Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Accounting/Payroll Administrator in California is $95,176 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $46.
However, an Accounting/Payroll Administrator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
Smart Recruiting
Accounting/Payroll Administrator Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $103,457 | $8,621 | $1,990 | $50 |
| Average | $95,176 | $7,931 | $1,830 | $46 |
| 25th Percentile | $87,706 | $7,309 | $1,687 | $42 |
Apply for the Office Administrator job - HOUSTON, TX
United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Utah - SALT LAKE CITY, UT
Catalis Dental Lab Partners - TEMPE, AZ
Bath Planet - GLENDALE, AZ
An Accounting/Payroll Administrator'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.
Experience is a primary driver of an Accounting/Payroll Administrator'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:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Payroll A... Level Accounting/Payroll Administrator | $68,996 |
| Payroll A... Level Accounting/Payroll Administrator | $80,773 |
| Accountin... Level Accounting/Payroll Administrator | $93,451 |
| Payroll A... Level Accounting/Payroll Administrator | $113,454 |
| Payroll T... Level Accounting/Payroll Administrator | $98,200 |
What Am I Worth?
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 Accounting/Payroll Administrators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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:
For Accounting/Payroll Administrator roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Accounting/Payroll Administrator positions in Retail & Wholesale or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Accounting/Payroll Administrator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biotechnology | $104,694 | $50.0 | 10% |
| Energy & Utilities | $104,694 | $50.0 | 10% |
| Financial Services | $104,694 | $50.0 | 10% |
| Internet | $104,694 | $50.0 | 10% |
| Pharmaceuticals | $104,694 | $50.0 | 10% |
Understanding how an Accounting/Payroll Administrator'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.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $103,457 | $8,621 | $1,990 | $50 |
| Average | $95,176 | $7,931 | $1,830 | $46 |
| 25th Percentile | $87,706 | $7,309 | $1,687 | $42 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Accounting/Payroll Administrator job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
NucleusTeq
PHOENIX, AZ
NucleusTeq | PHOENIX, AZ
Role : Office Administrator Location: Phoenix, AZ About NucleusTeq NucleusTeq is a software services, solutions, and products company enabling Fortune 1000... more
3 Days Ago
RocketLab
TUCSON, AZ
RocketLab | TUCSON, AZ
ABOUT ROCKET LAB Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services, complete spacecraft design and manufacturing, payloads, s... more
3 Days Ago
Isaac Heating
TINTON FALLS, NJ
Isaac Heating | TINTON FALLS, NJ
Office Administrator Pay: Starting at $22.00 per hour Bailey Plumbing, Heating and Cooling is looking for a friendly, organized Office Administrator for th... more
3 Days Ago
Tonix Pharmaceuticals
BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ
Tonix Pharmaceuticals | BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ
Tonix Pharmaceuticals* is a fully integrated, commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on central nervous system (CNS) and immunology treatments in a... more
3 Days Ago
Team Pest USA
RALEIGH, NC
Team Pest USA | RALEIGH, NC
Office Administrator – Join the Team at Pest USA Pest USA, a well-established and growing leader in Pest and Termite Control since 1971, is currently hirin... more
3 Days Ago
Come Join our Team
CHARLOTTE, NC
Come Join our Team | CHARLOTTE, NC
Froehling & Robertson, Inc., (F&R) has been proudly engineering stability in the country since 1881. In addition to being one of the oldest independent tes... more
3 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
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.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
