What are the main factors that influence a Payroll's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

What industry pays the highest salary for Payroll?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Payroll roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

How does experience change A Payroll's salary?

A Payroll's salary grows with experience: a Payroll (0-1 years)earns $45,213, a Payroll Clerk II (1-3 years)earns $50,541, a Payroll Clerk III (3-5 years)earns $56,682, a Payroll Clerk IV (5-7 years)earns $62,329, a Payroll Team Lead (7+ years)earns $88,503,

What are the highest paying states for a Payroll?

Payroll salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Payroll roles are District of Columbia $58,620, California $58,397, Massachusetts $57,619. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Payroll roles make?

Salaries for Payroll level roles vary by specialization: Payroll Director: $160,487; Payroll Manager: $111,514; Payroll Controller: $104,052; Payroll Supervisor: $95,473; Payroll Coordinator: $74,801.

How do different companies affect a Payroll's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Payroll roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Payroll Salary in the United States

How much does a Payroll make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Payroll in the United States is $52,944 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $25.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $64,519
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $48,330 to $59,003
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $44,129

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Payroll Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$59,003	$4,917	$1,135	$28
Average	$52,944	$4,412	$1,018	$25
25th Percentile	$48,330	$4,027	$929	$23

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Payroll Salaries

A Payroll'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 Payroll Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Payroll'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): $45,213
Early Career (1-2 years): $50,541
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $56,682
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $62,329
Expert (over 8 years): $88,503

Levels	Salary
Payroll Level Payroll	$45,213
Payroll C... Level Payroll	$50,541
Payroll C... Level Payroll	$56,682
Payroll C... Level Payroll	$62,329
Payroll T... Level Payroll	$88,503

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What Am I Worth?

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

District of Columbia: $58,620.
California: $58,397.
Massachusetts: $57,619.

District of Columbia $58,620 California $58,397 Massachusetts $57,619 Washington $57,407 New Jersey $57,386 Alaska $57,312 Connecticut $56,581 New York $56,285

Hawaii $55,337 Rhode Island $54,893 Maryland $54,591 Minnesota $54,178 Colorado $54,019 Illinois $53,966 Oregon $53,765 Delaware $53,617

New Hampshire $53,523 Virginia $53,315 Pennsylvania $52,706 Nevada $52,399 North Dakota $52,298 Michigan $52,139 Wisconsin $52,081 Vermont $51,965

Texas $51,642 Maine $51,621 Arizona $51,589 Ohio $51,552 Georgia $51,065 Indiana $50,821 Wyoming $50,773 Utah $50,699

Iowa $50,668 Kansas $50,413 Louisiana $50,339 North Carolina $50,313 Missouri $50,302 Florida $50,096 Montana $49,985 Nebraska $49,879

Kentucky $49,820 South Carolina $49,609 Tennessee $49,476 Idaho $49,423 New Mexico $49,037 Oklahoma $48,952 Alabama $48,640 South Dakota $48,116

Arkansas $47,830 West Virginia $47,676 Mississippi $47,216

Top Paying Cities for Payrolls

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: $66,779
San Francisco: $66,047
Oakland: $64,655

San Jose, CA $66,779

San Francisco, CA $66,047

Oakland, CA $64,655

New York, NY $60,959

Paramus, NJ $60,218

Queens Village, NY $60,216

Passaic, NJ $60,165

Bergenfield, NJ $60,160

Stamford, CT $60,044

Huntington, NY $60,022

Newark, NJ $59,631

Bridgeport, CT $59,519

Vallejo, CA $59,414

New Brunswick, NJ $59,393

Petaluma, CA $59,361

Middlesex, NJ $59,260

Somerset, NJ $59,223

Santa Cruz, CA $59,155

Boston, MA $58,832

Monterey, CA $58,646

Seattle, WA $58,525

Santa Rosa, CA $58,514

Los Angeles, CA $58,498

Juneau, AK $58,360

Washington, DC $58,302

Orange, CA $58,114

Santa Ana, CA $57,974

Long Beach, CA $57,921

Anaheim, CA $57,910

Anchorage, AK $57,884

Santa Maria, CA $57,725

Everett, WA $57,714

Danbury, CT $57,528

Bremerton, WA $57,455

Tacoma, WA $57,264

New Suffolk, NY $57,263

Sacramento, CA $57,249

Santa Barbara, CA $57,190

Trenton, NJ $57,132

San Diego, CA $57,132

Brockton, MA $57,074

Fairbanks, AK $56,944

Lompoc, CA $56,809

Lowell, MA $56,766

Ventura, CA $56,756

Nashua, NH $56,746

Stockton, CA $56,740

Modesto, CA $56,354

Poughkeepsie, NY $56,237

Olympia, WA $56,137

Kennewick, WA $56,137

New Haven, CT $56,116

Lawrence, MA $55,925

Hartford, CT $55,872

Riverside, CA $55,861

New Bedford, MA $55,808

Richland, WA $55,808

Bakersfield, CA $55,734

San Bernardino, CA $55,713

New Britain, CT $55,708

Atlantic City, NJ $55,708

New London, CT $55,687

Norwich, CT $55,671

Portsmouth, NH $55,660

Boulder, CO $55,548

Portland, OR $55,475

Worcester, MA $55,470

Minneapolis, MN $55,306

Philadelphia, PA $55,231

Honolulu, HI $55,057

Saint Paul, MN $55,031

Vineland, NJ $55,020

Providence, RI $54,866

Chicago, IL $54,713

Bellingham, WA $54,649

Springfield, MA $54,607

Baltimore, MD $54,591

Chico, CA $54,458

Pittsfield, MA $54,315

Manchester, NH $54,215

Spokane, WA $53,982

Denver, CO $53,977

Albany, NY $53,728

Troy, NY $53,707

Nassau, NY $53,650

Schenectady, NY $53,595

Wilmington, DE $53,553

Burlington, VT $53,479

Salem, OR $53,458

Portland, ME $53,294

Yakima, WA $53,241

Rochester, MN $53,077

Reno, NV $53,050

Fresno, CA $53,050

Milwaukee, WI $53,002

Detroit, MI $52,949

Ann Arbor, MI $52,940

Allentown, PA $52,934

Colorado Springs, CO $52,844

Syracuse, NY $52,817

Carson City, NV $52,817

Houston, TX $52,743

Eugene, OR $52,717

Gary, IN $52,653

Springfield, OR $52,611

Bismarck, ND $52,600

Galveston, TX $52,563

Medford, OR $52,484

Fort Collins, CO $52,462

Concord, NH $52,436

Austin, TX $52,420

Mesa, AZ $52,309

Reading, PA $52,304

Phoenix, AZ $52,298

Dallas, TX $52,282

Saint Cloud, MN $52,232

Madison, WI $52,161

Utica, NY $52,018

Rochester, NY $51,933

Des Moines, IA $51,928

Raleigh, NC $51,922

Atlanta, GA $51,843

Battle Creek, MI $51,827

Salt Lake City, UT $51,811

Lancaster, PA $51,732

Harrisburg, PA $51,658

Kansas City, MO $51,605

Champaign, IL $51,594

Kansas City, KS $51,594

Fort Worth, TX $51,589

Columbus, OH $51,580

Boca Raton, FL $51,568

Pittsburgh, PA $51,546

Richmond, VA $51,525

Indianapolis, IN $51,515

Cleveland, OH $51,509

Las Vegas, NV $51,446

Cincinnati, OH $51,446

Petersburg, VA $51,366

Huntsville, AL $51,287

Lansing, MI $51,252

Lebanon, PA $51,245

Pueblo, CO $51,239

Appleton, WI $51,224

Buffalo, NY $51,202

Dayton, OH $51,186

Racine, WI $51,176

Charlotte, NC $51,171

Saint Louis, MO $51,155

York, PA $51,123

Elkhart, IN $51,123

Gastonia, NC $51,113

Billings, MT $51,100

Beaumont, TX $51,086

Lorain, OH $51,075

Benton Harbor, MI $51,065

Toledo, OH $51,054

Binghamton, NY $51,028

Rock Hill, SC $51,022

Rockford, IL $50,996

Springfield, IL $50,975

Elyria, OH $50,969

Fargo, ND $50,969

Flagstaff, AZ $50,932

Fort Lauderdale, FL $50,901

Duluth, MN $50,869

Miami, FL $50,869

Cheyenne, WY $50,832

Grand Forks, ND $50,832

Bangor, ME $50,715

Cedar Rapids, IA $50,657

Durham, NC $50,635

Louisville, KY $50,631

Grand Rapids, MI $50,620

Hialeah, FL $50,615

Casper, WY $50,541

Scranton, PA $50,477

New Orleans, LA $50,461

Virginia Beach, VA $50,456

Akron, OH $50,429

Peoria, IL $50,361

Sarasota, FL $50,350

Nashville, TN $50,313

Omaha, NE $50,313

Green Bay, WI $50,313

Baton Rouge, LA $50,286

Charleston, SC $50,276

Jamestown, NY $50,249

Davenport, IA $50,249

Tucson, AZ $50,223

Saint Petersburg, FL $50,191

Tampa, FL $50,181

Evansville, IN $50,149

Port Arthur, TX $50,149

Bradenton, FL $50,128

Santa Fe, NM $50,032

Orlando, FL $49,937

Clearwater, FL $49,921

Canton, OH $49,810

La Crosse, WI $49,810

Albuquerque, NM $49,778

Newport News, VA $49,773

High Point, NC $49,757

Ogden, UT $49,736

Corpus Christi, TX $49,693

Norfolk, VA $49,662

Laramie, WY $49,662

Rock Island, IL $49,630

Saginaw, MI $49,619

Jacksonville, FL $49,614

Salisbury, NC $49,603

Boise, ID $49,593

Moline, IL $49,566

Fort Myers, FL $49,550

Memphis, TN $49,540

Tulsa, OK $49,513

Waterloo, IA $49,482

Spartanburg, SC $49,429

Lincoln, NE $49,402

Fort Wayne, IN $49,392

Provo, UT $49,386

Cedar Falls, IA $49,323

San Antonio, TX $49,302

Greensboro, NC $49,280

South Bend, IN $49,275

Savannah, GA $49,217

Muskegon, MI $49,196

Birmingham, AL $49,190

Winston Salem, NC $49,165

Lake Charles, LA $49,037

Anderson, IN $49,026

Lexington, KY $49,010

Augusta, GA $48,995

Greenville, SC $48,995

Lima, OH $48,952

Wichita, KS $48,947

Tuscaloosa, AL $48,947

Columbia, SC $48,899

Springfield, OH $48,889

Asheville, NC $48,804

Bloomington, IN $48,767

Knoxville, TN $48,576

Shreveport, LA $48,571

Wilmington, NC $48,502

Roanoke, VA $48,502

Topeka, KS $48,407

Frankfort, KY $48,401

Oklahoma City, OK $48,365

Chillicothe, OH $48,343

Longview, TX $48,338

Melbourne, FL $48,333

Sioux Falls, SD $48,248

Mobile, AL $48,243

Terre Haute, IN $48,222

Altoona, PA $48,190

Amarillo, TX $48,153

Killeen, TX $48,137

Fayetteville, AR $48,095

Chattanooga, TN $48,079

Sioux City, IA $48,031

Idaho Falls, ID $48,020

Lynchburg, VA $47,978

Gainesville, FL $47,909

Portsmouth, OH $47,883

Little Rock, AR $47,872

Lafayette, LA $47,851

Youngstown, OH $47,851

Daytona Beach, FL $47,819

Clarksville, TN $47,814

Pensacola, FL $47,809

Temple, TX $47,805

Hopkinsville, KY $47,650

Erie, PA $47,639

Florence, SC $47,618

Charleston, WV $47,533

Great Falls, MT $47,507

Macon, GA $47,433

Tallahassee, FL $47,427

Fayetteville, NC $47,417

Waco, TX $47,406

Helena, MT $47,369

Pine Bluff, AR $47,349

Vincennes, IN $47,284

Lubbock, TX $47,263

Alamogordo, NM $47,232

Twin Falls, ID $47,184

Rapid City, SD $47,168

Jackson, MS $47,073

Huntington, WV $47,069

Greenville, MS $47,067

Parkersburg, WV $47,013

Montgomery, AL $47,004

Wichita Falls, TX $46,951

Springfield, MO $46,951

Biloxi, MS $46,924

Monroe, LA $46,872

Johnstown, PA $46,834

Sumter, SC $46,813

Columbus, GA $46,808

Pascagoula, MS $46,707

Abilene, TX $46,707

Kingsport, TN $46,570

Albany, GA $46,570

Gulfport, MS $46,554

Alexandria, LA $46,379

Fort Smith, AR $46,247

El Paso, TX $46,104

Las Cruces, NM $45,866

Harlingen, TX $45,731

Pocatello, ID $45,723

Florence, AL $45,654

Brownsville, TX $45,643

Mcallen, TX $45,532

Dothan, AL $45,458

Columbus, MS $45,143

Altus, OK $44,897

Lawton, OK $44,796

Pierre, SD $44,605

What Skills Can Increase a Payroll's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 5.98% 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 2.21% 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 1.4% Job Postings): A cloud-based human resource management software system that unifies a wide range of HR functionality into a single system.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	5.98%
HRIS	2.21%
Workday	1.4%

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's salary.

Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
Business Administration: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Innovation	$61,945	17%
Business Administration	$61,415	16%
Leadership	$60,356	14%
Consulting	$59,827	13%
Analytical Skills	$59,827	13%
General Ledger	$59,298	12%

Get Latest Data

Payroll Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Payroll roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 35% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Payroll positions in MFG Durable or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Payroll as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Payroll

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense	$63,533	$31.0	20%
Biotechnology	$60,886	$29.0	15%
Healthcare	$59,298	$29.0	12%
Business Services	$58,239	$28.0	10%
Financial Services	$58,239	$28.0	10%

Payroll Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Payroll'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 July 01, 2026

$48,330

Average $52,944/year

$59,003

$4,027

Average $4,412/month

$4,917

$929

Average $1,018/week

$1,135

$23

Average $25/hour

$28

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$59,003	$4,917	$1,135	$28
Average	$52,944	$4,412	$1,018	$25
25th Percentile	$48,330	$4,027	$929	$23

Salaries of jobs related to Payroll

Salary Trends for Payroll

Salaries for a Payroll can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $39,593 in 2023 to around $39,007 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Payroll salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Payroll Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$39,593

2024

$39,264

2025

$39,007

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$39,593
2024	$39,264
2025	$39,007
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Payroll

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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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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