Payroll Specialist salary in Bridgeport-Stamford, CT
Budget above the national rate here. The median payroll specialist in Bridgeport-Stamford earned $64,000 a year in May 20251, 2.9% above the Connecticut statewide median of $62,200 and 9.9% above the US median of $58,260. Only 26 of 486 US areas pay more for this job. About 310 payroll specialists work here, 20% of the Connecticut total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Bridgeport-Stamford against Connecticut and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | $49,830 | $64,000 | $88,870 | |
| Connecticut | $47,120 | $62,200 | $83,950 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Bridgeport-Stamford earns $56,100–$77,960. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $88,870, 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 $21,860 wide, wider than in Connecticut as a whole ($19,470) and the US ($21,610), so what a payroll specialist earns in Bridgeport-Stamford depends more on the employer.
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 | $49,830 | $4,152 | $23.96 | $64,297 |
| 25th percentile | $56,100 | $4,675 | $26.97 | $72,387 |
| Median | $64,000 | $5,333 | $30.77 | $82,581 |
| 75th percentile | $77,960 | $6,497 | $37.48 | $100,594 |
| 90th percentile | $88,870 | $7,406 | $42.73 | $114,671 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $13,960 over the median, the 25th only $7,900 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $18,013 a year in employer cost. 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 Bridgeport-Stamford, and the Connecticut statewide median of $62,200 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Bridgeport-Stamford
At the $64,000 median, a local hire costs about $82,581 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,581 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 Bridgeport-Stamford
Of the 17 roles we track in Bridgeport-Stamford, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($78,380) and bookkeepers ($61,390). Project Coordinator is the highest at $109,990.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +24.6% | 5,490 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +22.5% | 3,280 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 310 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.1% | 3,710 | |
| Paralegal | -6.3% | 1,600 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Bridgeport-Stamford (+9.9%), between data entry specialists (+10.7%) and medical administrative assistants (+9.1%). The typical role here is at +12.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 0.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Bridgeport-Stamford, 0.9% across Connecticut and 1.0% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Connecticut
Across the 6 areas of Connecticut with data for this job, the median runs from $60,230 in Norwich-New London to $65,190 in New Haven, a gap of $4,960 a year. The one area in Connecticut with more payroll specialists, Hartford-West Hartford, CT ($62,400), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Bridgeport-Stamford | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | +1.9% | 250 | |
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | this area | 310 | |
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | -2.5% | 590 | |
| Connecticut (Nonmetro) | -4.0% | 70 | |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | -4.3% | 160 | |
| Norwich-New London, CT | -5.9% | 100 |
Bridgeport-Stamford against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Bridgeport-Stamford is #75 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 Connecticut, Yakima and Portland-Vancouver pay just above Bridgeport-Stamford and Barnstable Town and San Diego-Chula Vista just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in Bridgeport-Stamford. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Bridgeport-Stamford | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | +0.3% | 1,850 | pay | |
| Yakima, WA | +0.1% | 110 | pay | |
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | this area | 310 | ||
| Barnstable Town, MA | -0.1% | 60 | pay | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | -0.3% | 1,840 | pay | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | -4.2% | 320 | jobs | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -6.1% | 320 | jobs | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -22.5% | 320 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Bridgeport-Stamford, CT?
About $82,581 a year at the median, or $6,882 a month: $64,000 in pay plus about $18,581 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for payroll specialists in Bridgeport-Stamford?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $64,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,830, the 90th $88,870, and the middle half earned $56,100 to $77,960.
Is Bridgeport-Stamford cheaper than the rest of Connecticut for payroll specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $64,000 against $62,200 statewide. The next area up in Connecticut is New Haven at $65,190, the next down Hartford-West Hartford at $62,400.
How many payroll specialists work in Bridgeport-Stamford?
BLS counts about 310 in the May 2025 survey. That is 20% of the Connecticut total of 1,540. Only Hartford-West Hartford has more in Connecticut.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in Bridgeport-Stamford?
Yes: $2,610 a year more at the median. The medians are $64,000 and $61,390.
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.