Payroll master education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a payroll master. Payroll masters usually study business, accounting, or marketing. 50% of payroll masters hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 33 real payroll master resumes to see exactly what payroll master education sections show.

The most common colleges for payroll masters are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online payroll master courses to help get the education required to be a payroll master.

What education do you need to become a payroll master?

What degree do you need to be a payroll master?

The most common degree for payroll masters is bachelor's degree, with 50% of payroll masters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 30% and associate degree degree at 10%.

Bachelor's, 50%

Associate, 30%

High School Diploma, 10%

Master's, 10%

What should I major in to become a payroll master?

You should major in business to become a payroll master. 30% of payroll masters major in business. Other common majors for a payroll master include accounting and marketing.

Business, 30%

Accounting, 30%

Marketing, 13%

English, 9%

Other Majors, 18%

Most common colleges for payroll masters

Payroll masters often get their degrees at New York University, Caribbean University, and University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus. Here are the most common colleges for payroll masters in the US based on their resumes.

Payroll master common college	Percentages
New York University	14.29%
Caribbean University	14.29%
University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus	14.29%
University of Toledo	14.29%
University of Phoenix	14.29%

Show more common payroll master colleges

Best majors for payroll masters

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	30.4%
2	Accounting	30.4%
3	Marketing	13.0%
4	English	8.7%
5	Business/Commerce	8.7%

Show more common payroll master majors

Best colleges for payroll masters

The best colleges for payroll masters are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

A payroll master with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for payroll masters. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become payroll masters.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

5. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$17,653

Enrollment

16,405

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

7. University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$15,730

Enrollment

18,830

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

10. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

20 best online courses for payroll masters

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Top 10 most affordable universities for payroll masters

The most affordable schools for payroll masters are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for payroll masters are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for payroll masters.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

5. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. Dickinson State University

Dickinson, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$6,768

Cost of attendance

15,506

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

10. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for payroll masters

The hardest universities for payroll masters to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for payroll masters are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for payroll masters based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. Tulane University

New Orleans, LA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,428

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for payroll masters

The easiest schools for payroll masters to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, gwynedd mercy university, and d'youville college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a payroll master without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for payroll masters.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

3. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

7. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

8. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

9. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

10. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

Average payroll master salary by education level

Payroll masters with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $85,569 annually. With a Master's degree, payroll masters earn a median annual income of $80,487 compared to $72,117 for payroll masters with an Bachelor's degree.

Payroll master education level	Payroll master salary
Master's Degree	$80,487
High School Diploma or Less	$62,332
Bachelor's Degree	$72,117
Doctorate Degree	$85,569
Some College/ Associate Degree	$64,289

Payroll master education FAQs

What is the best college for Payroll Masters?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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