External Payroll Specialist Salary in the United States
How much does an External Payroll Specialist make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an External Payroll Specialist in the United States is $71,800 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.
However, an External Payroll Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $86,319
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $66,100 to $79,400
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $60,910
10%$60,910
50% (Median)$71,800
90%$86,319
External Payroll Specialist Salaries by Percentile
Key Factors That Influence External Payroll Specialist Salaries
An External Payroll Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects External Payroll Specialist Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an External Payroll Specialist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do External Payroll Specialist Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract External Payroll Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Top Paying Cities for External Payroll Specialists
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $90,600
San Francisco: $89,600
Oakland: $87,700
San Jose, CA$90,600
San Francisco, CA$89,600
Oakland, CA$87,700
New York, NY$82,700
Paramus, NJ$81,700
Queens Village, NY$81,700
Passaic, NJ$81,600
Bergenfield, NJ$81,600
Stamford, CT$81,500
Huntington, NY$81,400
Newark, NJ$80,900
Bridgeport, CT$80,700
Vallejo, CA$80,600
New Brunswick, NJ$80,600
Petaluma, CA$80,500
Middlesex, NJ$80,400
Somerset, NJ$80,300
Santa Cruz, CA$80,300
Boston, MA$79,800
Monterey, CA$79,600
Seattle, WA$79,400
Santa Rosa, CA$79,400
Los Angeles, CA$79,400
Juneau, AK$79,200
Washington, DC$79,100
Orange, CA$78,800
Santa Ana, CA$78,700
Anaheim, CA$78,600
Long Beach, CA$78,600
Anchorage, AK$78,500
Santa Maria, CA$78,300
Everett, WA$78,300
Danbury, CT$78,000
Bremerton, WA$77,900
Sacramento, CA$77,700
Tacoma, WA$77,700
New Suffolk, NY$77,700
Santa Barbara, CA$77,600
Trenton, NJ$77,500
San Diego, CA$77,500
Brockton, MA$77,400
Fairbanks, AK$77,300
Lompoc, CA$77,100
Lowell, MA$77,000
Ventura, CA$77,000
Nashua, NH$77,000
Stockton, CA$77,000
Modesto, CA$76,500
Poughkeepsie, NY$76,300
Kennewick, WA$76,200
Olympia, WA$76,200
New Haven, CT$76,100
Lawrence, MA$75,900
Hartford, CT$75,800
Riverside, CA$75,800
New Bedford, MA$75,700
Richland, WA$75,700
San Bernardino, CA$75,600
New London, CT$75,600
Atlantic City, NJ$75,600
Bakersfield, CA$75,600
New Britain, CT$75,600
Norwich, CT$75,500
Portsmouth, NH$75,500
Boulder, CO$75,400
Portland, OR$75,300
Worcester, MA$75,300
Minneapolis, MN$75,000
Philadelphia, PA$74,900
Honolulu, HI$74,700
Saint Paul, MN$74,700
Vineland, NJ$74,600
Providence, RI$74,400
Chicago, IL$74,200
Springfield, MA$74,100
Bellingham, WA$74,100
Baltimore, MD$74,100
Chico, CA$73,900
Pittsfield, MA$73,700
Manchester, NH$73,600
Spokane, WA$73,200
Denver, CO$73,200
Albany, NY$72,900
Troy, NY$72,900
Nassau, NY$72,800
Schenectady, NY$72,700
Wilmington, DE$72,700
Burlington, VT$72,600
Salem, OR$72,500
Portland, ME$72,300
Yakima, WA$72,200
Rochester, MN$72,000
Reno, NV$72,000
Fresno, CA$72,000
Milwaukee, WI$71,900
Detroit, MI$71,800
Ann Arbor, MI$71,800
Allentown, PA$71,800
Carson City, NV$71,700
Colorado Springs, CO$71,700
Syracuse, NY$71,700
Houston, TX$71,600
Eugene, OR$71,500
Gary, IN$71,400
Springfield, OR$71,400
Bismarck, ND$71,400
Galveston, TX$71,300
Fort Collins, CO$71,200
Medford, OR$71,200
Concord, NH$71,100
Austin, TX$71,100
Mesa, AZ$71,000
Reading, PA$71,000
Phoenix, AZ$71,000
Dallas, TX$70,900
Saint Cloud, MN$70,900
Madison, WI$70,800
Utica, NY$70,600
Des Moines, IA$70,500
Rochester, NY$70,500
Raleigh, NC$70,400
Atlanta, GA$70,300
Battle Creek, MI$70,300
Salt Lake City, UT$70,300
Lancaster, PA$70,200
Harrisburg, PA$70,100
Champaign, IL$70,000
Boca Raton, FL$70,000
Columbus, OH$70,000
Kansas City, KS$70,000
Kansas City, MO$70,000
Fort Worth, TX$70,000
Indianapolis, IN$69,900
Pittsburgh, PA$69,900
Richmond, VA$69,900
Cleveland, OH$69,900
Cincinnati, OH$69,800
Las Vegas, NV$69,800
Petersburg, VA$69,700
Huntsville, AL$69,600
Lansing, MI$69,500
Lebanon, PA$69,500
Pueblo, CO$69,500
Appleton, WI$69,500
Buffalo, NY$69,500
Dayton, OH$69,500
Gastonia, NC$69,400
Elkhart, IN$69,400
York, PA$69,400
Saint Louis, MO$69,400
Charlotte, NC$69,400
Racine, WI$69,400
Billings, MT$69,300
Beaumont, TX$69,300
Lorain, OH$69,300
Benton Harbor, MI$69,300
Toledo, OH$69,300
Elyria, OH$69,200
Fargo, ND$69,200
Springfield, IL$69,200
Rock Hill, SC$69,200
Rockford, IL$69,200
Binghamton, NY$69,200
Flagstaff, AZ$69,100
Fort Lauderdale, FL$69,100
Duluth, MN$69,000
Miami, FL$69,000
Grand Forks, ND$69,000
Cheyenne, WY$69,000
Bangor, ME$68,800
Hialeah, FL$68,700
Grand Rapids, MI$68,700
Durham, NC$68,700
Cedar Rapids, IA$68,700
Louisville, KY$68,700
Casper, WY$68,600
Scranton, PA$68,500
New Orleans, LA$68,500
Virginia Beach, VA$68,500
Akron, OH$68,400
Green Bay, WI$68,300
Omaha, NE$68,300
Sarasota, FL$68,300
Peoria, IL$68,300
Nashville, TN$68,300
Baton Rouge, LA$68,200
Charleston, SC$68,200
Davenport, IA$68,200
Jamestown, NY$68,200
Tampa, FL$68,100
Tucson, AZ$68,100
Saint Petersburg, FL$68,100
Bradenton, FL$68,000
Evansville, IN$68,000
Port Arthur, TX$68,000
Santa Fe, NM$67,900
Orlando, FL$67,800
Clearwater, FL$67,700
La Crosse, WI$67,600
Canton, OH$67,600
Ogden, UT$67,500
High Point, NC$67,500
Albuquerque, NM$67,500
Newport News, VA$67,500
Corpus Christi, TX$67,400
Norfolk, VA$67,400
Laramie, WY$67,400
Moline, IL$67,300
Rock Island, IL$67,300
Saginaw, MI$67,300
Jacksonville, FL$67,300
Salisbury, NC$67,300
Boise, ID$67,300
Fort Myers, FL$67,200
Memphis, TN$67,200
Tulsa, OK$67,200
Waterloo, IA$67,100
Spartanburg, SC$67,100
Provo, UT$67,000
Fort Wayne, IN$67,000
Lincoln, NE$67,000
South Bend, IN$66,900
Greensboro, NC$66,900
Cedar Falls, IA$66,900
San Antonio, TX$66,900
Savannah, GA$66,800
Muskegon, MI$66,800
Birmingham, AL$66,700
Winston Salem, NC$66,700
Lake Charles, LA$66,500
Anderson, IN$66,500
Lexington, KY$66,500
Augusta, GA$66,500
Greenville, SC$66,500
Wichita, KS$66,400
Lima, OH$66,400
Tuscaloosa, AL$66,400
Springfield, OH$66,300
Columbia, SC$66,300
Bloomington, IN$66,200
Asheville, NC$66,200
Knoxville, TN$65,900
Shreveport, LA$65,900
Wilmington, NC$65,800
Roanoke, VA$65,800
Topeka, KS$65,700
Frankfort, KY$65,700
Melbourne, FL$65,600
Longview, TX$65,600
Oklahoma City, OK$65,600
Chillicothe, OH$65,600
Sioux Falls, SD$65,500
Mobile, AL$65,500
Terre Haute, IN$65,400
Altoona, PA$65,400
Fayetteville, AR$65,300
Amarillo, TX$65,300
Killeen, TX$65,300
Idaho Falls, ID$65,200
Sioux City, IA$65,200
Chattanooga, TN$65,200
Lynchburg, VA$65,100
Gainesville, FL$65,000
Portsmouth, OH$65,000
Little Rock, AR$65,000
Temple, TX$64,900
Clarksville, TN$64,900
Pensacola, FL$64,900
Youngstown, OH$64,900
Lafayette, LA$64,900
Daytona Beach, FL$64,900
Hopkinsville, KY$64,700
Erie, PA$64,600
Florence, SC$64,600
Charleston, WV$64,500
Great Falls, MT$64,500
Tallahassee, FL$64,400
Macon, GA$64,400
Helena, MT$64,300
Fayetteville, NC$64,300
Waco, TX$64,300
Pine Bluff, AR$64,200
Vincennes, IN$64,200
Lubbock, TX$64,100
Alamogordo, NM$64,100
Twin Falls, ID$64,000
Rapid City, SD$64,000
Greenville, MS$63,900
Huntington, WV$63,900
Jackson, MS$63,900
Parkersburg, WV$63,800
Montgomery, AL$63,800
Wichita Falls, TX$63,700
Springfield, MO$63,700
Biloxi, MS$63,700
Monroe, LA$63,600
Johnstown, PA$63,600
Columbus, GA$63,500
Sumter, SC$63,500
Pascagoula, MS$63,400
Abilene, TX$63,400
Kingsport, TN$63,200
Albany, GA$63,200
Gulfport, MS$63,200
Alexandria, LA$62,900
Fort Smith, AR$62,800
El Paso, TX$62,600
Las Cruces, NM$62,200
Harlingen, TX$62,100
Pocatello, ID$62,000
Florence, AL$61,900
Brownsville, TX$61,900
Mcallen, TX$61,800
Dothan, AL$61,700
Columbus, MS$61,300
Altus, OK$60,900
Lawton, OK$60,800
Pierre, SD$60,500
External Payroll Specialist Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise
External Payroll Specialist salary potential scales significantly with company size.
Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $80,239.
While startup companies pay approximate $67,874.
External Payroll Specialist Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$67,874
Growth Stage
51~500
$71,784
Established
501~5000
$77,481
Enterprise
5000+
$80,239
External Payroll Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For External Payroll Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 110% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Financial Services and Software & Networking
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average.
In contrast, External Payroll Specialist positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Biotechnology typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view External Payroll Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for an External Payroll Specialist
Understanding how an External Payroll Specialist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$66,100
Average$71,800/year
$79,400
$5,508
Average$5,983/month
$6,617
$1,271
Average$1,381/week
$1,527
$32
Average$35/hour
$38
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$79,400
$6,617
$1,527
$38
Average
$71,800
$5,983
$1,381
$35
25th Percentile
$66,100
$5,508
$1,271
$32
External Payroll Specialist Salary Growth & Career Path
Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings.
As an External Payroll Specialist, you have the following paths for advancement.
The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles.
By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.
External Payroll Specialist Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role
Estimate Salary
Projected Raise
External Payroll Manager
$140,100
95%
401K Services Specialist III
$93,700
31%
External Accounting Services Specialist III
$93,700
31%
Business Process Advisor III
$93,700
31%
Salaries of Jobs related to External Payroll Specialist
Most common benefits for External Payroll Specialist
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for External Payroll Specialist
Here are companies hiring for External Payroll Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about External Payroll Specialist
1. What industry pays the highest salary for External Payroll Specialist?
The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for External Payroll Specialist roles,
with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
