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The differences between senior payroll specialists 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 senior payroll specialist and a payroll representative. Additionally, a senior payroll specialist has an average salary of $59,503, which is higher than the $45,054 average annual salary of a payroll representative.
The top three skills for a senior payroll specialist include peoplesoft, payroll data and reconciliations. The most important skills for a payroll representative are data entry, payroll data, and payroll system.
| Senior Payroll Specialist | Payroll Representative | |
| Yearly salary | $59,503 | $45,054 |
| Hourly rate | $28.61 | $21.66 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 6,310 | 6,076 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Senior payroll specialists are professionals who are responsible for calculating the wages of employees of an organization accurately. These specialists are required to analyze and verify payroll reports and documents for accuracy while making the necessary corrections through journal entries or other established procedures. They must authorize and review payroll transactions as well as complete appropriate forms to adjust salary account funds. Senior payroll specialists must also conduct training sessions for other payroll professionals to explain information regarding payroll policies and procedures.
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.
Senior payroll specialists and payroll representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Payroll Specialist | Payroll Representative | |
| Average salary | $59,503 | $45,054 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $82,000 | Between $31,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Hartford, CT |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | MongoDB | ABB |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a senior payroll specialist and a payroll representative in terms of educational background:
| Senior Payroll Specialist | Payroll Representative | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior payroll specialists' and payroll representatives' demographics:
| Senior Payroll Specialist | Payroll Representative | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.2% Female, 76.8% | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.0% White, 58.5% 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% |