AR/Payroll Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does an AR/Payroll Specialist make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for an AR/Payroll Specialist in the United States is $55,770 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.

However, an AR/Payroll Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $65,985
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $50,860 to $61,117
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $46,389
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View as table View as graph 25% $50,860 10% $46,389 90% $65,985 75% $61,117 $55,770 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

AR/Payroll Specialist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $61,117 $5,093 $1,175 $29
Average $55,770 $4,648 $1,073 $27
25th Percentile $50,860 $4,238 $978 $24
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Key Factors That Influence AR/Payroll Specialist Salaries

An AR/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 AR/Payroll Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an AR/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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $52,332
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $52,719
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $54,656
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $56,513
  • Expert (over 8 years): $57,478
Levels Salary
Entry Level AR/Payroll Specialist$52,332
Intermediate Level AR/Payroll Specialist$52,719
Senior Level AR/Payroll Specialist$54,656
Specialist Level AR/Payroll Specialist$56,513
Expert Level AR/Payroll Specialist$57,478
$52,332 0 yr
$52,719 < 2 yrs
$54,656 2-4 yrs
$56,513 5-8 yrs
$57,478 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do AR/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 AR/Payroll Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $61,749.
  • California: $61,515.
  • Massachusetts: $60,695.

Top Paying Cities for AR/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: $70,343
  • San Francisco: $69,651
  • Oakland: $68,107

What Skills Can Increase an AR/Payroll Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 4.74% 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 Excel (Mentioned in 2.58% Job Postings): Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It features calculation or computation capabilities, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications.
  • Bookkeeping (Mentioned in 0.95% Job Postings): Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions, and is part of the process of accounting in business. Transactions include purchases, sales, receipts, and payments by an individual person or an organization/corporation. There are several standard methods of bookkeeping, including the single-entry and double-entry bookkeeping systems. While these may be viewed as "real" bookkeeping, any process for recording financial transactions is a bookkeeping process. Bookkeeping is the work of a bookkeeper (or book-keeper), who records the day-to-day financial transactions of a business. They usually write the daybooks (which contain records of sales, purchases, receipts, and payments), and document each financial transaction, whether cash or credit, into the correct daybook—that is, petty cash book, suppliers ledger, customer ledger, etc.—and the general ledger. Thereafter, an accountant can create financial reports from the information recorded by the bookkeeper.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 4.74%
Microsoft Excel 2.58%
Bookkeeping 0.95%
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 an AR/Payroll Specialist's salary.
  • ERP Systems: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • ERP: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
ERP Systems
$58,001
4%
ERP
$57,443
3%
Process Improvement
$57,443
3%
Analysis
$56,886
2%
Analytical Skills
$56,886
2%
Flexibility
$56,886
2%
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AR/Payroll Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an AR/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.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for AR/Payroll Specialist

Salaries for an AR/Payroll Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $51,157 in 2023 to around $49,927 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of AR/Payroll Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of AR/Payroll Specialist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$51,157
2024
$50,356
2025
$49,927
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $51,157
2024 $50,356
2025 $49,927
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for AR/Payroll Specialist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for AR/Payroll Specialist

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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.

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.)

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