Average Payroll Manager Salary in United States for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Payroll Manager salary for 2024 in United States and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the United States dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the USD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.

How Much Does a Payroll Manager Make in United States?

A Payroll Manager working in United States will typically earn around 123,800 USD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 67,000 USD to the highest average salary of 192,600 USD.

Average Annual Salary
123,800 USD
Average Monthly Salary
10,316 USD

Lowest Annual Salary
67,000 USD
Lowest Monthly Salary
5,583 USD

Highest Annual Salary
192,600 USD
Highest Monthly Salary
16,050 USD

These are average salaries for a Payroll Manager in United States and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Payroll Manager to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Payroll Manager salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Payroll Manager Salaries in United States

So we've looked at the average salaries a Payroll Manager will earn in United States. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Payroll Manager can earn between 67,000 USD and 192,600 USD on average in United States. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Payroll Manager in United States is 119,700 USD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 119,700 USD, and 50% of the population earn more than 119,700 USD.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Payroll Manager salary in United States, 25% of the population are earning less than 84,500 USD while 75% of the population earn more than 84,500 USD.

75% of the population earn less than 151,800 USD, and 25% of the population earn more than 151,800 USD.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Payroll Manager Salary by Experience Level in United States

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average payroll manager salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Payroll Manager in United States that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 72,400 USD.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Payroll Manager salary would increase to 100,500 USD.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Payroll Manager, the average salary would be 130,500 USD.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 157,600 USD.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Payroll Manager with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 171,300 USD.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Payroll Manager with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 180,500 USD.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
72,400 USD
2-5 Years +34%
100,500 USD
5-10 Years +30%
130,500 USD
10-15 Years +21%
157,600 USD
15-20 Years +9%
171,300 USD
20+ Years +5%
180,500 USD

Payroll Manager Salary by Education Level in United States

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Payroll Manager in United States based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Payroll Manager in United States with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 89,300 USD.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Payroll Manager in United States with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 134,100 USD.

  • Master's Degree. A Payroll Manager in United States with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 187,500 USD.

Average Salary by Education Chart

Certificate or Diploma
89,300 USD
Bachelor's Degree +52%
134,100 USD
Master's Degree +42%
187,500 USD

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United States is around 39,500 to 118,000 USD and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Payroll Manager Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In United States, a male payroll manager will earn an average of 130,500 USD, while a female payroll manager will earn around 124,500 USD.

This means that a male payroll manager earns approximately 5% more than a female payroll manager for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in United States

Male
130,500 USD
Female -5%
124,500 USD

Payroll Manager Average Pay Raise in United States

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Payroll Manager in United States is around 12% every 16 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United States is around 8% every 16 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 12 ÷ 16 ) × 12  = 9%

What this means is that a Payroll Manager in United States can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 9% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in United States for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United States.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
4%
Energy
8%
Information Technology
3%
Healthcare
7%
Travel
2%
Construction
6%
Education
1%

Payroll Manager Bonus and Incentive Rates in United States

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Payroll Manager is a high bonus based job, with 80% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

20% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 6% to 8%.

Received Bonus
80%
No Bonus
20%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United States earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
98,800 USD
Private Sector -6%
93,100 USD

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Payroll Manager

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Payroll Manager in United States.

Job Title Category Salary
Account Examiner Accounting and Finance 50,800 USD
Account Executive Accounting and Finance 83,900 USD
Accountant Accounting and Finance 65,900 USD
Accounting Analyst Accounting and Finance 80,800 USD
Accounting Assistant Accounting and Finance 51,100 USD
Accounting Associate Accounting and Finance 49,300 USD
Accounting Clerk Accounting and Finance 39,800 USD
Accounting Coordinator Accounting and Finance 59,500 USD
Accounting Head Accounting and Finance 137,100 USD
Accounting Manager Accounting and Finance 142,100 USD
Accounting Officer Accounting and Finance 49,800 USD
Accounting Specialist Accounting and Finance 91,700 USD
Accounting Supervisor Accounting and Finance 90,900 USD
Accounting Technician Accounting and Finance 48,200 USD
Accounting Unit Controller Accounting and Finance 112,700 USD
Accounts Executive Accounting and Finance 92,300 USD
Accounts Officer Accounting and Finance 54,100 USD
Accounts Payable and Receivable Specialist Accounting and Finance 66,200 USD
Accounts Payable Assistant Accounting and Finance 53,300 USD
Accounts Payable Associate Accounting and Finance 65,200 USD
Accounts Payable Clerk Accounting and Finance 50,000 USD
Accounts Payable Manager Accounting and Finance 140,700 USD
Accounts Receivable Administrator Accounting and Finance 102,700 USD
Accounts Receivable Clerk Accounting and Finance 46,900 USD
Accounts Receivable Financial Analyst Accounting and Finance 100,200 USD
Accounts Receivable Manager Accounting and Finance 130,500 USD
Accounts Receivable Team Leader Accounting and Finance 100,700 USD
Assistant Accountant Accounting and Finance 49,700 USD
Assistant Accounting Manager Accounting and Finance 124,500 USD
Assistant Auditor Accounting and Finance 68,200 USD
Assistant Corporate Controller Accounting and Finance 94,100 USD
Assistant Finance Manager Accounting and Finance 142,300 USD
Assistant Financial Controller Accounting and Finance 91,000 USD
Audit Director Accounting and Finance 150,100 USD
Audit Supervisor Accounting and Finance 130,500 USD
Auditing Clerk Accounting and Finance 54,100 USD
Auditing Manager Accounting and Finance 134,700 USD
Billing Clerk Accounting and Finance 52,300 USD
Billing Coordinator Accounting and Finance 60,200 USD
Billing Specialist Accounting and Finance 71,900 USD
Billing Supervisor Accounting and Finance 109,000 USD
Bookkeeper Accounting and Finance 44,500 USD
Bookkeeping Specialist Accounting and Finance 64,500 USD
Budget Analyst Accounting and Finance 115,600 USD
Budget Manager Accounting and Finance 142,300 USD
Business Support Analyst Accounting and Finance 80,200 USD
Capital Markets Associate Accounting and Finance 107,700 USD
Cash Flow Analyst Accounting and Finance 99,100 USD
Cash Management Manager Accounting and Finance 130,400 USD
Cash Management Officer Accounting and Finance 78,700 USD
Cashbook Clerk Accounting and Finance 45,600 USD
Chartered Accountant Accounting and Finance 90,900 USD
Chief Accountant Accounting and Finance 97,600 USD
Collections Clerk Accounting and Finance 42,800 USD
Collections Representative Accounting and Finance 63,200 USD
Collections Specialist Accounting and Finance 70,000 USD
Corporate Controller Accounting and Finance 105,200 USD
Corporate Treasurer Accounting and Finance 127,600 USD
Cost Accountant Accounting and Finance 68,500 USD
Cost Accounting Manager Accounting and Finance 138,700 USD
Cost Accounting Supervisor Accounting and Finance 114,900 USD
Cost Analyst Accounting and Finance 114,600 USD
Credit and Collection Manager Accounting and Finance 140,700 USD
Credit and Collection Staff Accounting and Finance 49,800 USD
Credit and Loans Officer Accounting and Finance 47,100 USD
Credit Controller Accounting and Finance 90,900 USD
Credit Manager Accounting and Finance 140,200 USD
Debt Adviser Accounting and Finance 116,400 USD
Debt Collector Accounting and Finance 52,000 USD
Debtors Clerk Accounting and Finance 46,400 USD
Debtors Controller Accounting and Finance 49,800 USD
Deputy CFO Accounting and Finance 183,600 USD
Deputy Head of Finance Accounting and Finance 193,400 USD
Derivative Trader Accounting and Finance 112,700 USD
Director of Finance Accounting and Finance 197,600 USD
Economist Accounting and Finance 152,900 USD
Equity Analyst Accounting and Finance 123,000 USD
Escrow Assistant Accounting and Finance 63,900 USD
Executive Accountant Accounting and Finance 74,000 USD
External Auditor Accounting and Finance 94,800 USD
Finance Administrator Accounting and Finance 75,800 USD
Finance Analyst Accounting and Finance 128,200 USD
Finance Associate Accounting and Finance 60,900 USD
Finance Director Accounting and Finance 206,700 USD
Finance Executive Accounting and Finance 140,200 USD
Finance Licensing Clerk Accounting and Finance 45,600 USD
Finance Licensing Manager Accounting and Finance 130,500 USD
Finance Licensing Specialist Accounting and Finance 77,000 USD
Finance Manager Accounting and Finance 184,700 USD
Finance Officer Accounting and Finance 63,700 USD
Finance President Accounting and Finance 193,400 USD
Finance Relationship Manager Accounting and Finance 156,200 USD
Finance Release Analyst Accounting and Finance 77,400 USD
Finance Specialist Accounting and Finance 111,700 USD
Finance Team Leader Accounting and Finance 146,900 USD
Financial Accountant Accounting and Finance 67,400 USD
Financial Actuary Accounting and Finance 105,200 USD
Financial Administrator Accounting and Finance 114,600 USD
Financial Advisor Accounting and Finance 123,800 USD
Financial Analyst Accounting and Finance 127,700 USD
Financial Applications Specialist Accounting and Finance 85,500 USD
Financial Assistant Accounting and Finance 56,800 USD
Financial Associate Accounting and Finance 54,100 USD
Financial Associate Accounting and Finance 69,400 USD
Financial Claims Analyst Accounting and Finance 90,000 USD
Financial Claims Manager Accounting and Finance 121,800 USD
Financial Claims Supervisor Accounting and Finance 114,300 USD
Financial Clerk Accounting and Finance 53,300 USD
Financial Commercial Analyst Accounting and Finance 98,800 USD
Financial Compliance Analyst Accounting and Finance 114,900 USD
Financial Consultant Accounting and Finance 96,000 USD
Financial Controller Accounting and Finance 105,800 USD
Financial Controller Accounting and Finance 108,200 USD
Financial Coordinator Accounting and Finance 65,200 USD
Financial Customer Service Manager Accounting and Finance 127,600 USD
Financial Dealer and Broker Accounting and Finance 74,500 USD
Financial Director Accounting and Finance 195,200 USD
Financial Encoder Accounting and Finance 57,200 USD
Financial Manager Accounting and Finance 182,400 USD
Financial Operations Manager Accounting and Finance 175,100 USD
Financial Policy Analyst Accounting and Finance 103,600 USD
Financial Project Manager Accounting and Finance 140,200 USD
Financial Quantitative Analyst Accounting and Finance 123,000 USD
Financial Reporting Consultant Accounting and Finance 99,900 USD
Financial Reporting Manager Accounting and Finance 127,700 USD
Financial Section Head Accounting and Finance 128,400 USD
Financial Services Manager Accounting and Finance 169,700 USD
Financial Services Sales Agent Accounting and Finance 76,000 USD
Fixed Assets Administrator Accounting and Finance 73,200 USD
Forensic Accountant Accounting and Finance 78,700 USD
Fraud Detection Supervisor Accounting and Finance 80,400 USD
Fraud Prevention Manager Accounting and Finance 138,700 USD
Fund Accountant Accounting and Finance 66,900 USD
Grants Coordinator Accounting and Finance 51,300 USD
Group Financial Manager Accounting and Finance 195,200 USD
Internal Auditor Accounting and Finance 92,100 USD
Internal Control Adviser Accounting and Finance 102,700 USD
Internal Control Officer Accounting and Finance 58,400 USD
International Tax Director Accounting and Finance 165,900 USD
Inventory Accountant Accounting and Finance 70,000 USD
Investment Advisor Accounting and Finance 172,100 USD
Investment Analyst Accounting and Finance 130,500 USD
Investment Associate Accounting and Finance 114,900 USD
Investment Broker Accounting and Finance 116,400 USD
Investment Fund Manager Accounting and Finance 157,600 USD
Investment Operations Manager Accounting and Finance 156,200 USD
Investment Underwriter Accounting and Finance 54,100 USD
Investor Accounting and Finance 87,200 USD
Investor Relations Manager Accounting and Finance 138,700 USD
KYC Team Leader Accounting and Finance 134,100 USD
Loan Processor Accounting and Finance 55,700 USD
Management Accountant Accounting and Finance 80,200 USD
Management Economist Accounting and Finance 158,900 USD
Paymaster Accounting and Finance 52,800 USD
Payroll Administrator Accounting and Finance 87,200 USD
Payroll Benefits Coordinator Accounting and Finance 74,500 USD
Payroll Billing Manager Accounting and Finance 123,800 USD
Payroll Clerk Accounting and Finance 56,600 USD
Payroll Officer Accounting and Finance 62,100 USD
Payroll Specialist Accounting and Finance 70,100 USD
Payroll Supervisor Accounting and Finance 90,900 USD
Pensions Administrator Accounting and Finance 70,600 USD
Personal Financial Advisor Accounting and Finance 105,200 USD
Pricing Analyst Accounting and Finance 114,900 USD
Private Equity Analyst Accounting and Finance 127,700 USD
Project Accountant Accounting and Finance 73,300 USD
Proposal Development Coordinator Accounting and Finance 60,700 USD
Receivables Accountant Accounting and Finance 58,800 USD
Regulatory Accountant Accounting and Finance 74,300 USD
Retirement Plan Analyst Accounting and Finance 105,200 USD
Revenue Management Specialist Accounting and Finance 112,700 USD
Revenue Recognition Analyst Accounting and Finance 119,700 USD
Risk Management Director Accounting and Finance 157,600 USD
Risk Management Supervisor Accounting and Finance 130,400 USD
Staff Accountant Accounting and Finance 67,000 USD
Tax Accountant Accounting and Finance 66,400 USD
Tax Administrator Accounting and Finance 76,000 USD
Tax Advisor Accounting and Finance 109,000 USD
Tax Analyst Accounting and Finance 100,700 USD
Tax Associate Accounting and Finance 55,500 USD
Tax Consultant Accounting and Finance 109,000 USD
Tax Director Accounting and Finance 161,300 USD
Tax Examiner Accounting and Finance 73,800 USD
Tax Manager Accounting and Finance 141,000 USD
Tax Research Manager Accounting and Finance 142,300 USD
Teller Accounting and Finance 40,900 USD
Treasury Accountant Accounting and Finance 69,400 USD
Treasury Analyst Accounting and Finance 112,700 USD
Underwriter Accounting and Finance 50,000 USD
Underwriting Assistant Accounting and Finance 48,200 USD
Vice President of Finance Accounting and Finance 177,200 USD

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United States, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Atlanta 116,400 USD
Austin 140,700 USD
Baltimore 123,800 USD
Boston 132,000 USD
Bristol 102,700 USD
Chicago 150,100 USD
Cincinnati 105,200 USD
Cleveland 114,900 USD
Dallas 134,700 USD
Denver 134,100 USD
Detroit 128,200 USD
Honolulu 103,600 USD
Houston 140,200 USD
Indianapolis 130,500 USD
Iowa City 107,300 USD
Jacksonville 137,100 USD
Kansas City 121,800 USD
Kent 103,600 USD
Las Vegas 119,700 USD
Long Beach 114,300 USD
Los Angeles 150,100 USD
Memphis 119,700 USD
Miami 108,200 USD
Minneapolis 108,200 USD
New Orleans 107,700 USD
New York 151,800 USD
Oakland 118,900 USD
Oklahoma City 117,100 USD
Orlando 105,800 USD
Philadelphia 140,200 USD
Phoenix 140,700 USD
Sacramento 127,700 USD
San Antonio 146,700 USD
San Diego 134,100 USD
San Francisco 128,200 USD
San Jose 139,100 USD
Seattle 127,600 USD
Tampa 109,700 USD
Vancouver 105,800 USD
Washington D.C. 125,400 USD

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United States.

City Average Salary
Alabama 128,200 USD
Alaska 115,600 USD
Arizona 130,400 USD
Arkansas 127,600 USD
California 139,100 USD
Colorado 130,500 USD
Connecticut 119,700 USD
Delaware 115,600 USD
District of Columbia 109,700 USD
Florida 140,200 USD
Georgia 130,400 USD
Hawaii 117,100 USD
Idaho 112,700 USD
Illinois 140,700 USD
Indiana 127,700 USD
Iowa 123,000 USD
Kansas 116,400 USD
Kentucky 123,800 USD
Louisiana 130,500 USD
Maine 114,900 USD
Maryland 134,700 USD
Massachusetts 127,600 USD
Michigan 140,700 USD
Minnesota 123,800 USD
Mississippi 124,500 USD
Missouri 123,800 USD
Montana 114,300 USD
Nebraska 114,900 USD
Nevada 123,000 USD
New Hampshire 111,700 USD
New Jersey 134,700 USD
New Mexico 114,900 USD
New York 140,700 USD
North Carolina 127,600 USD
North Dakota 108,200 USD
Ohio 140,200 USD
Oklahoma 124,500 USD
Oregon 130,500 USD
Pennsylvania 134,700 USD
Rhode Island 114,300 USD
South Carolina 125,400 USD
South Dakota 114,300 USD
Tennessee 127,600 USD
Texas 142,300 USD
Utah 116,400 USD
Vermont 112,700 USD
Virginia 130,500 USD
Washington 134,100 USD
West Virginia 112,700 USD
Wisconsin 130,500 USD
Wyoming 114,900 USD

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