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The differences between payroll managers and payroll representatives 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 representative. Additionally, a payroll manager has an average salary of $86,147, which is higher than the $45,054 average annual salary of a payroll representative.
The top three skills for a payroll manager include customer service, human resources and payroll system. The most important skills for a payroll representative are data entry, payroll data, and payroll system.
| Payroll Manager | Payroll Representative | |
| Yearly salary | $86,147 | $45,054 |
| Hourly rate | $41.42 | $21.66 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 6,972 | 6,076 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| 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 representative typically works in a company's human resources department, where their role focuses on processing payrolls and assisting employees. Although the extent of their duties depends on their company or industry of employment, it often includes answering employee inquiries about salaries and benefits, preparing and processing requests, and resolving issues and concerns. Moreover, a payroll representative is also responsible for tracking employee work hours, updating databases, and maintaining an active communication line with team members for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Payroll managers and payroll representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Payroll Manager | Payroll Representative | |
| Average salary | $86,147 | $45,054 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $117,000 | Between $31,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Hartford, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Ep Energy | ABB |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a payroll manager and a payroll representative in terms of educational background:
| Payroll Manager | Payroll Representative | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between payroll managers' and payroll representatives' demographics:
| Payroll Manager | Payroll Representative | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.0% Female, 78.0% | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% |
| 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, 9.5% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 6.1% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |