Payroll Specialist salary in Greenville-Anderson, SC
Greenville-Anderson pays payroll specialists more than South Carolina as a whole but less than the country. The median is $53,560 a year1: 2.5% above the South Carolina statewide median of $52,240 and 8.1% below the US median of $58,260. Among US areas it comes in at #255 of 486. The market is small, about 280 people, 18% of the South Carolina total, so expect few local candidates at a time.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Greenville-Anderson against South Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | $39,200 | $53,560 | $78,740 | |
| South Carolina | $38,180 | $52,240 | $77,660 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Greenville-Anderson earns $47,720–$65,680. The top tenth earns $78,740 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,960 wide, between the figure for South Carolina ($16,900) 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 | $39,200 | $3,267 | $18.85 | $50,581 |
| 25th percentile | $47,720 | $3,977 | $22.94 | $61,574 |
| Median | $53,560 | $4,463 | $25.75 | $69,110 |
| 75th percentile | $65,680 | $5,473 | $31.58 | $84,748 |
| 90th percentile | $78,740 | $6,562 | $37.86 | $101,600 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $12,120 over the median, the 25th only $5,840 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $15,639 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 median and the 75th percentile in Greenville-Anderson, and the South Carolina statewide median of $52,240 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Greenville-Anderson
At the $53,560 median, a local hire costs about $69,110 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $15,550 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 Greenville-Anderson
Of the 17 roles we track in Greenville-Anderson, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between paralegals ($57,780) and sales development representatives ($51,460). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,780.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +18.8% | 4,650 | |
| Paralegal | +7.9% | 1,600 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 280 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -3.9% | 4,300 | |
| Bookkeeper | -7.4% | 3,770 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Greenville-Anderson (-8.1%), between project coordinators (-7.4%) and paralegals (-8.1%). The typical role here is at -8.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 0.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Greenville-Anderson, 0.6% across South Carolina and 1.0% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in South Carolina
Across the 9 areas of South Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $47,800 in the Northwestern South Carolina nonmetro area to $54,150 in Spartanburg, a gap of $6,350 a year. No other area in South Carolina has as many payroll specialists, and 6 of the other 8 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Greenville-Anderson | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg, SC | +1.1% | 110 | |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | +0.7% | 280 | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | this area | 280 | |
| Columbia, SC | -2.5% | 220 | |
| Florence, SC | -3.2% | 60 | |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | -6.3% | 60 | |
| Northeastern South Carolina (Nonmetro) | -7.3% | 50 |
Greenville-Anderson against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Greenville-Anderson is #83 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 South Carolina, New Orleans-Metairie and Missoula pay just above Greenville-Anderson and Traverse City and Bowling Green just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in Greenville-Anderson. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Greenville-Anderson | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT | +0.1% | 60 | pay | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | +0.1% | 480 | pay | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | this area | 280 | ||
| Traverse City, MI | -0.0% | 40 | pay | |
| Bowling Green, KY | -0.0% | 90 | pay | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | -6.6% | 280 | jobs | |
| Jackson, MS | -13.0% | 280 | jobs | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | -23.8% | 280 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Greenville-Anderson, SC?
About $69,110 a year at the median, or $5,759 a month: $53,560 in pay plus about $15,550 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for payroll specialists in Greenville-Anderson?
The median was $53,560 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,200, the 90th $78,740, and the middle half earned $47,720 to $65,680.
Is Greenville-Anderson cheaper than the rest of South Carolina for payroll specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $53,560 against $52,240 statewide. The next area up in South Carolina is Charleston-North Charleston at $53,930, the next down Columbia at $52,240.
How many payroll specialists work in Greenville-Anderson?
BLS counts about 280 in the May 2025 survey. That is 18% of the South Carolina total of 1,550. Only Charleston-North Charleston has more in South Carolina.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a sales development representative in Greenville-Anderson?
Yes: $2,100 a year more at the median. The medians are $53,560 and $51,460.
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 2026-11-13.