based outside
the U.S.
Middle
Atlantic
New
England
Pacific
POSITION LEVEL AND SUPERVISORY DUTIES
Salary levels increase with an advanced level of position and more supervisory responsibility.
FIGURE 37. MEDIAN ANNUAL SALARY BY POSITION LEVEL AND # OF EMPLOYEES SUPERVISED
3 to 5
$85,500
$75,000
1 to 2
$85,000
$77,000
$70,000
$62,500
$60,000
$80,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000
6 to 10
11 or
More
$40,000
$20,000
$0
WELCOA .ORG
Entry-Level Mid-Level Senior-Level
Professional Manager Executive
0
32 of 37
TITLE
As expected, higher titles command higher median annual salaries in general. However, the title of Program
Specialist/Coordinator was the only title category to see a decline in pay compared to a decade ago,
equating to a 29% decline.
FIGURE 38. MEDIAN ANNUAL SALARY BY TITLE
$60,000
$72,200
$73,500
$75,000
$60,000
$78,000
$85,000
$80,000
$98,000
$100,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0
Program
Director
Consultant
Program Wellness Volunteer/ Title: Other
Manager Volunteer Committee
Member
Wellness
Coach
Program Specialist/
Coordinator
JOB LOCALE AND INDUSTRY ROLE
These variables were not considered in the 2012 survey for comparison. The median annual salary of on-site
professionals is about 4% less than their hybrid and remote peers.
FIGURE 39. MEDIAN ANNUAL SALARY BY JOB LOCALE AND INDUSTRY ROLE
$76,000
$75,000
$75,000
$72,650
$60,000
$76,000
$80,000
Remote
External
Internal
$40,000
$20,000
$0
WELCOA .ORG
Hybrid
On-Site
33 of 37
PROFESSIONAL TENURE
Generally, those who have been in the field of wellness and health management longer, have higher median
annual salaries. Those who have been in their current position for 25 or more years see the highest pay.
FIGURE 40. MEDIAN ANNUAL SALARY BY # OF YEARS IN POSITION/FIELD
Field of WHM
$80,900
$72,000
$84,000
$71,000
$76,750
$73,300
$80,000
$76,423
$70,000
$74,750
$80,000
$62,500
$100,000
$76,500
$120,000
$85,000
$112,000
Current Position
$60,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0
WELCOA .ORG
Less Than
1 Year
1-5 Years
6-10 Years
11-15 Years
16-20 Years
21-25 Years
25 or More
Years
34 of 37
Part II: Statistical Analysis
AGGREGATE RESULTS
Statistical significance indicates if a variable has a legitimate influence on median salary. While a distribution
chart in the previous section may indicate an increase or decrease in salary within a particular variable,
statistical analysis is necessary to understand if that observed trend has a causal relationship to the variable.
Table 6. shows that most of the selected independent variables have some level of significant relationship
with median annual salary. In particular, the findings indicate that salary levels among respondents tend to:
» Increase with age and may level off thereafter
» Increase with education level
» Increase with number of years worked in the field of worksite health and well-being management, but
show no statistically significant difference for years in current position
» Show no statistically significant difference between males and females (unlike 10 years ago)
» Correlate with cost of living indexes by region
» Increase if employed by larger organizations
» Be highest in organizations classified as Services (excluding Government), Technology, and Utilities
» Increase as position level advances (entry, mid, senior)
» Be highest for Program Directors and Consultants and lowest for Program Specialists/Coordinators
» Increase as supervisory duties increase
» Show no statistically significant difference between Internal vs External well-being professionals
TABLE 6. LEVEL OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEDIAN SALARY AND INDEPENDENT
VARIABLES AMONG ALL RESPONDENTS
1
WELCOA .ORG
Independent Variable
Significance
Age
p<.001
Education Level
p<.001
Gender
p=0.774 (not significant)
Geographic Region
p<.001
Industry Role (External vs Internal)
p=0.602 (not significant)
Title
p<.001
Organization Size
p<.001
Industry1
p<.01
Position Level
p<.001
Supervisory Duties
p<.001
Years worked in current position
p=0.303 (not significant)
Years worked in field of WHM
p<.001
Fewer than five respondents for industries: Mining, Real Estate/Rent
35 of 37
SALARY BY POSITION LEVEL
In addition to the chi-square analyses that were performed on each of the independent variables listed
in Table 6. above, analyses were conducted by position level (see Table 7. below). This depth of analysis
determines if there is any significant difference in median annual salary by (1) position level (entry-level
professional vs. mid-level manager vs. senior-level executive) and (2) selected independent variables. Medians
for annual value of last year’s bonus and incentive only and annual value of employee benefits package were
not computed or compared because the values for those two variables had very wide variance and many
inconsistencies.
The results in Table 7. show that mid-level management has the most statistically significant relationships
between the selected variables. Education level, title, and organization size showed statistical significance
among all three position levels. Industry role, supervisory duties, and years worked in current position
showed no statistical significance in any of the three position types.
TABLE 7. LEVEL OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEDIAN SALARY BY POSITION LEVEL
AND INDEPENDENT VARIABLES
Independent Variable
Entry-Level
Mid-Level
Senior-Level
Age1
Not significant
Not significant
p<.05
p<.001
p<.001
p<.05
Not significant
Not significant
p<.01
Not significant
p<.01
Not significant
Industry Role
Not significant
Not significant
Not significant
Title
p<.05
p<.001
p<.05
p<.05
p<.001
p<.05
Not significant
p<.05
Not significant
Not significant
Not significant
Not significant
Not significant
Not significant
Not significant
p<.01
p<.01
Not significant
Education Level
2
Gender
Geographic Region
3
Organization Size4
Industry
5,6,7
Supervisory Duties
Years worked in current position
8,9,10
Years worked in field of WHM11
Median salaries were not included in the analyses in any category where there were fewer than five respondents, due to the skewing
effect. The following were excluded from the analyses:
1
Age – 70+ | Entry & Senior levels
2
Education – Doctoral Degree/M.D. | Entry & Senior levels
3
Geographic Region – Outside the US | Senior level
4
Organization Size – 5,000-25,000 employees | Senior level
5
Industry – retail trade/wholesale, Construction, Agriculture/Forest, Services (excludes Government), Accommodations/Food
Service, Transportation, Other, Technology, Utilities, Non-Profit, Art/Entertainment, Information | Entry Level
6
Industry – Non-profit, Management Companies, Technology, Agriculture/Forest, Mining, Other, Real Estate/Rent | Mid level
7
Industry – Art/Entertainment, Construction, Non-profit, Utilities, Retail Trade/Wholesale, Agriculture/Forest, Mining,
Accommodations/Food Service, Transportation, Other, Management Companies | Senior level
8
Years in Current Position – 16 or more years | Entry level
9
Years in Current Position – 21 or more years | Mid level
10
Years in Current Position – 21-25 years | Senior level
11
Years in Field of Worksite Health and Well-being Management – 21-25 Years | Entry level
WELCOA .ORG
36 of 37
Conclusion
WELCOA has a mission to develop the professionals of this industry, and an important component of that is
ensuring fair compensation. This report centralizes the data that professionals need to understand how their
role is – or is not – being valued in the marketplace, and even how the role is evolving to meet the demands
of modern work.
Compared to a decade ago, a lot has changed.
Representation from men in the profession increased by 67% and the pay inequity observed between males
and females in 2012 is not observed today. More than half of respondents work in positions that allow for a
hybrid or remote arrangement. The average professional is younger, with more tenure, and more supervisory
duties. More employers are engaging volunteer wellness committee members who, by design, identify as
being an integral part of the strategy to create environments in which employees can thrive. Industries
including Services (excludes Government), Management Companies, and Consulting value employee wellbeing expertise more than they did 10 years ago, while others have shifted resources away from this expertise
overtime.
The expertise required in the field is evolving. The definition of well-being is broadening to encompass areas
such as DEI&B, financial care and pay equity, safety, and community care. With that broadening scope,
the priority of employee well-being is rising for managers and business leaders, and the professionals who
execute this work are a more essential part of the organization. The broadening definition of employee
well-being, along with a shift in who within the organization is assigned or officially responsible for change
management, supports the growing movement to create a seat at the executive table for well-being in the
form of a Chief Well-Being Officer (or equivalent). Organizational structures that provide clear leadership
for strategic planning and execution across the organization will see the greatest beneficial impacts and
related advantages in the marketplace.
Likely due to increased pressure and responsibility, professionals cite being slightly less satisfied in their
current position compared to those surveyed in 2012. However, satisfaction with compensation has
increased.
This report revealed how median annual salary is associated with specific variables such as age, education,
geography, title, and others. Our hope is that this body of work will help organizations appropriately value
the professional expertise that WELCOA’s community has in the marketplace.
WELCOA .ORG
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17 0 0 2 M A R C Y S T R E E T , S U I T E 1 4 0 | O M A H A , N E 6 8118
4 0 2 . 8 2 7. 3 5 9 0 | W E L C O A . O R G