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Best states for a payroll and benefits specialist
Quoted expert
Dr. Amy Dufrane
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for payroll and benefits specialists? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for payroll and benefits specialist jobs.Although there are abundant payroll and benefits specialist jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. New York is the best state in the country for payroll and benefits specialist jobs.
In order to get you the best states for payroll and benefits specialists, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.New York is the best state, and Brick is the city with the highest pay for payroll and benefits specialists.
10 best states for payroll and benefits specialists in 2025
1. New York
Total payroll and benefits specialist jobs: 565 Average annual salary: $56,211 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
2. Rhode Island
Total payroll and benefits specialist jobs: 49 Average annual salary: $53,326 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
3. California
Total payroll and benefits specialist jobs: 1,381 Average annual salary: $57,980 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
4. Vermont
Total payroll and benefits specialist jobs: 30 Average annual salary: $54,619 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
5. Massachusetts
Total payroll and benefits specialist jobs: 382 Average annual salary: $52,590 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
6. New Jersey
Total payroll and benefits specialist jobs: 260 Average annual salary: $59,644 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
7. Illinois
Total payroll and benefits specialist jobs: 473 Average annual salary: $52,055 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
8. Minnesota
Total payroll and benefits specialist jobs: 270 Average annual salary: $50,617 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
9. District of Columbia
Total payroll and benefits specialist jobs: 152 Average annual salary: $55,388 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 2.35
10. Pennsylvania
Total payroll and benefits specialist jobs: 460 Average annual salary: $50,456 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
Payroll and benefits specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a payroll and benefits specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a payroll and benefits specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $56,211 | $39,000 | 19,849,399 | 565 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $53,326 | $38,000 | 1,059,639 | 49 |
| 3 | California | $57,980 | $41,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,381 |
| 4 | Vermont | $54,619 | $41,000 | 623,657 | 30 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $52,590 | $38,000 | 6,859,819 | 382 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $59,644 | $42,000 | 9,005,644 | 260 |
| 7 | Illinois | $52,055 | $38,000 | 12,802,023 | 473 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $50,617 | $38,000 | 5,576,606 | 270 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $55,388 | $39,000 | 693,972 | 152 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $50,456 | $35,000 | 12,805,537 | 460 |
| 11 | Oregon | $50,572 | $38,000 | 4,142,776 | 178 |
| 12 | Alaska | $51,860 | $46,000 | 739,795 | 35 |
| 13 | Delaware | $50,854 | $35,000 | 961,939 | 50 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $50,214 | $35,000 | 3,588,184 | 148 |
| 15 | Washington | $51,164 | $39,000 | 7,405,743 | 264 |
| 16 | Colorado | $50,730 | $38,000 | 5,607,154 | 217 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $49,921 | $36,000 | 2,984,100 | 54 |
| 18 | Iowa | $48,028 | $36,000 | 3,145,711 | 115 |
| 19 | Nevada | $47,444 | $34,000 | 2,998,039 | 75 |
| 20 | Michigan | $46,490 | $34,000 | 9,962,311 | 278 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $48,359 | $35,000 | 1,342,795 | 60 |
| 22 | Texas | $46,499 | $34,000 | 28,304,596 | 766 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $45,963 | $33,000 | 10,273,419 | 352 |
| 24 | Virginia | $46,906 | $33,000 | 8,470,020 | 375 |
| 25 | Maryland | $50,759 | $35,000 | 6,052,177 | 221 |
| 26 | Idaho | $48,275 | $36,000 | 1,716,943 | 41 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $45,734 | $36,000 | 755,393 | 29 |
| 28 | Georgia | $45,478 | $33,000 | 10,429,379 | 390 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $42,943 | $31,000 | 3,004,279 | 102 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $40,821 | $30,000 | 6,715,984 | 232 |
| 31 | Kansas | $44,250 | $33,000 | 2,913,123 | 90 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $43,929 | $32,000 | 3,930,864 | 98 |
| 33 | Missouri | $43,638 | $32,000 | 6,113,532 | 207 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $40,839 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 219 |
| 35 | Maine | $44,451 | $33,000 | 1,335,907 | 37 |
| 36 | Arizona | $39,193 | $28,000 | 7,016,270 | 322 |
| 37 | Ohio | $40,268 | $29,000 | 11,658,609 | 383 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $38,842 | $29,000 | 1,920,076 | 89 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $40,816 | $31,000 | 579,315 | 20 |
| 40 | Florida | $39,102 | $28,000 | 20,984,400 | 576 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $40,786 | $31,000 | 869,666 | 27 |
| 42 | Montana | $30,096 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 55 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $32,005 | $25,000 | 1,427,538 | 38 |
| 44 | Alabama | $39,830 | $29,000 | 4,874,747 | 124 |
| 45 | Utah | $37,026 | $27,000 | 3,101,833 | 125 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $40,107 | $29,000 | 4,684,333 | 82 |
| 47 | Indiana | $39,230 | $28,000 | 6,666,818 | 199 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $38,563 | $28,000 | 4,454,189 | 106 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $37,959 | $27,000 | 1,815,857 | 33 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $39,005 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 38 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $30,111 | $21,000 | 5,024,369 | 142 |
Highest paying states for payroll and benefits specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Payroll And Benefits Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $56,211 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $53,326 |
| 3 | California | $57,980 |
| 4 | Vermont | $54,619 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $52,590 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $59,644 |
| 7 | Illinois | $52,055 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $50,617 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $55,388 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $50,456 |
| 11 | Oregon | $50,572 |
| 12 | Alaska | $51,860 |
| 13 | Delaware | $50,854 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $50,214 |
| 15 | Washington | $51,164 |
| 16 | Colorado | $50,730 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $49,921 |
| 18 | Iowa | $48,028 |
| 19 | Nevada | $47,444 |
| 20 | Michigan | $46,490 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $48,359 |
| 22 | Texas | $46,499 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $45,963 |
| 24 | Virginia | $46,906 |
| 25 | Maryland | $50,759 |
| 26 | Idaho | $48,275 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $45,734 |
| 28 | Georgia | $45,478 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $42,943 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $40,821 |
| 31 | Kansas | $44,250 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $43,929 |
| 33 | Missouri | $43,638 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $40,839 |
| 35 | Maine | $44,451 |
| 36 | Arizona | $39,193 |
| 37 | Ohio | $40,268 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $38,842 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $40,816 |
| 40 | Florida | $39,102 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $40,786 |
| 42 | Montana | $30,096 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $32,005 |
| 44 | Alabama | $39,830 |
| 45 | Utah | $37,026 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $40,107 |
| 47 | Indiana | $39,230 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $38,563 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $37,959 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $39,005 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $30,111 |
Expert opinions on the best states for payroll and benefits specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for payroll and benefits specialists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Amy Dufrane
Chief Executive Officer, HRCI
Attractive locations for graduates to work are larger cities with manufacturing and service-driven economies using shared resources and supply chains with technological and virtual service delivery. However, as more companies have relaxed their remote work policies, where someone lives is becoming less and less important. What is becoming more important to graduates are the certifications and learning experiences that will differentiate them from others seeking employment.
Payroll and benefits specialist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025