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Job outlook for payroll associates in the United States
Payroll associate job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected payroll associate job growth rate is -3% from 2018-2028.
About -38,500 new jobs for payroll associates are projected over the next decade.
Payroll associate salaries have increased 11% for payroll associates in the last 5 years.
There are over 126,297 payroll associates currently employed in the United States.
There are 6,187 active payroll associate job openings in the US.
The average payroll associate salary is $45,232.
Are payroll associate jobs in demand?
Yes, payroll associate jobs are in demand. Payroll associate demand is projected to grow -3% from 2018 to 2028.
Payroll associate job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of payroll associate jobs and the average payroll associate salary over time.
Payroll associate jobs over time
Payroll associate job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 126,297 | 0.04% |
| 2020 | 113,252 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 120,722 | 0.04% |
| 2018 | 121,847 | 0.04% |
| 2017 | 129,427 | 0.04% |
Average payroll associate salary over time
Payroll associate salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,232 | $21.75 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | $44,424 | $21.36 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $43,337 | $20.83 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $42,221 | $20.30 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $40,778 | $19.60 | +3.4% |
Payroll associate jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of payroll associate job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where payroll associates earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for payroll associates
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 48 | 7% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 256 | 4% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 206 | 4% |
| 4 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 152 | 4% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 30 | 4% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 216 | 3% |
| 7 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 193 | 3% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 178 | 3% |
| 9 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 174 | 3% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 157 | 3% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 99 | 3% |
| 12 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 78 | 3% |
| 13 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 62 | 3% |
| 14 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 41 | 3% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 33 | 3% |
| 16 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 32 | 3% |
| 17 | Alaska | 739,795 | 22 | 3% |
| 18 | California | 39,536,653 | 975 | 2% |
| 19 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 188 | 2% |
| 20 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 58 | 2% |
Most common cities for payroll associates
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diamond Bar | 2 | 4% | $56,136 |
| 2 | Benicia | 1 | 4% | $62,216 |
| 3 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $48,133 |
| 4 | Dover | 1 | 3% | $44,972 |
| 5 | Alpharetta | 1 | 2% | $33,859 |
| 6 | Bowling Green | 1 | 2% | $40,513 |
| 7 | Lansing | 1 | 1% | $41,847 |
| 8 | Westminster | 1 | 1% | $46,533 |
| 9 | Washington | 2 | 0% | $53,930 |
| 10 | Birmingham | 1 | 0% | $30,749 |
| 11 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $51,883 |
| 12 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $46,363 |
| 13 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $56,535 |
| 14 | New York | 1 | 0% | $50,768 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $39,374 |
| 16 | Sacramento | 1 | 0% | $61,925 |
| 17 | Urban Honolulu | 1 | 0% | $38,565 |