Payroll Specialist salary in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
Grand Rapids-Wyoming pays payroll specialists close to the Michigan norm. The median is $56,210 a year1, about level with the Michigan statewide median of $56,160 and 3.5% below the US median of $58,260. Among US areas it comes in at #189 of 486. About 530 payroll specialists work here, 13% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Grand Rapids-Wyoming against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | $32,630 | $56,210 | $76,330 | |
| Michigan | $38,560 | $56,160 | $78,200 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $76,330 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming earns $45,270–$65,660. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $20,390 wide, between the figure for Michigan ($18,450) 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 | $32,630 | $2,719 | $15.69 | $42,103 |
| 25th percentile | $45,270 | $3,772 | $21.76 | $58,413 |
| Median | $56,210 | $4,684 | $27.02 | $72,529 |
| 75th percentile | $65,660 | $5,472 | $31.57 | $84,723 |
| 90th percentile | $76,330 | $6,361 | $36.70 | $98,490 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,450 a year in pay and about $12,194 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $10,940 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 median and the 75th percentile in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, and the Michigan statewide median of $56,160 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Grand Rapids-Wyoming
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 $16,319 to the $56,210 median and brings it to $72,529 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming
Of the 17 roles we track in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between paralegals ($62,370) and bookkeepers ($48,550). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,020.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +15.4% | 4,110 | |
| Paralegal | +11.0% | 870 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 530 | |
| Bookkeeper | -13.6% | 5,070 | |
| HR Assistant | -14.7% | 220 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Grand Rapids-Wyoming (-3.5%), between virtual receptionists (-2.2%) and bookkeepers (-4.2%). The typical role here is at -5.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 1.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, 1.0% across Michigan and 1.0% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 18 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $48,090 in the Mid Michigan nonmetro area to $63,760 in Midland, a gap of $15,670 a year. The one area in Michigan with more payroll specialists, Detroit-Warren, MI ($59,610), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Grand Rapids-Wyoming | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | +6.3% | 140 | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +6.0% | 1,450 | |
| Saginaw, MI | +5.8% | 80 | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | this area | 530 | |
| Flint, MI | -4.5% | 100 | |
| Jackson, MI | -4.6% | 50 | |
| Traverse City, MI | -4.7% | 40 |
Grand Rapids-Wyoming against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Grand Rapids-Wyoming is #52 of 482 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Michigan, Lexington-Fayette and Albany-Schenectady pay just above Grand Rapids-Wyoming and Waco and Odessa just below. All four are within $210 a year of the median in Grand Rapids-Wyoming. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Grand Rapids-Wyoming | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | +8.2% | 530 | jobs | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | +0.3% | 570 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | +0.0% | 190 | pay | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | this area | 530 | ||
| Waco, TX | -0.3% | 100 | pay | |
| Odessa, TX | -0.4% | 60 | pay | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | -2.9% | 540 | jobs | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -5.0% | 520 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI?
About $72,529 a year at the median, or $6,044 a month: $56,210 in pay plus about $16,319 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do payroll specialists earn in Grand Rapids-Wyoming?
The median was $56,210 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,630, the 90th $76,330, and the middle half earned $45,270 to $65,660.
Is Grand Rapids-Wyoming cheaper than the rest of Michigan for payroll specialists?
About the same: a median of $56,210 against $56,160 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Saginaw at $59,480, the next down Flint at $53,670.
How many payroll specialists work in Grand Rapids-Wyoming?
BLS counts about 530 in the May 2025 survey. That is 13% of the Michigan total of 4,050. Only Detroit-Warren has more in Michigan.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in Grand Rapids-Wyoming?
Yes: $7,660 a year more at the median. The medians are $56,210 and $48,550.
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.