Payroll Specialist salary in Albany-Schenectady, NY
Albany-Schenectady is a lower-cost market for payroll specialists: the median of $56,360 a year1 is 7.7% below the New York statewide median of $61,040, and 3.3% below the US median of $58,260. Among US areas it comes in at #187 of 486. About 570 payroll specialists work here, 7% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Albany-Schenectady against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | $43,520 | $56,360 | $78,540 | |
| New York | $45,140 | $61,040 | $86,470 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Albany-Schenectady earns $48,280–$65,360. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $78,540, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $17,080 wide, against $22,520 across New York and $21,610 nationally: employers in Albany-Schenectady pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a payroll specialist here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $43,520 | $3,627 | $20.92 | $56,155 |
| 25th percentile | $48,280 | $4,023 | $23.21 | $62,297 |
| Median | $56,360 | $4,697 | $27.10 | $72,723 |
| 75th percentile | $65,360 | $5,447 | $31.42 | $84,335 |
| 90th percentile | $78,540 | $6,545 | $37.76 | $101,342 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,080 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,000, or about $11,613 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $58,260 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Albany-Schenectady, and the New York statewide median of $61,040 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Albany-Schenectady
At the $56,360 median, a local hire costs about $72,723 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,363 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for payroll specialists we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Albany-Schenectady
Of the 17 roles we track in Albany-Schenectady, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between paralegals ($60,680) and bookkeepers ($53,540). Project Coordinator is the highest at $109,850.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +20.7% | 3,060 | |
| Paralegal | +7.7% | 1,340 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 570 | |
| Bookkeeper | -5.0% | 4,170 | |
| HR Assistant | -6.5% | 780 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Albany-Schenectady (-3.3%), between sales development representatives (-2.8%) and marketing specialists (-3.3%). The typical role here is at +1.3%, so, measured against the US, payroll specialists cost less in Albany-Schenectady than the area's general pay level would suggest. Payroll specialists hold 1.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Albany-Schenectady, 0.8% across New York and 1.0% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in New York
Across the 15 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $49,940 in Utica-Rome to $63,500 in New York-Newark, a gap of $13,560 a year. Of the 3 areas in New York with more payroll specialists than Albany-Schenectady, 1 pays less: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ($55,650).
| Area | Median | vs Albany-Schenectady | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | +1.9% | 590 | |
| Southwest New York (Nonmetro) | +0.9% | 160 | |
| Glens Falls, NY | +0.1% | 60 | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | this area | 570 | |
| Capital/Northern New York (Nonmetro) | -0.3% | 140 | |
| Central East New York (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 220 | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | -1.3% | 630 |
Albany-Schenectady against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Albany-Schenectady is #50 of 482 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside New York, Durham-Chapel Hill and Salt Lake City-Murray pay just above Albany-Schenectady and Lexington-Fayette and Grand Rapids-Wyoming just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in Albany-Schenectady. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Albany-Schenectady | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +10.7% | 590 | jobs | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | +0.1% | 850 | pay | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +0.1% | 190 | pay | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | this area | 570 | ||
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -0.2% | 190 | pay | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -0.3% | 530 | pay | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | -3.1% | 600 | jobs | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | -4.0% | 590 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Albany-Schenectady, NY?
About $72,723 a year at the median, or $6,060 a month: $56,360 in pay plus about $16,363 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for payroll specialists in Albany-Schenectady?
The median was $56,360 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,520, the 90th $78,540, and the middle half earned $48,280 to $65,360.
Is Albany-Schenectady cheaper than the rest of New York for payroll specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $56,360 against $61,040 statewide. The next area up in New York is Glens Falls at $56,430, the next down the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area at $56,210.
How many payroll specialists work in Albany-Schenectady?
BLS counts about 570 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the New York total of 8,400. 3 areas in New York have more; the closest in size is Rochester, with about 590.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in Albany-Schenectady?
Yes: $2,820 a year more at the median. The medians are $56,360 and $53,540.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3051: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.