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The differences between payroll managers and payroll analysts 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 manager and a payroll analyst. Additionally, a payroll manager has an average salary of $86,147, which is higher than the $54,217 average annual salary of a payroll analyst.
The top three skills for a payroll manager include customer service, human resources and payroll system. The most important skills for a payroll analyst are customer service, payroll system, and payroll data.
| Payroll Manager | Payroll Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $86,147 | $54,217 |
| Hourly rate | $41.42 | $26.07 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 6,972 | 15,555 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A payroll manager is responsible for monitoring the payment process of all employees. Payroll managers oversee payroll records, reviewing calculable taxes and other deductions, creating a comprehensive summary of payroll details, managing payroll discrepancies, and releasing payroll checks through the organization's payment method. They must also follow strict procedures on legal requirements and tax obligations. A payroll manager must have excellent analytical and communication skills, especially on responding to the employees' inquiries and concerns, as well as managing the performance of the payroll staff.
A payroll analyst is primarily in charge of overseeing a company's payroll processes and transactions, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating with human resources for accurate and complete timesheets and employee data, managing calendars and schedules, calculating wages and deductions, and performing consistent audits. There are also instances when a payroll analyst must perform clerical tasks such as processing documents, prepare progress reports, and respond to employee inquiries. Furthermore, it is essential to report to managers should there be any issues and concerns.
Payroll managers and payroll analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Payroll Manager | Payroll Analyst | |
| Average salary | $86,147 | $54,217 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $117,000 | Between $39,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Olympia, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Ep Energy | Varian Medical Systems |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a payroll manager and a payroll analyst in terms of educational background:
| Payroll Manager | Payroll Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between payroll managers' and payroll analysts' demographics:
| Payroll Manager | Payroll Analyst | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.0% Female, 78.0% | Male, 24.2% Female, 75.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.1% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.1% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |