Payroll supervisor vs payroll representative

The differences between payroll supervisors 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 supervisor and a payroll representative. Additionally, a payroll supervisor has an average salary of $64,422, which is higher than the $45,054 average annual salary of a payroll representative.

The top three skills for a payroll supervisor include customer service, payroll system and payroll tax. The most important skills for a payroll representative are data entry, payroll data, and payroll system.

Payroll supervisor vs payroll representative overview

	Payroll Supervisor	Payroll Representative
Yearly salary	$64,422	$45,054
Hourly rate	$30.97	$21.66
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	6,668	6,076
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	4	4

What does a payroll supervisor do?

A payroll supervisor ensures employee salaries are released in a timely manner and accounts for all payrolls and cash released by the company. The payroll supervisor organizes all financial transactions and generates reports for accounting. This position ensures employees are paid accurately and calculates all deductibles such as insurance, child support, taxes, and payroll adjustments. The payroll supervisor must have accounting and bookkeeping skills and has pertinent experience in relevant fields of study.

What does a payroll representative do?

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 supervisor vs payroll representative salary

Payroll supervisors and payroll representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Payroll Supervisor	Payroll Representative
Average salary	$64,422	$45,054
Salary range	Between $46,000 And $89,000	Between $31,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Hartford, CT
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New Jersey
Best paying company	eBay	ABB
Best paying industry	Technology	Health Care

Differences between payroll supervisor and payroll representative education

There are a few differences between a payroll supervisor and a payroll representative in terms of educational background:

	Payroll Supervisor	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

Payroll supervisor vs payroll representative demographics

Here are the differences between payroll supervisors' and payroll representatives' demographics:

	Payroll Supervisor	Payroll Representative
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 21.3% Female, 78.7%	Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 6.0% White, 58.2% 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%

Differences between payroll supervisor and payroll representative duties and responsibilities

Payroll supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage the administration and processing of KRONOS time reporting system.
Manage installation of automate timekeeping systems in facilities, ensuring accurate, timely processing of time and attendance information.
Act as the HRIS backup running queries and reports as scheduled and upon request via PeopleSoft for management and key stakeholders.
Create journal entries and account reconciliations for key benefit programs and maintain account reconciliations of liability accounts.
Assist in implementing new PTO plan, work with ADP to interface system.
Check all new hire information, ensuring accuracy of information complete in KRONOS system.

Payroll representative example responsibilities.

Initial set up of associates and day to day processes within Kronos
Field and answer employee payroll questions, assisting staff with determining quota balances, union contract terms, and proper timekeeping.
Prepare tax reports and reconciliations.
Provide individual assistance with timekeeping system as needed.
Compile and provide earning statements while utilizing PeopleSoft and excel spreadsheets.
Prepare and analyze payroll management reports for supervisors and managers, utilizing PeopleSoft reporting.

Payroll supervisor vs payroll representative skills

Common payroll supervisor skills

Customer Service, 9%
Payroll System, 6%
Payroll Tax, 5%
Reconciliations, 5%
Human Resources, 4%
Process Payroll, 4%

Common payroll representative skills

Data Entry, 7%
Payroll Data, 7%
Payroll System, 6%
Human Resources, 6%
Kronos, 4%
Customer Service, 4%

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Payroll Supervisor
Payroll Supervisor vs Payroll Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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