StafkaFor job seekersSign inPost a job — freePost a job

Payroll Specialist salary and cost of hiring in Indiana

The median payroll specialist in Indiana earned $53,770 a year in May 2025[1], 7.7% below the US median of $58,260. That puts Indiana at #35 of 51 states for this job.

$4,481median pay per month in Indiana
$6,401employer cost per month with benefits
$25.85median pay per hour
4,020people in this job in Indiana

BLS occupation 43-3051. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

Get 3 matching profilesCompare with a remote hire

Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
Indiana$38,910$53,770$77,700
United States$39,500$58,260$81,350
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of payroll specialists in Indiana earns $45,100–$65,540; the top tenth earns $77,700 or more, 2.0 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 Indiana median that makes about $76,814 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].

$76,814local hire, first year incl. benefits
-remote hire, first year incl. fee
-difference in year one
-of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in Indiana

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
$56,430
$63,330110
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
$55,450
$65,5401,690
Columbus, IN
$55,160
$66,45060
Bloomington, IN
$53,040
$67,43080
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
$52,920
$58,190100
Kokomo, IN
$52,140
$64,22040
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
$50,320
$61,690100
Michigan City-La Porte, IN
$50,150
$59,84040
Fort Wayne, IN
$50,030
$61,120280
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area
$49,810
$58,220200
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area
$48,720
$58,100180
Terre Haute, IN
$48,510
$57,54070
Evansville, IN
$48,220
$61,590140
Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area
$46,810
$58,420140
Muncie, IN
$46,200
$60,14040

Elkhart-Goshen, IN pays the most ($56,430) and Muncie, IN the least ($46,200): $10,230 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

StateMedianvs Indiana
Iowa
$54,080
+0.6%
Missouri
$54,080
+0.6%
Indiana
$53,770
+0.0%
North Carolina
$53,550
-0.4%
New Mexico
$53,230
-1.0%

Questions

How much does a payroll specialist earn in Indiana?

The median was $53,770 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $45,100 to $65,540.

What does it cost to employ a payroll specialist in Indiana?

About $76,814 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in Indiana do payroll specialists earn the most?

Elkhart-Goshen, IN, with a median of $56,430 a year.

Other roles in Indiana

Hire payroll specialists remotely

How to hire payroll specialists

Sources

  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3051: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes433051.htm
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
  3. Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-05.