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

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

How does experience change A Payroll Tax Specialist's salary?

A Payroll Tax Specialist's salary grows with experience: a Payroll Administrator I (0-2 years)earns $63,609, a Payroll Administrator II (2-4 years)earns $74,467, a Payroll Tax Specialist (4-7 years)earns $86,155, a Payroll Administrator IV (7+ years)earns $104,596, a Payroll Team Lead (7+ years)earns $90,534,

What are the highest paying states for a Payroll Tax Specialist?

Payroll Tax Specialist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Payroll Tax Specialist roles are District of Columbia $95,978, California $95,614, Massachusetts $94,340. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Payroll Tax Specialist roles make?

Salaries for Payroll Tax Specialist level roles vary by specialization: Payroll Director: $160,492; Payroll Tax Manager: $114,985; Payroll Manager: $111,516; Payroll Administrator IV: $102,777; Payroll Tax Supervisor: $97,324.

How do different companies affect a Payroll Tax Specialist's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Payroll Tax Specialist 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 Tax Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Payroll Tax Specialist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Payroll Tax Specialist in the United States is $86,686 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $100,459
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $79,561 to $93,895
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $73,075

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Payroll Tax Specialist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$93,895	$7,825	$1,806	$45
Average	$86,686	$7,224	$1,667	$42
25th Percentile	$79,561	$6,630	$1,530	$38

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Payroll Tax Specialist Salaries

A Payroll Tax 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 Payroll Tax Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Payroll Tax 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): $63,609
Early Career (1-2 years): $74,467
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $86,155
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $104,596
Expert (over 8 years): $90,534

Levels	Salary
Payroll A... Level Payroll Tax Specialist	$63,609
Payroll A... Level Payroll Tax Specialist	$74,467
Payroll T... Level Payroll Tax Specialist	$86,155
Payroll A... Level Payroll Tax Specialist	$104,596
Payroll T... Level Payroll Tax Specialist	$90,534

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

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

District of Columbia: $95,978.
California: $95,614.
Massachusetts: $94,340.

District of Columbia $95,978 California $95,614 Massachusetts $94,340 Washington $93,993 New Jersey $93,958 Alaska $93,837 Connecticut $92,641 New York $92,155

Hawaii $90,604 Rhode Island $89,876 Maryland $89,381 Minnesota $88,705 Colorado $88,445 Illinois $88,359 Oregon $88,029 Delaware $87,786

New Hampshire $87,634 Virginia $87,292 Pennsylvania $86,295 Nevada $85,793 North Dakota $85,628 Michigan $85,368 Wisconsin $85,273 Vermont $85,082

Texas $84,553 Maine $84,518 Arizona $84,466 Ohio $84,406 Georgia $83,608 Indiana $83,209 Wyoming $83,131 Utah $83,010

Iowa $82,958 Kansas $82,542 Louisiana $82,421 North Carolina $82,377 Missouri $82,360 Florida $82,022 Montana $81,840 Nebraska $81,666

Kentucky $81,571 South Carolina $81,224 Tennessee $81,008 Idaho $80,921 New Mexico $80,288 Oklahoma $80,149 Alabama $79,638 South Dakota $78,780

Arkansas $78,312 West Virginia $78,060 Mississippi $77,306

Top Paying Cities for Payroll Tax 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: $109,336
San Francisco: $108,139
Oakland: $105,860

San Jose, CA $109,336

San Francisco, CA $108,139

Oakland, CA $105,860

New York, NY $99,809

Paramus, NJ $98,595

Queens Village, NY $98,591

Passaic, NJ $98,509

Bergenfield, NJ $98,501

Stamford, CT $98,310

Huntington, NY $98,274

Newark, NJ $97,634

Bridgeport, CT $97,451

Vallejo, CA $97,278

New Brunswick, NJ $97,244

Petaluma, CA $97,192

Middlesex, NJ $97,027

Somerset, NJ $96,966

Santa Cruz, CA $96,854

Boston, MA $96,325

Monterey, CA $96,021

Seattle, WA $95,822

Santa Rosa, CA $95,805

Los Angeles, CA $95,779

Juneau, AK $95,553

Washington, DC $95,458

Orange, CA $95,149

Santa Ana, CA $94,921

Long Beach, CA $94,834

Anaheim, CA $94,817

Anchorage, AK $94,773

Santa Maria, CA $94,513

Everett, WA $94,496

Danbury, CT $94,191

Bremerton, WA $94,071

Tacoma, WA $93,759

New Suffolk, NY $93,757

Sacramento, CA $93,733

Santa Barbara, CA $93,638

Trenton, NJ $93,542

San Diego, CA $93,542

Brockton, MA $93,447

Fairbanks, AK $93,235

Lompoc, CA $93,014

Lowell, MA $92,943

Ventura, CA $92,927

Nashua, NH $92,910

Stockton, CA $92,901

Modesto, CA $92,268

Poughkeepsie, NY $92,077

Olympia, WA $91,913

Kennewick, WA $91,913

New Haven, CT $91,878

Lawrence, MA $91,566

Hartford, CT $91,479

Riverside, CA $91,462

New Bedford, MA $91,375

Richland, WA $91,375

Bakersfield, CA $91,254

San Bernardino, CA $91,219

New Britain, CT $91,210

Atlantic City, NJ $91,210

New London, CT $91,176

Norwich, CT $91,150

Portsmouth, NH $91,132

Boulder, CO $90,949

Portland, OR $90,829

Worcester, MA $90,820

Minneapolis, MN $90,552

Philadelphia, PA $90,430

Honolulu, HI $90,144

Saint Paul, MN $90,103

Vineland, NJ $90,084

Providence, RI $89,832

Chicago, IL $89,581

Bellingham, WA $89,477

Springfield, MA $89,407

Baltimore, MD $89,381

Chico, CA $89,165

Pittsfield, MA $88,931

Manchester, NH $88,766

Spokane, WA $88,385

Denver, CO $88,376

Albany, NY $87,968

Troy, NY $87,934

Nassau, NY $87,841

Schenectady, NY $87,752

Wilmington, DE $87,682

Burlington, VT $87,561

Salem, OR $87,526

Portland, ME $87,258

Yakima, WA $87,171

Rochester, MN $86,902

Reno, NV $86,859

Fresno, CA $86,859

Milwaukee, WI $86,781

Detroit, MI $86,694

Ann Arbor, MI $86,679

Allentown, PA $86,668

Colorado Springs, CO $86,521

Syracuse, NY $86,477

Carson City, NV $86,477

Houston, TX $86,356

Eugene, OR $86,313

Gary, IN $86,209

Springfield, OR $86,139

Bismarck, ND $86,122

Galveston, TX $86,061

Medford, OR $85,931

Fort Collins, CO $85,897

Concord, NH $85,853

Austin, TX $85,827

Mesa, AZ $85,645

Reading, PA $85,637

Phoenix, AZ $85,628

Dallas, TX $85,602

Saint Cloud, MN $85,519

Madison, WI $85,403

Utica, NY $85,169

Rochester, NY $85,030

Des Moines, IA $85,021

Raleigh, NC $85,012

Atlanta, GA $84,882

Battle Creek, MI $84,856

Salt Lake City, UT $84,830

Lancaster, PA $84,700

Harrisburg, PA $84,579

Kansas City, MO $84,492

Champaign, IL $84,475

Kansas City, KS $84,475

Fort Worth, TX $84,466

Columbus, OH $84,452

Boca Raton, FL $84,432

Pittsburgh, PA $84,397

Richmond, VA $84,362

Indianapolis, IN $84,345

Cleveland, OH $84,336

Las Vegas, NV $84,232

Cincinnati, OH $84,232

Petersburg, VA $84,102

Huntsville, AL $83,972

Lansing, MI $83,914

Lebanon, PA $83,903

Pueblo, CO $83,894

Appleton, WI $83,868

Buffalo, NY $83,834

Dayton, OH $83,808

Racine, WI $83,790

Charlotte, NC $83,782

Saint Louis, MO $83,756

York, PA $83,704

Elkhart, IN $83,704

Gastonia, NC $83,687

Billings, MT $83,666

Beaumont, TX $83,643

Lorain, OH $83,626

Benton Harbor, MI $83,608

Toledo, OH $83,591

Binghamton, NY $83,547

Rock Hill, SC $83,539

Rockford, IL $83,495

Springfield, IL $83,461

Elyria, OH $83,452

Fargo, ND $83,452

Flagstaff, AZ $83,391

Fort Lauderdale, FL $83,339

Duluth, MN $83,287

Miami, FL $83,287

Cheyenne, WY $83,227

Grand Forks, ND $83,227

Bangor, ME $83,036

Cedar Rapids, IA $82,941

Durham, NC $82,904

Louisville, KY $82,897

Grand Rapids, MI $82,880

Hialeah, FL $82,871

Casper, WY $82,750

Scranton, PA $82,646

New Orleans, LA $82,620

Virginia Beach, VA $82,611

Akron, OH $82,568

Peoria, IL $82,455

Sarasota, FL $82,438

Nashville, TN $82,377

Omaha, NE $82,377

Green Bay, WI $82,377

Baton Rouge, LA $82,334

Charleston, SC $82,317

Jamestown, NY $82,273

Davenport, IA $82,273

Tucson, AZ $82,230

Saint Petersburg, FL $82,178

Tampa, FL $82,161

Evansville, IN $82,109

Port Arthur, TX $82,109

Bradenton, FL $82,074

Santa Fe, NM $81,918

Orlando, FL $81,762

Clearwater, FL $81,736

Canton, OH $81,554

La Crosse, WI $81,554

Albuquerque, NM $81,502

Newport News, VA $81,493

High Point, NC $81,467

Ogden, UT $81,432

Corpus Christi, TX $81,363

Norfolk, VA $81,311

Laramie, WY $81,311

Rock Island, IL $81,259

Saginaw, MI $81,242

Jacksonville, FL $81,233

Salisbury, NC $81,216

Boise, ID $81,198

Moline, IL $81,155

Fort Myers, FL $81,129

Memphis, TN $81,112

Tulsa, OK $81,068

Waterloo, IA $81,016

Spartanburg, SC $80,930

Lincoln, NE $80,886

Fort Wayne, IN $80,869

Provo, UT $80,860

Cedar Falls, IA $80,756

San Antonio, TX $80,722

Greensboro, NC $80,687

South Bend, IN $80,678

Savannah, GA $80,583

Muskegon, MI $80,548

Birmingham, AL $80,539

Winston Salem, NC $80,497

Lake Charles, LA $80,288

Anderson, IN $80,271

Lexington, KY $80,245

Augusta, GA $80,219

Greenville, SC $80,219

Lima, OH $80,149

Wichita, KS $80,141

Tuscaloosa, AL $80,141

Columbia, SC $80,063

Springfield, OH $80,045

Asheville, NC $79,907

Bloomington, IN $79,846

Knoxville, TN $79,534

Shreveport, LA $79,525

Wilmington, NC $79,413

Roanoke, VA $79,413

Topeka, KS $79,257

Frankfort, KY $79,247

Oklahoma City, OK $79,187

Chillicothe, OH $79,153

Longview, TX $79,144

Melbourne, FL $79,135

Sioux Falls, SD $78,996

Mobile, AL $78,988

Terre Haute, IN $78,953

Altoona, PA $78,901

Amarillo, TX $78,840

Killeen, TX $78,814

Fayetteville, AR $78,745

Chattanooga, TN $78,719

Sioux City, IA $78,641

Idaho Falls, ID $78,624

Lynchburg, VA $78,554

Gainesville, FL $78,442

Portsmouth, OH $78,398

Little Rock, AR $78,381

Lafayette, LA $78,346

Youngstown, OH $78,346

Daytona Beach, FL $78,294

Clarksville, TN $78,286

Pensacola, FL $78,277

Temple, TX $78,271

Hopkinsville, KY $78,017

Erie, PA $78,000

Florence, SC $77,965

Charleston, WV $77,826

Great Falls, MT $77,783

Macon, GA $77,662

Tallahassee, FL $77,653

Fayetteville, NC $77,636

Waco, TX $77,618

Helena, MT $77,558

Pine Bluff, AR $77,525

Vincennes, IN $77,419

Lubbock, TX $77,384

Alamogordo, NM $77,332

Twin Falls, ID $77,254

Rapid City, SD $77,228

Jackson, MS $77,072

Huntington, WV $77,066

Greenville, MS $77,063

Parkersburg, WV $76,975

Montgomery, AL $76,959

Wichita Falls, TX $76,873

Springfield, MO $76,873

Biloxi, MS $76,829

Monroe, LA $76,743

Johnstown, PA $76,682

Sumter, SC $76,647

Columbus, GA $76,639

Pascagoula, MS $76,474

Abilene, TX $76,474

Kingsport, TN $76,249

Albany, GA $76,249

Gulfport, MS $76,223

Alexandria, LA $75,936

Fort Smith, AR $75,720

El Paso, TX $75,486

Las Cruces, NM $75,096

Harlingen, TX $74,875

Pocatello, ID $74,862

Florence, AL $74,749

Brownsville, TX $74,732

Mcallen, TX $74,550

Dothan, AL $74,428

Columbus, MS $73,913

Altus, OK $73,509

Lawton, OK $73,345

Pierre, SD $73,033

What Skills Can Increase a Payroll Tax Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 5.25% 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.
General Ledger (Mentioned in 2.28% Job Postings): Creating and keeping track of business transactions and activities to monitor financial operations.
Microsoft Excel (Mentioned in 1.28% 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.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	5.25%
General Ledger	2.28%
Microsoft Excel	1.28%

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 Tax Specialist's salary.

Workday: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Workday	$92,753	7%
Process Improvement	$91,020	5%
Initiative	$91,020	5%
Coordination	$91,020	5%
Innovation	$91,020	5%
Analytical Skills	$90,153	4%

Get Latest Data

Payroll Tax Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Payroll Tax Specialist 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, Payroll Tax Specialist positions in Retail & Wholesale or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Payroll Tax Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Payroll Tax Specialist

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology	$95,354	$46.0	10%
Energy & Utilities	$95,354	$46.0	10%
Financial Services	$95,354	$46.0	10%
Internet	$95,354	$46.0	10%
Pharmaceuticals	$95,354	$46.0	10%

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

Understanding how a Payroll Tax 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 August 01, 2026

$79,561

Average $86,686/year

$93,895

$6,630

Average $7,224/month

$7,825

$1,530

Average $1,667/week

$1,806

$38

Average $42/hour

$45

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$93,895	$7,825	$1,806	$45
Average	$86,686	$7,224	$1,667	$42
25th Percentile	$79,561	$6,630	$1,530	$38

Salaries of jobs related to Payroll Tax Specialist

Salary Trends for Payroll Tax Specialist

Salaries for a Payroll Tax Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $80,096 in 2023 to around $78,700 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Payroll Tax Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Payroll Tax Specialist Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$80,096

2024

$79,196

2025

$78,700

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$80,096
2024	$79,196
2025	$78,700
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Payroll Tax Specialist

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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FAQ about Payroll Tax Specialist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Payroll Tax Specialist?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Payroll Tax Specialist roles, with salaries approximately 10% 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.

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