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Payroll associate salary
Average payroll associate salary
$45,232
Understanding Payroll Associate Salaries
The average salary for a payroll associate is approximately $45,232 per year, equating to about $22 per hour. Factors influencing this figure include geographic location, years of experience, and specific industry sectors. For example, payroll associates in larger metropolitan areas often earn more due to higher living costs and demand for expertise.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level payroll associates can expect salaries on the lower end, while those with several years of experience may see significant increases in their earnings. Additionally, specialized roles, such as those in compliance or payroll management, can command even higher salaries.
Highest Paying States
States like California and New York typically offer the highest salaries for payroll associates, due in part to their large job markets and demand for skilled professionals. Understanding these trends can help you identify where to seek opportunities that align with your career aspirations.
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Where can a Payroll Associate earn more?
Payroll associate salaries by experience level
Payroll associate salary estimates from across the web
Average payroll associate salary by state
The highest-paying states for payroll associates are New Jersey, Connecticut, and California. The lowest average payroll associate salary states are Montana, Georgia, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for payroll associates
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $57,802 | $27.79 |
| 2 | California | $57,665 | $27.72 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $51,235 | $24.63 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $57,916 | $27.84 |
| 5 | Nevada | $49,602 | $23.85 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $51,961 | $24.98 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $52,442 | $25.21 |
| 8 | New York | $50,766 | $24.41 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $49,156 | $23.63 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $53,862 | $25.90 |
| 11 | Washington | $52,704 | $25.34 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $47,520 | $22.85 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $42,644 | $20.50 |
| 14 | Alaska | $48,412 | $23.27 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $47,454 | $22.81 |
| 16 | Maryland | $48,139 | $23.14 |
| 17 | Illinois | $46,070 | $22.15 |
| 18 | Oregon | $44,224 | $21.26 |
| 19 | Colorado | $46,484 | $22.35 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $49,083 | $23.60 |
| 21 | Vermont | $47,787 | $22.97 |
| 22 | Kansas | $44,678 | $21.48 |
| 23 | Utah | $43,548 | $20.94 |
| 24 | Texas | $42,695 | $20.53 |
| 25 | Ohio | $41,165 | $19.79 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $41,420 | $19.91 |
| 27 | Michigan | $42,152 | $20.27 |
| 28 | Indiana | $41,820 | $20.11 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $40,930 | $19.68 |
| 30 | Arizona | $39,228 | $18.86 |
| 31 | Idaho | $41,325 | $19.87 |
| 32 | Delaware | $45,549 | $21.90 |
| 33 | Maine | $42,247 | $20.31 |
| 34 | Virginia | $42,641 | $20.50 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $38,292 | $18.41 |
| 36 | Iowa | $41,361 | $19.89 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $35,082 | $16.87 |
| 38 | Florida | $36,068 | $17.34 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $40,122 | $19.29 |
| 40 | Missouri | $38,016 | $18.28 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $39,491 | $18.99 |
| 42 | Montana | $34,076 | $16.38 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $37,654 | $18.10 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $38,532 | $18.52 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $38,260 | $18.39 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $36,926 | $17.75 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $33,195 | $15.96 |
| 48 | Georgia | $33,713 | $16.21 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $33,306 | $16.01 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $30,801 | $14.81 |
| 51 | Alabama | $30,826 | $14.82 |
Highest paying cities for payroll associates
The highest-paying cities for payroll associates are San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $62,298 | $29.95 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $53,930 | $25.93 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $53,024 | $25.49 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $51,883 | $24.94 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $51,269 | $24.65 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $50,768 | $24.41 |
| 7 | Milwaukee, WI | $47,670 | $22.92 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $46,498 | $22.35 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $46,363 | $22.29 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $42,945 | $20.65 |
| 11 | Richmond, VA | $42,313 | $20.34 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $41,444 | $19.93 |
| 13 | Hilliard, OH | $40,476 | $19.46 |
| 14 | Tempe, AZ | $39,173 | $18.83 |
| 15 | Saint Louis, MO | $38,061 | $18.30 |
| 16 | Pittsburgh, PA | $37,751 | $18.15 |
| 17 | Durham, NC | $37,564 | $18.06 |
| 18 | Tampa, FL | $36,447 | $17.52 |
| 19 | Bozeman, MT | $34,076 | $16.38 |
| 20 | Alpharetta, GA | $33,859 | $16.28 |
Payroll associate salary details
A payroll associate's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $65,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a payroll associate's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| Average | $45,232 | $3,769 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest paying payroll associate jobs
The highest paying types of payroll associates are payroll manager, payroll supervisor, and senior payroll specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Clerk | $38,683 | $3,224 | $18.60 | 106,969 |
| Accounts Receivable Clerk | $36,425 | $3,035 | $17.51 | 87,935 |
| Accountable Clerk | $38,120 | $3,177 | $18.33 | 81,209 |
| Accounts Payable Clerk | $38,333 | $3,194 | $18.43 | 89,564 |
| Charge Bookkeeper | $46,615 | $3,885 | $22.41 | 27,542 |
| Account Payables Analyst | $54,356 | $4,530 | $26.13 | 73,985 |
Top companies hiring payroll associates now:
Which companies pay payroll associates the most?
Payroll associate salaries at Arrowstreet Capital and Guidehouse are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average payroll associate salary at companies like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Valero Energy are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrowstreet Capital | $83,902 | $40.34 |
| 2 | Guidehouse | $65,180 | $31.34 |
| 3 | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | $64,349 | $30.94 |
| 4 | Valero Energy | $60,375 | $29.03 |
| 5 | Morgan Stanley | $60,103 | $28.90 |
| 6 | QuintilesIMS | $58,714 | $28.23 |
| 7 | Pfizer | $57,297 | $27.55 |
| 8 | Fortune Brands Home & Security | $56,842 | $27.33 |
| 9 | Sherpa | $56,066 | $26.95 |
| 10 | Oldcastle Infrastructure | $53,371 | $25.66 |
| 11 | SC Johnson | $53,015 | $25.49 |
| 12 | Pentair | $52,556 | $25.27 |
| 13 | Fox News | $52,197 | $25.09 |
| 14 | Fidelity National Information Solutions | $51,436 | $24.73 |
| 15 | University of California-Berkeley | $50,641 | $24.35 |
| 16 | SJ Louis Construction | $49,352 | $23.73 |
| 17 | A&S Kinard | $47,532 | $22.85 |
| 18 | Munich Reinsurance America, Inc. | $47,505 | $22.84 |
| 19 | KONE | $47,455 | $22.81 |
| 20 | Stericycle | $47,434 | $22.80 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Payroll associate salary trends
The average payroll associate salary has risen by $9,485 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average payroll associate earned $35,747 annually, but today, they earn $45,232 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for payroll associates over the last decade.
Compare payroll associate salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average payroll associate salary over time
Compare payroll associate salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Payroll associate salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,200 | $21.75 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | $44,400 | $21.36 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $43,300 | $20.83 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $42,200 | $20.30 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | $40,800 | $19.60 | +3.3% |
Recently added payroll associate salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerotek | Temporary Payroll Associate | Tempe, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $45,142 |
| Staffwizard Software | Payroll Associate | San Francisco, CA | 06/28/2025 | $55,000 |
| City of Rochester, Ny | Senior Payroll Associate (C) | Rochester, NY | 06/27/2025 | $54,197 |
| S.J. Louis Construction, Inc. | Payroll Associate | Rockville, MN | 06/27/2025 | $48,001 |
| Southwestern Illinois College | Payroll Associate | Belleville, IL | 06/22/2025 | $44,691 |
| Montville Public Schools | Full Time12Mn Payroll Position | Noank, CT | 06/20/2025 | $60,460 |
| Sirtex Medical Inc. | Payroll Associate | Woburn, MA | 06/19/2025 | $60,000 |
| Railworks | Payroll Associate | Farmingdale, NY | 06/18/2025 | $55,000 |
| Manpowergroup | Associate I Payroll | Green Oaks, IL | 06/17/2025 | $52,175 |
| Sirtex | Payroll Associate | Woburn, MA | 06/17/2025 | $60,000 |
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