Payroll Director Salary in Denver, CO

How much does a Payroll Director make in Denver, CO?

As of March 01, 2026, the average salary for a Payroll Director in Denver, CO is $163,595 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $79.

However, a Payroll Director's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $185,536
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $150,141 to $175,080
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $137,891
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View as table View as graph 25% $150,141 10% $137,891 90% $185,536 75% $175,080 $163,595 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Payroll Director Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $175,080 $14,590 $3,367 $84
Average $163,595 $13,633 $3,146 $79
25th Percentile $150,141 $12,512 $2,887 $72
Check out Payroll Director Job Openings in Denver, CO
Director Payroll and Accounting

Stryker Corporation - Denver, CO

Global Markets Payroll Enablement Director

Stryker Corporation - Denver, CO

Director Global Payroll Market Enablement

Stryker Corporation - Denver, CO

Director Payroll&amp Employee Benefits Accounting

Stryker Corporation - Denver, CO

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Key Factors That Influence Payroll Director Salaries

A Payroll Director'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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Payroll Director Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Payroll Director'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:

  • Payroll Administrator IV (7+ years): $104,720
  • Payroll Team Lead (7+ years): $90,638
  • Payroll Supervisor (7+ years): $97,333
  • Payroll Manager (7+ years): $113,680
  • Payroll Director (7+ years): $163,595
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Payroll Administrator IV7+ years$104,720
Payroll Team Lead7+ years$90,638
Payroll Supervisor7+ years$97,333
Payroll Manager7+ years$113,680
Payroll Director7+ years$163,595
$104,720 Payroll A...
$90,638 Payroll T...
$97,333 Payroll S...
$113,680 Payroll M...
$163,595 Payroll D...
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Payroll Directors

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: $202,396
  • San Francisco: $200,406
  • Oakland: $195,961

What Skills Can Increase a Payroll Director's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 7.52% Job Postings): 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.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.82% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Data Integrity (Mentioned in 1.25% Job Postings): Data integrity refers to the accuracy and consistency (validity) of data over its lifecycle. Compromised data, after all, is of little use to enterprises, not to mention the dangers presented by sensitive data loss.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 7.52%
Microsoft Office 2.82%
Data Integrity 1.25%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Payroll Director's salary.
  • ADP Workforce Now: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Oracle: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Payroll Administration: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
ADP Workforce Now
 $176,683
8%
Oracle
 $173,411
6%
Payroll Administration
 $171,775
5%
Collective Bargaining
 $170,139
4%
Process Management
 $170,139
4%
Workday
 $170,139
4%
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Payroll Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Payroll Director'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.

  • Yearly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Hourly
  • Table View
Last Updated on March 01, 2026
$150,141
Average $163,595/year
$175,080
$12,512
Average $13,633/month
$14,590
$2,887
Average $3,146/week
$3,367
$72
Average $79/hour
$84
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $175,080 $14,590 $3,367 $84
Average $163,595 $13,633 $3,146 $79
25th Percentile $150,141 $12,512 $2,887 $72

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Cost of Living In Denver, CO

Cost of Living in Denver, CO is
24.6% Higher
than the National Average

Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.

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