Payroll administrator vs payroll specialist

The differences between payroll administrators and payroll specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a payroll administrator and a payroll specialist. Additionally, a payroll administrator has an average salary of $46,596, which is higher than the $46,462 average annual salary of a payroll specialist.

The top three skills for a payroll administrator include customer service, data entry and payroll system. The most important skills for a payroll specialist are customer service, data entry, and payroll data.

Payroll administrator vs payroll specialist overview

	Payroll Administrator	Payroll Specialist
Yearly salary	$46,596	$46,462
Hourly rate	$22.40	$22.34
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	55,490	6,609
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	4	4

What does a payroll administrator do?

A payroll administrator is responsible for processing the wages of employees in a company or organization. Aside from issuing payments, it is also the payroll administrator's task to audit, process taxes and other deductions, keep and maintain an organized record of data, respond to inquiries and resolve issues, and tally employee work hours. Furthermore, a payroll administrator needs to have efficient attention to detail as most of the tasks require accuracy and speed. It is also essential to communicate and coordinate with team members at all times.

What does a payroll specialist do?

It is the primary duty of a payroll specialist to process payroll and maintain an accurate record of the personnel database and ensure employees are paid on time. Payroll specialists are in charge of addressing and resolving employee complaints regarding wages. Also, they manage the company's budget and expenses and prepare reports for the relevant departments. Those with a bachelor's degree in business or accounting are preferred to get the job. Candidates with related job experience and strong knowledge of tax, wage laws, and a good understanding of standard fiscal procedures are highly qualified for the position.

Payroll administrator vs payroll specialist salary

Payroll administrators and payroll specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Payroll Administrator	Payroll Specialist
Average salary	$46,596	$46,462
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $64,000	Between $34,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Maine	Connecticut
Best paying company	Northern Trust	Cambridge Associates
Best paying industry	Construction	Technology

Differences between payroll administrator and payroll specialist education

There are a few differences between a payroll administrator and a payroll specialist in terms of educational background:

	Payroll Administrator	Payroll Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Payroll administrator vs payroll specialist demographics

Here are the differences between payroll administrators' and payroll specialists' demographics:

	Payroll Administrator	Payroll Specialist
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 16.0% Female, 84.0%	Male, 17.3% Female, 82.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 6.2% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 6.0% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between payroll administrator and payroll specialist duties and responsibilities

Payroll administrator example responsibilities.

Manage year-end W2 audit/corrections and distribution.
Manage employee direct deposit accounts and initiate ACH reversals when necessary.
Manage all requisitions using PeopleSoft for the administrator and all assign departments.
Maintain KRONOS timekeeping system, review, sort and distribute employee upload file and multiple misc.
Maintain and monitor PTO balances and provide executive reports relate to vacation accruals.
Assist in implementing and training of MyTime and Lawson systems.

Payroll specialist example responsibilities.

Manage a bi-weekly payroll in accordance with establish processes, including auditing timekeeping records for compliance with establish standards and policies.
Handle all FMLA, insurance, employee benefits and processing the payroll on bi-weekly bases through the KRONOS timekeeping system.
Utilize KRONOS for timekeeping and to administer security access.
Prepare payroll journal entry and provide guidance in general ledger reconciliations pertaining to payroll general ledger accounts and labor expense distribution
Establish new hires in the KRONOS timekeeping system and provide guidance and assistance to associates to communicate their responsibilities regarding payroll/timekeeping.
Input employee data into Lawson payroll program while using the utmost integrity to keep information confidential.

Payroll administrator vs payroll specialist skills

Common payroll administrator skills

Customer Service, 9%
Data Entry, 7%
Payroll System, 6%
Human Resources, 5%
Payroll Data, 4%
Process Payroll, 4%

Common payroll specialist skills

Customer Service, 13%
Data Entry, 7%
Payroll Data, 5%
Human Resources, 4%
ADP Workforce, 4%
Kronos, 3%

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Payroll Administrator vs Payroll Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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