Payroll specialist vs payroll analyst

The differences between payroll specialists 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 specialist and a payroll analyst. Additionally, a payroll analyst has an average salary of $54,217, which is higher than the $46,462 average annual salary of a payroll specialist.

The top three skills for a payroll specialist include customer service, data entry and payroll data. The most important skills for a payroll analyst are customer service, payroll system, and payroll data.

Payroll specialist vs payroll analyst overview

	Payroll Specialist	Payroll Analyst
Yearly salary	$46,462	$54,217
Hourly rate	$22.34	$26.07
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	6,609	15,555
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	4	4

What does a payroll specialist do?

It is the primary duty of a payroll specialist to process payroll and maintain an accurate record of the personnel database and ensure employees are paid on time. Payroll specialists are in charge of addressing and resolving employee complaints regarding wages. Also, they manage the company's budget and expenses and prepare reports for the relevant departments. Those with a bachelor's degree in business or accounting are preferred to get the job. Candidates with related job experience and strong knowledge of tax, wage laws, and a good understanding of standard fiscal procedures are highly qualified for the position.

What does a payroll analyst do?

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 specialist vs payroll analyst salary

Payroll specialists and payroll analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Payroll Specialist	Payroll Analyst
Average salary	$46,462	$54,217
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $61,000	Between $39,000 And $74,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Olympia, WA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Washington
Best paying company	Cambridge Associates	Varian Medical Systems
Best paying industry	Technology	Technology

Differences between payroll specialist and payroll analyst education

There are a few differences between a payroll specialist and a payroll analyst in terms of educational background:

	Payroll Specialist	Payroll Analyst
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Payroll specialist vs payroll analyst demographics

Here are the differences between payroll specialists' and payroll analysts' demographics:

	Payroll Specialist	Payroll Analyst
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 17.3% Female, 82.7%	Male, 24.2% Female, 75.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 6.0% White, 58.5% 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%

Differences between payroll specialist and payroll analyst duties and responsibilities

Payroll specialist example responsibilities.

Manage a bi-weekly payroll in accordance with establish processes, including auditing timekeeping records for compliance with establish standards and policies.
Handle all FMLA, insurance, employee benefits and processing the payroll on bi-weekly bases through the KRONOS timekeeping system.
Utilize KRONOS for timekeeping and to administer security access.
Prepare payroll journal entry and provide guidance in general ledger reconciliations pertaining to payroll general ledger accounts and labor expense distribution
Establish new hires in the KRONOS timekeeping system and provide guidance and assistance to associates to communicate their responsibilities regarding payroll/timekeeping.
Input employee data into Lawson payroll program while using the utmost integrity to keep information confidential.

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Payroll analyst example responsibilities.

Manage all activities relate to base pay, overtime, PTO, garnishments and payroll tax.
Perform monthly accounting functions including journal entries, general ledger account reconciliations, benefit and salary accruals, and headcount reconciliations.
Create PowerPoint slides to train new timekeepers and managers in KRONOS.
Lead functional tester in support of timekeeping, payroll and labor upgrades and conversion projects.
Support the third-party web applications like KRONOS and custom-built time entry systems to input the time data
Enter new hires, terminations, and employee maintenance changes into HRIS & ADP including process employee benefit elections.

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Payroll specialist vs payroll analyst skills

Common payroll specialist skills

Customer Service, 13%
Data Entry, 7%
Payroll Data, 5%
Human Resources, 4%
ADP Workforce, 4%
Kronos, 3%

Common payroll analyst skills

Customer Service, 11%
Payroll System, 6%
Payroll Data, 4%
Human Resources, 4%
Reconciliations, 4%
Data Entry, 3%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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