How much does a Payroll Specialist Ii make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Payroll Specialist Ii in the United States is $52,399 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $25.
However, a Payroll Specialist Ii's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $63,921
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $47,764 to $58,430
Key Factors That Influence Payroll Specialist Ii Salaries
A Payroll Specialist Ii'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, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Payroll Specialist Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Payroll Specialist Ii'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 Payroll Specialist Ii 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 Payroll Specialist Iis. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $58,016.
California: $57,796.
Massachusetts: $57,025.
District of Columbia$58,016
California$57,796
Massachusetts$57,025
Washington$56,816
New Jersey$56,795
Alaska$56,721
Connecticut$55,998
New York$55,705
Hawaii$54,767
Rhode Island$54,327
Maryland$54,028
Minnesota$53,619
Colorado$53,462
Illinois$53,410
Oregon$53,211
Delaware$53,064
New Hampshire$52,972
Virginia$52,765
Pennsylvania$52,163
Nevada$51,859
North Dakota$51,759
Michigan$51,602
Wisconsin$51,545
Vermont$51,429
Texas$51,110
Maine$51,089
Arizona$51,057
Ohio$51,021
Georgia$50,538
Indiana$50,297
Wyoming$50,250
Utah$50,177
Iowa$50,145
Kansas$49,894
Louisiana$49,821
North Carolina$49,794
Missouri$49,784
Florida$49,580
Montana$49,470
Nebraska$49,365
Kentucky$49,307
South Carolina$49,097
Tennessee$48,966
Idaho$48,914
New Mexico$48,532
Oklahoma$48,448
Alabama$48,139
South Dakota$47,620
Arkansas$47,337
West Virginia$47,185
Mississippi$46,729
Top Paying Cities for Payroll Specialist Iis
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: $66,090
San Francisco: $65,367
Oakland: $63,989
San Jose, CA$66,090
San Francisco, CA$65,367
Oakland, CA$63,989
New York, NY$60,331
Paramus, NJ$59,598
Queens Village, NY$59,595
Passaic, NJ$59,545
Bergenfield, NJ$59,541
Stamford, CT$59,425
Huntington, NY$59,404
Newark, NJ$59,017
Bridgeport, CT$58,906
Vallejo, CA$58,802
New Brunswick, NJ$58,781
Petaluma, CA$58,749
Middlesex, NJ$58,650
Somerset, NJ$58,613
Santa Cruz, CA$58,545
Boston, MA$58,225
Monterey, CA$58,041
Seattle, WA$57,921
Santa Rosa, CA$57,911
Los Angeles, CA$57,895
Juneau, AK$57,759
Washington, DC$57,701
Orange, CA$57,515
Santa Ana, CA$57,376
Long Beach, CA$57,324
Anaheim, CA$57,314
Anchorage, AK$57,287
Santa Maria, CA$57,130
Everett, WA$57,120
Danbury, CT$56,935
Bremerton, WA$56,863
Tacoma, WA$56,674
New Suffolk, NY$56,673
Sacramento, CA$56,659
Santa Barbara, CA$56,601
Trenton, NJ$56,543
San Diego, CA$56,543
Brockton, MA$56,486
Fairbanks, AK$56,357
Lompoc, CA$56,224
Lowell, MA$56,181
Ventura, CA$56,171
Nashua, NH$56,161
Stockton, CA$56,156
Modesto, CA$55,773
Poughkeepsie, NY$55,658
Olympia, WA$55,558
Kennewick, WA$55,558
New Haven, CT$55,537
Lawrence, MA$55,349
Hartford, CT$55,296
Riverside, CA$55,286
New Bedford, MA$55,233
Richland, WA$55,233
Bakersfield, CA$55,160
San Bernardino, CA$55,139
New Britain, CT$55,134
Atlantic City, NJ$55,134
New London, CT$55,113
Norwich, CT$55,097
Portsmouth, NH$55,087
Boulder, CO$54,976
Portland, OR$54,903
Worcester, MA$54,898
Minneapolis, MN$54,736
Philadelphia, PA$54,662
Honolulu, HI$54,489
Saint Paul, MN$54,464
Vineland, NJ$54,453
Providence, RI$54,301
Chicago, IL$54,149
Bellingham, WA$54,086
Springfield, MA$54,044
Baltimore, MD$54,028
Chico, CA$53,897
Pittsfield, MA$53,756
Manchester, NH$53,656
Spokane, WA$53,426
Denver, CO$53,420
Albany, NY$53,174
Troy, NY$53,153
Nassau, NY$53,097
Schenectady, NY$53,043
Wilmington, DE$53,001
Burlington, VT$52,928
Salem, OR$52,907
Portland, ME$52,744
Yakima, WA$52,692
Rochester, MN$52,530
Reno, NV$52,503
Fresno, CA$52,503
Milwaukee, WI$52,456
Detroit, MI$52,404
Ann Arbor, MI$52,395
Allentown, PA$52,388
Colorado Springs, CO$52,299
Syracuse, NY$52,273
Carson City, NV$52,273
Houston, TX$52,199
Eugene, OR$52,173
Gary, IN$52,110
Springfield, OR$52,068
Bismarck, ND$52,058
Galveston, TX$52,021
Medford, OR$51,943
Fort Collins, CO$51,922
Concord, NH$51,896
Austin, TX$51,880
Mesa, AZ$51,770
Reading, PA$51,765
Phoenix, AZ$51,759
Dallas, TX$51,744
Saint Cloud, MN$51,693
Madison, WI$51,623
Utica, NY$51,482
Rochester, NY$51,398
Des Moines, IA$51,393
Raleigh, NC$51,387
Atlanta, GA$51,309
Battle Creek, MI$51,293
Salt Lake City, UT$51,277
Lancaster, PA$51,199
Harrisburg, PA$51,125
Kansas City, MO$51,073
Champaign, IL$51,062
Kansas City, KS$51,062
Fort Worth, TX$51,057
Columbus, OH$51,048
Boca Raton, FL$51,036
Pittsburgh, PA$51,015
Richmond, VA$50,994
Indianapolis, IN$50,984
Cleveland, OH$50,979
Las Vegas, NV$50,916
Cincinnati, OH$50,916
Petersburg, VA$50,837
Huntsville, AL$50,759
Lansing, MI$50,723
Lebanon, PA$50,717
Pueblo, CO$50,711
Appleton, WI$50,696
Buffalo, NY$50,675
Dayton, OH$50,659
Racine, WI$50,648
Charlotte, NC$50,643
Saint Louis, MO$50,628
York, PA$50,596
Elkhart, IN$50,596
Gastonia, NC$50,586
Billings, MT$50,574
Beaumont, TX$50,559
Lorain, OH$50,549
Benton Harbor, MI$50,538
Toledo, OH$50,528
Binghamton, NY$50,502
Rock Hill, SC$50,497
Rockford, IL$50,470
Springfield, IL$50,449
Elyria, OH$50,444
Fargo, ND$50,444
Flagstaff, AZ$50,407
Fort Lauderdale, FL$50,376
Duluth, MN$50,345
Miami, FL$50,345
Cheyenne, WY$50,308
Grand Forks, ND$50,308
Bangor, ME$50,193
Cedar Rapids, IA$50,135
Durham, NC$50,113
Louisville, KY$50,109
Grand Rapids, MI$50,098
Hialeah, FL$50,093
Casper, WY$50,020
Scranton, PA$49,957
New Orleans, LA$49,941
Virginia Beach, VA$49,936
Akron, OH$49,910
Peoria, IL$49,842
Sarasota, FL$49,831
Nashville, TN$49,794
Omaha, NE$49,794
Green Bay, WI$49,794
Baton Rouge, LA$49,768
Charleston, SC$49,758
Jamestown, NY$49,732
Davenport, IA$49,732
Tucson, AZ$49,705
Saint Petersburg, FL$49,674
Tampa, FL$49,663
Evansville, IN$49,632
Port Arthur, TX$49,632
Bradenton, FL$49,611
Santa Fe, NM$49,517
Orlando, FL$49,422
Clearwater, FL$49,407
Canton, OH$49,297
La Crosse, WI$49,297
Albuquerque, NM$49,265
Newport News, VA$49,260
High Point, NC$49,244
Ogden, UT$49,223
Corpus Christi, TX$49,181
Norfolk, VA$49,150
Laramie, WY$49,150
Rock Island, IL$49,118
Saginaw, MI$49,108
Jacksonville, FL$49,103
Salisbury, NC$49,092
Boise, ID$49,082
Moline, IL$49,056
Fort Myers, FL$49,040
Memphis, TN$49,029
Tulsa, OK$49,003
Waterloo, IA$48,972
Spartanburg, SC$48,919
Lincoln, NE$48,893
Fort Wayne, IN$48,883
Provo, UT$48,877
Cedar Falls, IA$48,815
San Antonio, TX$48,794
Greensboro, NC$48,773
South Bend, IN$48,767
Savannah, GA$48,710
Muskegon, MI$48,689
Birmingham, AL$48,684
Winston Salem, NC$48,658
Lake Charles, LA$48,532
Anderson, IN$48,521
Lexington, KY$48,505
Augusta, GA$48,490
Greenville, SC$48,490
Lima, OH$48,448
Wichita, KS$48,443
Tuscaloosa, AL$48,443
Columbia, SC$48,395
Springfield, OH$48,385
Asheville, NC$48,301
Bloomington, IN$48,264
Knoxville, TN$48,076
Shreveport, LA$48,070
Wilmington, NC$48,002
Roanoke, VA$48,002
Topeka, KS$47,908
Frankfort, KY$47,902
Oklahoma City, OK$47,866
Chillicothe, OH$47,845
Longview, TX$47,840
Melbourne, FL$47,835
Sioux Falls, SD$47,751
Mobile, AL$47,746
Terre Haute, IN$47,725
Altoona, PA$47,693
Amarillo, TX$47,657
Killeen, TX$47,641
Fayetteville, AR$47,599
Chattanooga, TN$47,583
Sioux City, IA$47,536
Idaho Falls, ID$47,526
Lynchburg, VA$47,484
Gainesville, FL$47,415
Portsmouth, OH$47,389
Little Rock, AR$47,379
Lafayette, LA$47,358
Youngstown, OH$47,358
Daytona Beach, FL$47,326
Clarksville, TN$47,321
Pensacola, FL$47,316
Temple, TX$47,312
Hopkinsville, KY$47,159
Erie, PA$47,148
Florence, SC$47,127
Charleston, WV$47,043
Great Falls, MT$47,017
Macon, GA$46,944
Tallahassee, FL$46,939
Fayetteville, NC$46,928
Waco, TX$46,918
Helena, MT$46,881
Pine Bluff, AR$46,861
Vincennes, IN$46,797
Lubbock, TX$46,776
Alamogordo, NM$46,745
Twin Falls, ID$46,698
Rapid City, SD$46,682
Jackson, MS$46,588
Huntington, WV$46,584
Greenville, MS$46,582
Parkersburg, WV$46,529
Montgomery, AL$46,519
Wichita Falls, TX$46,467
Springfield, MO$46,467
Biloxi, MS$46,441
Monroe, LA$46,388
Johnstown, PA$46,352
Sumter, SC$46,331
Columbus, GA$46,326
Pascagoula, MS$46,226
Abilene, TX$46,226
Kingsport, TN$46,090
Albany, GA$46,090
Gulfport, MS$46,074
Alexandria, LA$45,901
Fort Smith, AR$45,770
El Paso, TX$45,629
Las Cruces, NM$45,393
Harlingen, TX$45,260
Pocatello, ID$45,251
Florence, AL$45,183
Brownsville, TX$45,173
Mcallen, TX$45,063
Dothan, AL$44,989
Columbus, MS$44,678
Altus, OK$44,434
Lawton, OK$44,334
Pierre, SD$44,146
What Skills Can Increase a Payroll Specialist Ii's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 5.77% 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.
HRIS (Mentioned in 2.15% Job Postings): HRIS is a management system designed specifically to provide managers with information to make HR decisions. Is a system that lets you keep track of all your employees and information about them.
Workday (Mentioned in 1.32% Job Postings): A cloud-based human resource management software system that unifies a wide range of HR functionality into a single system.
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 Specialist Ii's salary.
Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
ADP Workforce Now: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Business Administration: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Payroll Specialist Ii Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Payroll Specialist Ii roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Financial Services
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Payroll Specialist positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Payroll Specialist Ii as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Payroll Specialist Ii
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities
$68,118
$33.0
30%
Financial Services
$68,118
$33.0
30%
Internet
$68,118
$33.0
30%
Pharmaceuticals
$68,118
$33.0
30%
Software & Networking
$68,118
$33.0
30%
How Education impacts a Payroll Specialist Ii's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Payroll Specialist Iis enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Payroll Specialist Ii with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$52,098
and $55,707).
Payroll Specialist Ii Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Payroll Specialist Ii'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
$47,764
Average$52,399/year
$58,430
$3,980
Average$4,367/month
$4,869
$919
Average$1,008/week
$1,124
$23
Average$25/hour
$28
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$58,430
$4,869
$1,124
$28
Average
$52,399
$4,367
$1,008
$25
25th Percentile
$47,764
$3,980
$919
$23
Salaries of Jobs related to Payroll Specialist Ii
Certified Payroll Specialist$92,194
Payroll & AP Specialist$74,625
Payroll Administrator II$73,178
External Payroll Specialist$71,800
Outsourced Payroll Specialist$71,790
Payroll Processing Specialist$71,790
Payroll Services Specialist$71,784
Payroll Specialist$59,008
Payroll Specialist I$51,799
Payroll Clerk II$50,797
Payroll Associate II$50,790
Salary Trends for Payroll Specialist Ii
Salaries for a Payroll Specialist Ii can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $44,819 in 2023
to around $44,652 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Payroll Specialist Ii salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Payroll Specialist Ii Over Time
$???
$44,819
$45,000
$44,652
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$44,819
2024
$45,000
2025
$44,652
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Payroll Specialist Ii
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Payroll Specialist Ii
Here are companies hiring for Payroll Specialist Ii 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
Find Your Next Payroll Specialist Ii Job
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FAQ about Payroll Specialist Ii
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Payroll Specialist Ii?
The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Payroll Specialist Ii roles,
with salaries approximately 30% 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.
