Payroll Specialist salary in Denver-Aurora, CO
For this job Denver-Aurora sits right at the Colorado figure, with a median of $64,760 a year1. That is about level with the Colorado statewide median of $64,140, and 11.2% above the US median of $58,260. Only 18 of 486 US areas pay more for this job. It is the largest market for the job in Colorado: about 1,580 people, 61% of the Colorado total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Denver-Aurora against Colorado and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | $49,420 | $64,760 | $92,960 | |
| Colorado | $46,590 | $64,140 | $88,050 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
Payroll specialists at the 90th percentile earn $92,960, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of payroll specialists in Denver-Aurora earns $55,700–$79,770. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $24,070 wide, between the figure for Colorado ($24,390) and the US figure ($21,610).
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 | $49,420 | $4,118 | $23.76 | $63,768 |
| 25th percentile | $55,700 | $4,642 | $26.78 | $71,871 |
| Median | $64,760 | $5,397 | $31.13 | $83,561 |
| 75th percentile | $79,770 | $6,648 | $38.35 | $102,929 |
| 90th percentile | $92,960 | $7,747 | $44.69 | $119,948 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $15,010 over the median, the 25th only $9,060 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $19,368 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 Denver-Aurora, and the Colorado statewide median of $64,140 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Denver-Aurora
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 $18,801 to the $64,760 median and brings it to $83,561 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 Denver-Aurora
Of the 17 roles we track in Denver-Aurora, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between executive assistants ($68,020) and bookkeepers ($57,510). Project Coordinator is the highest at $116,740.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +22.2% | 14,710 | |
| Executive Assistant | +5.0% | 5,930 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 1,580 | |
| Bookkeeper | -11.2% | 14,100 | |
| HR Assistant | -13.4% | 950 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Denver-Aurora (+11.2%), between bookkeepers (+13.5%) and HR assistants (+10.8%). The typical role here is at +11.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 0.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Denver-Aurora, 0.8% across Colorado and 1.0% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Colorado
Across the 9 areas of Colorado with data for this job, the median runs from $46,590 in the Southwest Colorado nonmetro area to $67,710 in Fort Collins-Loveland, a gap of $21,120 a year. No other area in Colorado has as many payroll specialists, and 6 of the other 8 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Denver-Aurora | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +4.6% | 100 | |
| Boulder, CO | +2.1% | n/a | |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | this area | 1,580 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | -5.4% | 210 | |
| Pueblo, CO | -8.4% | 30 | |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado (Nonmetro) | -11.5% | 40 | |
| Greeley, CO | -14.0% | 110 |
Denver-Aurora against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Denver-Aurora is #22 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 Colorado, Bellingham and Los Angeles-Long Beach pay just above Denver-Aurora and Oshkosh-Neenah and Longview-Kelso just below. All four are within $320 a year of the median in Denver-Aurora. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Denver-Aurora | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +0.4% | 6,600 | pay | |
| Bellingham, WA | +0.4% | 140 | pay | |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | this area | 1,580 | ||
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | -0.1% | 70 | pay | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | -0.5% | 60 | pay | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | -5.5% | 1,630 | jobs | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | -8.6% | 1,530 | jobs | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -14.4% | 1,690 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Denver-Aurora, CO?
About $83,561 a year at the median, or $6,963 a month: $64,760 in pay plus about $18,801 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for payroll specialists in Denver-Aurora?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $64,760 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,420, the 90th $92,960, and the middle half earned $55,700 to $79,770.
Is Denver-Aurora cheaper than the rest of Colorado for payroll specialists?
About the same: a median of $64,760 against $64,140 statewide. The next area up in Colorado is Boulder at $66,140, the next down Colorado Springs at $61,260.
How many payroll specialists work in Denver-Aurora?
BLS counts about 1,580 in the May 2025 survey. That is 61% of the Colorado total of 2,580. No other area in Colorado has as many.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in Denver-Aurora?
Yes: $7,250 a year more at the median. The medians are $64,760 and $57,510.
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.