Survey: Health Care Ranks as Most Offered Employer Benefit

March 2, 2007 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Health care benefits ranked as the most popular benefit offered by employers, in a recent survey by SmartPros, followed by retirement savings plans and flexible schedules.

The survey, in which a majority of the respondents work in public or corporate accounting, found that 92% say that health care benefits are the most popular , followed by 88% who say retirement savings plans, 68% say CPE reimbursement and 52% say flexible schedules.

The least common benefits offered are telecommuting (19%), extra time off/sabbatical (17%), on-site health facilities (13%) and childcare services or reimbursement (11%).

Only 12% of respondents said that their salary/benefits were their favorite aspect of their jobs. Twenty-one percent said they most liked their job responsibilities, followed by work environment (18%) and employer/company (18%).

The survey found that 31% of respondents said they most disliked their work schedule, followed by 26% who say salary/benefits.

Other survey results include:

  • Entry-level position averaged $44,506 each year, with that amount rising to $90,279 for those with 10 to 15 years of experience.
  • There is a 44% pay gap between men and women, with men bringing in an average of $101,203 and women, an average of $70,520.
  • 41% of respondents are exclusively certified as CPAs, with an average salary of $91,608, and those with both a CPA license and an MBA degree reported an average salary of $109,628.
  • 27% no license/certification, with an average salary of $53,402.

For a full copy of the survey visit http://accounting.smartpros.com/x56641.xml .

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