Payroll Specialist salary in Dayton-Kettering, OH
Dayton-Kettering is the most expensive place in Ohio to hire a payroll specialist. The median is $60,100 a year1, 4.9% above the Ohio statewide median of $57,270 and 3.2% above the US median of $58,260. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#82 of 486). BLS counts about 320 people in this job here, 5% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Dayton-Kettering against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | $39,140 | $60,100 | $89,330 | |
| Ohio | $40,310 | $57,270 | $80,650 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $89,330 or more, 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of payroll specialists in Dayton-Kettering earns $46,440–$73,800. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $27,360 wide, wider than in Ohio as a whole ($19,400) and the US ($21,610), so what a payroll specialist earns in Dayton-Kettering 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 | $39,140 | $3,262 | $18.82 | $50,503 |
| 25th percentile | $46,440 | $3,870 | $22.33 | $59,923 |
| Median | $60,100 | $5,008 | $28.89 | $77,548 |
| 75th percentile | $73,800 | $6,150 | $35.48 | $95,226 |
| 90th percentile | $89,330 | $7,444 | $42.95 | $115,265 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $13,700 a year in pay and about $17,677 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $13,660 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 Dayton-Kettering, and the Ohio statewide median of $57,270 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Dayton-Kettering
At the $60,100 median, a local hire costs about $77,548 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,448 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 Dayton-Kettering
Of the 17 roles we track in Dayton-Kettering, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($61,640) and paralegals ($58,680). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,130.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +6.5% | 610 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +2.6% | 2,270 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 320 | |
| Paralegal | -2.4% | 470 | |
| HR Assistant | -13.4% | 150 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in Dayton-Kettering (+3.2%), between data entry specialists (+5.2%) and HR assistants (+2.8%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so, measured against the US, payroll specialists cost more in Dayton-Kettering than the area's general pay level would suggest. Payroll specialists hold 1.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Dayton-Kettering, 1.1% across Ohio and 1.0% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $45,470 in Springfield to $60,100 in Dayton-Kettering, a gap of $14,630 a year. All 4 areas in Ohio with more payroll specialists than Dayton-Kettering pay less, among them Cleveland, OH ($59,110) and Columbus, OH ($59,010).
| Area | Median | vs Dayton-Kettering | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | this area | 320 | |
| Sandusky, OH | -1.1% | 40 | |
| Cleveland, OH | -1.6% | 1,370 | |
| Columbus, OH | -1.8% | 1,200 | |
| Toledo, OH | -3.2% | 260 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -4.3% | 1,030 | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | -5.5% | 170 |
Dayton-Kettering against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Dayton-Kettering is #70 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 Ohio, Norwich-New London and Dallas-Fort Worth pay just above Dayton-Kettering and Worcester and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Dayton-Kettering. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Dayton-Kettering | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +2.0% | 320 | jobs | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | +0.2% | 3,800 | pay | |
| Norwich-New London, CT | +0.2% | 100 | pay | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | this area | 320 | ||
| Worcester, MA | -0.0% | 260 | pay | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | -0.1% | 150 | pay | |
| Reno, NV | -0.6% | 320 | jobs | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -17.5% | 320 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Dayton-Kettering, OH?
About $77,548 a year at the median, or $6,462 a month: $60,100 in pay plus about $17,448 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do payroll specialists earn in Dayton-Kettering?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $60,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,140, the 90th $89,330, and the middle half earned $46,440 to $73,800.
Is Dayton-Kettering the most expensive area in Ohio for payroll specialists?
Yes. Its median of $60,100 is the highest of 16 areas in Ohio. Sandusky comes next at $59,450.
How many payroll specialists work in Dayton-Kettering?
BLS counts about 320 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Ohio total of 5,820. 4 areas in Ohio have more; the closest in size is Akron, with about 330.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a paralegal in Dayton-Kettering?
Yes: $1,420 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,100 and $58,680.
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.