Payroll Specialist salary and cost of hiring in Florida
The median payroll specialist in Florida earned $51,910 a year in May 2025[1], 10.9% below the US median of $58,260. That puts Florida at #41 of 51 states for this job.
BLS occupation 43-3051. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.
Salary range
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $35,730 | $51,910 | $76,710 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Florida earns $45,000–$63,720; the top tenth earns $76,710 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth.
What a hire really costs
Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the Florida median that makes about $74,157 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Pay by metro area in Florida
| Area | Median | 75th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $68,220 | 170 | |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $65,990 | 2,750 | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $62,370 | 150 | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $59,740 | 120 | |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $65,250 | 380 | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $60,110 | 220 | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $64,750 | 210 | |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $63,500 | 150 | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $60,520 | 260 | |
| South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $55,400 | 100 | |
| Punta Gorda, FL | $62,430 | 50 | |
| Gainesville, FL | $56,620 | 110 | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $61,950 | 2,300 | |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $58,930 | 70 | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $62,200 | 1,690 | |
| Tallahassee, FL | $59,150 | 130 | |
| Ocala, FL | $61,080 | 80 | |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $58,690 | 40 | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $57,890 | 210 | |
| Jacksonville, FL | $63,460 | 880 | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | $54,080 | 40 | |
| North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $56,200 | 100 |
Naples-Marco Island, FL pays the most ($59,560) and North Florida nonmetropolitan area the least ($40,580): $18,980 a year apart for the same job.
What a payroll specialist does
A payroll specialist prepares payroll runs, checks hours and deductions, keeps employee pay records and answers staff questions about their pay.
Neighbours in the ranking
| State | Median | vs Florida |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | +0.6% | |
| Wyoming | +0.1% | |
| Florida | +0.0% | |
| Idaho | -0.2% | |
| Tennessee | -0.3% |
Questions
How much does a payroll specialist earn in Florida?
The median was $51,910 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $45,000 to $63,720.
What does it cost to employ a payroll specialist in Florida?
About $74,157 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).
Where in Florida do payroll specialists earn the most?
Naples-Marco Island, FL, with a median of $59,560 a year.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3051: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes433051.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.