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Payroll processor salary
Average payroll processor salary
$44,307
Understanding Payroll Processor Salaries
The average salary for a Payroll Processor is approximately $44,307 annually, translating to about $21 per hour. Salaries can vary based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions typically start lower, while those with several years of experience can see significant increases. For example, a Payroll Processor with five to ten years of experience may earn upwards of $50,000.
Highest Paying States
Some states offer higher average salaries for Payroll Processors. For instance, states like California, New York, and Washington report above-average salaries due to higher living costs and demand for skilled professionals.
Job Opportunities
The demand for Payroll Processors continues to grow, particularly in industries such as finance, healthcare, and technology. Job seekers can explore various platforms, including Zippia, to find openings tailored to their skills and salary expectations.
Let Zippia find your next payroll processor job
Let Zippia find your next payroll processor job
Where can a Payroll Processor earn more?
Payroll processor salaries by experience level
Payroll processor salary estimates from across the web
Average payroll processor salary by state
The average payroll processor salary in New Jersey, California, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average payroll processor salary states are Missouri, Tennessee, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for payroll processors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $50,631 | $24.34 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $54,283 | $26.10 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $52,997 | $25.48 |
| 4 | Nevada | $47,931 | $23.04 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $49,305 | $23.70 |
| 6 | Illinois | $50,225 | $24.15 |
| 7 | California | $53,672 | $25.80 |
| 8 | Washington | $50,721 | $24.39 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $47,960 | $23.06 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $46,303 | $22.26 |
| 11 | Nebraska | $48,237 | $23.19 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $46,825 | $22.51 |
| 13 | Virginia | $48,585 | $23.36 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $52,945 | $25.45 |
| 15 | New York | $48,803 | $23.46 |
| 16 | Colorado | $47,482 | $22.83 |
| 17 | Alaska | $47,368 | $22.77 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $47,231 | $22.71 |
| 19 | Kansas | $44,613 | $21.45 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $44,096 | $21.20 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $42,601 | $20.48 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $44,737 | $21.51 |
| 23 | Ohio | $41,845 | $20.12 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $41,062 | $19.74 |
| 25 | Maryland | $47,096 | $22.64 |
| 26 | Vermont | $44,694 | $21.49 |
| 27 | Oregon | $45,497 | $21.87 |
| 28 | Arizona | $43,940 | $21.13 |
| 29 | Indiana | $41,049 | $19.74 |
| 30 | Utah | $42,322 | $20.35 |
| 31 | Georgia | $42,853 | $20.60 |
| 32 | Delaware | $43,894 | $21.10 |
| 33 | Michigan | $40,663 | $19.55 |
| 34 | Iowa | $40,756 | $19.59 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $40,433 | $19.44 |
| 36 | Texas | $41,149 | $19.78 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $40,059 | $19.26 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $42,846 | $20.60 |
| 39 | Idaho | $39,635 | $19.06 |
| 40 | Montana | $38,610 | $18.56 |
| 41 | Maine | $39,489 | $18.99 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $38,296 | $18.41 |
| 43 | Florida | $38,638 | $18.58 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $37,902 | $18.22 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $37,433 | $18.00 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $35,383 | $17.01 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $33,616 | $16.16 |
| 48 | Missouri | $36,593 | $17.59 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $33,167 | $15.95 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $31,240 | $15.02 |
| 51 | Alabama | $31,198 | $15.00 |
Highest paying cities for payroll processors
The highest-paying cities for payroll processors are San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, and Middletown, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $55,832 | $26.84 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $52,999 | $25.48 |
| 3 | Middletown, CT | $52,925 | $25.44 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | $50,675 | $24.36 |
| 5 | Arlington, VA | $50,513 | $24.29 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $50,506 | $24.28 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $48,972 | $23.54 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $47,856 | $23.01 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $47,480 | $22.83 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $47,393 | $22.79 |
| 11 | Marlborough, MA | $47,303 | $22.74 |
| 12 | Milwaukee, WI | $46,332 | $22.27 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $44,113 | $21.21 |
| 14 | Cleveland, OH | $43,354 | $20.84 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $42,984 | $20.67 |
| 16 | Salt Lake City, UT | $42,241 | $20.31 |
| 17 | Pittsburgh, PA | $41,464 | $19.93 |
| 18 | Fort Worth, TX | $41,125 | $19.77 |
| 19 | Indianapolis, IN | $40,709 | $19.57 |
| 20 | Des Moines, IA | $40,574 | $19.51 |
Payroll processor salary details
A payroll processor's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $58,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a payroll processor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| Average | $44,307 | $3,692 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying payroll processor jobs
The highest paying types of payroll processors are payroll manager, payroll supervisor, and senior payroll specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timekeeper | $46,290 | $3,858 | $22.26 | 754 |
| Accounting Administrator | $48,068 | $4,006 | $23.11 | 97,934 |
| Accounts Payable Clerk | $38,333 | $3,194 | $18.43 | 89,564 |
| Charge Bookkeeper | $46,615 | $3,885 | $22.41 | 27,542 |
| Accounts Receivable Clerk | $36,425 | $3,035 | $17.51 | 87,935 |
| Payroll Technician | $44,971 | $3,748 | $21.62 | 11,297 |
Top companies hiring payroll processors now:
Which companies pay payroll processors the most?
Payroll processor salaries at Venable and Accenture are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average payroll processor salary at companies like University of Southern California and Johnson Controls are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venable | $67,385 | $32.40 |
| 2 | Accenture | $61,163 | $29.41 |
| 3 | University of Southern California | $57,106 | $27.45 |
| 4 | Johnson Controls | $53,317 | $25.63 |
| 5 | New York State Restaurant Association | $53,068 | $25.51 |
| 6 | CITGO Petroleum | $52,725 | $25.35 |
| 7 | A.C.Coy | $52,349 | $25.17 |
| 8 | RWJBarnabas Health | $52,232 | $25.11 |
| 9 | Republic Services | $50,938 | $24.49 |
| 10 | Resource Management | $49,307 | $23.71 |
| 11 | University of Rochester | $49,136 | $23.62 |
| 12 | EagleBank | $48,960 | $23.54 |
| 13 | Yale New Haven Health | $48,534 | $23.33 |
| 14 | University of Mississippi Medical Center | $48,434 | $23.29 |
| 15 | NOV | $48,146 | $23.15 |
| 16 | Wexford Health Sources | $47,698 | $22.93 |
| 17 | Plastipak | $47,509 | $22.84 |
| 18 | Creative Financial Staffing | $46,262 | $22.24 |
| 19 | Ethan Allen Workforce Solutions | $46,143 | $22.18 |
| 20 | HR Knowledge | $45,719 | $21.98 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Payroll Processor salary by industry
The average payroll processor salary varies across industries:
- The average payroll processor salary in the finance industry is $48,053, the highest of any industry.
- The average payroll processor salary in the finance industry is $46,355.
- Payroll processors in the retail industry earn an average salary of $37,257, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for payroll processors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $48,053 | $23.10 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $46,355 | $22.29 |
| 3 | Insurance | $45,172 | $21.72 |
| 4 | Health Care | $45,056 | $21.66 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $44,651 | $21.47 |
| 6 | Professional | $44,115 | $21.21 |
| 7 | Retail | $37,257 | $17.91 |
High paying payroll processor jobs
Payroll processor salary trends
The average payroll processor salary has risen by $9,291 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average payroll processor earned $35,016 annually, but today, they earn $44,307 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for payroll processors over the last decade.
Compare payroll processor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average payroll processor salary over time
Compare payroll processor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Payroll processor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,300 | $21.30 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $43,500 | $20.92 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $42,500 | $20.41 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $41,400 | $19.88 | +3.4% |
| 2021 | $39,900 | $19.20 | +3.3% |
Recently added payroll processor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onondaga Community College | Payroll Processor: (Account Clerk II)-Onondaga Community College | Syracuse, NY | 06/27/2025 | $48,528 |
| High Point & Semcoa | Payroll Processor | New Bedford, MA | 06/27/2025 | $48,001 |
| Kelly Services | Payroll Processor | Taunton, MA | 06/11/2025 | $65,000 |
| Execusource | Payroll Processor | Denver, CO | 06/10/2025 | $55,000 |
| Onondaga Community College | Payroll Processor: (Account Clerk II) | Syracuse, NY | 05/31/2025 | $48,528 |
| Kelly Services | Payroll Processor | Marysville, OH | 05/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Atlantic Group | Payroll Processor | Hackensack, NJ | 05/24/2025 | $45,914 |
| Ember Lab | Contract Payroll Processor | Orange, CA | 05/23/2025 | $83,480 |
| Cambrian Homecare | Payroll Processor | Long Beach, CA | 05/08/2025 | $39,653 |
| Sutterhealth | Payroll Processor II | Sacramento, CA | 04/29/2025 | $58,457 |
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