The salary of a Payroll Director in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of March 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Payroll Director in the United States is $160,444. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $133,845 to a high of $191,221, with most professionals earning between $146,521 and $176,554.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $176,554 | $14,713 | $3,395 | $85 |
| Average | $160,444 | $13,370 | $3,085 | $77 |
| 25th Percentile | $146,521 | $12,210 | $2,818 | $70 |
An entry-level Payroll Director with less than 1 year of experience earns about $151,924. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $153,171. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $154,833. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $156,911, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $158,989.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Payroll Director | $151,924 |
| Intermediate Level Payroll Director | $153,171 |
| Senior Level Payroll Director | $154,833 |
| Specialist Level Payroll Director | $156,911 |
| Expert Level Payroll Director | $158,989 |
| Entry Level | 5% |
| Mid Level | 5% |
| Senior Level | 3% |
| Top Level | 2% |
| Experienced | 1% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of March 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Payroll Director compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $156,802 in 2023 to approximately $154,430 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Payroll Director salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Payroll Director information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Payroll Director job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Payroll Director and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $160,444 | 73.1% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $12,274 | 5.6% | ||
| 401K/403B | $6,739 | 3.1% | ||
| Disability | $3,209 | 1.5% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 3.8% | ||
| Pension | $8,664 | 3.9% | ||
| Time Off | $19,747 | 9.0% | ||
| Total Compensation | $219,429 | 100% | ||
The average annual salary of Payroll Director is $160,444. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Payroll Director is $77; the average weekly pay of Payroll Director is $3,085; the average monthly pay of Payroll Director is $13,370.
A Payroll Director's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Payroll Director earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Payroll Director is $201,357.
The highest pay for Payroll Director is $191,221.
The lowest pay for Payroll Director is $133,845.
Directs all aspects of payroll processing operations. Establishes and oversees payroll processes and procedures for routine processing, tax reporting and internal financial requirements. Designs short-term and long-term strategies to achieve continuous improvement and efficiencies in payroll processing and delivery operations. Keeps stakeholders informed about the status of payroll laws and regulations and develops implementation plans for required changes to operations. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to senior management. Typically manages through subordinate managers and professionals in larger groups of moderate complexity. Provides input to strategic decisions that affect the functional area of responsibility. May give input into developing the budget. Typically requires 3+ years of managerial experience. Capable of resolving escalated issues arising from operations and requiring coordination with other departments.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Customer Service: Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Billing: Billing refers to the aspect of banking, whereby someone is charged accurately for what item they purchased.
Oracle: Applying Oracle to manage data and information applications effectively.
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
