Payroll Specialist salary in Baltimore-Columbia, MD
Baltimore-Columbia is the most expensive place in Maryland to hire a payroll specialist. The median is $60,330 a year1, about level with the Maryland statewide median of $59,760 and 3.6% above the US median of $58,260. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#76 of 486). With about 840 payroll specialists, 45% of the Maryland total, no area in Maryland employs more.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Baltimore-Columbia against Maryland and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | $47,950 | $60,330 | $81,930 | |
| Maryland | $31,750 | $59,760 | $82,140 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Baltimore-Columbia earns $53,780–$69,750. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $81,930, only 1.7 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 $15,970 wide, against $20,610 across Maryland and $21,610 nationally: employers in Baltimore-Columbia 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 | $47,950 | $3,996 | $23.05 | $61,871 |
| 25th percentile | $53,780 | $4,482 | $25.86 | $69,394 |
| Median | $60,330 | $5,028 | $29.00 | $77,845 |
| 75th percentile | $69,750 | $5,812 | $33.53 | $90,000 |
| 90th percentile | $81,930 | $6,828 | $39.39 | $105,716 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,420 a year in pay and about $12,155 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,550 in pay. 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 25th percentile and the median in Baltimore-Columbia, and the Maryland statewide median of $59,760 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Baltimore-Columbia
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $17,515 to the $60,330 median and brings it to $77,845 a year. 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 Baltimore-Columbia
Of the 17 roles we track in Baltimore-Columbia, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($61,840) and HR assistants ($57,530). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,720.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +8.8% | 3,880 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +2.5% | 11,340 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 840 | |
| HR Assistant | -4.6% | 660 | |
| Bookkeeper | -11.2% | 8,540 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Baltimore-Columbia (+3.6%), between medical administrative assistants (+3.8%) and administrative assistants (+3.5%). The typical role here is at +3.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 0.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Baltimore-Columbia, 0.6% across Maryland and 1.0% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Maryland
Across the 4 areas of Maryland with data for this job, the median runs from $56,040 in the Maryland nonmetro area to $60,330 in Baltimore-Columbia, a gap of $4,290 a year. No other area in Maryland has as many payroll specialists, and all 3 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Baltimore-Columbia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | this area | 840 | |
| Salisbury, MD | -1.9% | 50 | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -2.7% | n/a | |
| Maryland (Nonmetro) | -7.1% | 70 |
Baltimore-Columbia against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Baltimore-Columbia is #39 of 482 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Maryland, Merced and Charlottesville pay just above Baltimore-Columbia and Lincoln and Appleton just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Baltimore-Columbia. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Baltimore-Columbia | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | +0.1% | 80 | pay | |
| Merced, CA | +0.0% | 100 | pay | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | this area | 840 | ||
| Lincoln, NE | -0.1% | 140 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | -0.1% | 100 | pay | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | -2.9% | 940 | jobs | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | -6.5% | 850 | jobs | |
| Jacksonville, FL | -20.1% | 880 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Baltimore-Columbia, MD?
About $77,845 a year at the median, or $6,487 a month: $60,330 in pay plus about $17,515 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do payroll specialists earn in Baltimore-Columbia?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $60,330 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,950, the 90th $81,930, and the middle half earned $53,780 to $69,750.
Is Baltimore-Columbia the most expensive area in Maryland for payroll specialists?
Yes. Its median of $60,330 is the highest of 4 areas in Maryland. Salisbury comes next at $59,200.
How many payroll specialists work in Baltimore-Columbia?
BLS counts about 840 in the May 2025 survey. That is 45% of the Maryland total of 1,870. No other area in Maryland has as many.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than an HR assistant in Baltimore-Columbia?
Yes: $2,800 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,330 and $57,530.
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.