Payroll Specialist salary in Kansas City, MO-KS
For this job Kansas City sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $56,590 a year1. That is 4.6% above the Missouri statewide median of $54,080, and 2.9% below the US median of $58,260. Among US areas it comes in at #177 of 486. BLS counts about 1,260 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Kansas City, MO-KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kansas City against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $43,400 | $56,590 | $79,160 | |
| Missouri | $37,030 | $54,080 | $79,470 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Kansas City earns $49,340–$68,070. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $79,160, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $18,730 wide, against $21,040 across Missouri and $21,610 nationally: employers in Kansas City pay within a narrower band.
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 | $43,400 | $3,617 | $20.87 | $56,000 |
| 25th percentile | $49,340 | $4,112 | $23.72 | $63,665 |
| Median | $56,590 | $4,716 | $27.21 | $73,019 |
| 75th percentile | $68,070 | $5,672 | $32.73 | $87,832 |
| 90th percentile | $79,160 | $6,597 | $38.06 | $102,142 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $11,480 over the median, the 25th only $7,250 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $14,813 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 Kansas City, and the Missouri statewide median of $54,080 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Kansas City
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 $16,429 to the $56,590 median and brings it to $73,019 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 Kansas City
Of the 17 roles we track in Kansas City, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between paralegals ($63,880) and HR assistants ($52,140). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,050.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +13.9% | 2,940 | |
| Paralegal | +12.9% | 2,900 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 1,260 | |
| HR Assistant | -7.9% | 400 | |
| Bookkeeper | -10.0% | 8,780 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Kansas City (-2.9%), between virtual receptionists (-2.1%) and office managers (-3.9%). The typical role here is at -1.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 1.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Kansas City, 1.2% across Missouri and 1.0% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $43,610 in Cape Girardeau to $59,190 in St. Louis, a gap of $15,580 a year. The one area in Missouri with more payroll specialists, St. Louis, MO-IL ($59,190), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Kansas City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | +4.6% | 1,530 | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | +0.7% | 50 | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | this area | 1,260 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | -10.9% | 70 | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | -14.3% | 100 | |
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | -15.1% | 190 | |
| Springfield, MO | -15.2% | 280 |
Kansas City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kansas City is #27 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 Missouri, Bakersfield-Delano and Canton-Massillon pay just above Kansas City and Albany and Elkhart-Goshen just below. All four are within $180 a year of the median in Kansas City. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kansas City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | +4.5% | 1,370 | jobs | |
| Columbus, OH | +4.3% | 1,200 | jobs | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | +0.3% | 170 | pay | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +0.1% | 500 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | this area | 1,260 | ||
| Albany, OR | -0.2% | 70 | pay | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | -0.3% | 110 | pay | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | -15.5% | 1,170 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Kansas City, MO-KS?
About $73,019 a year at the median, or $6,085 a month: $56,590 in pay plus about $16,429 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for payroll specialists in Kansas City?
The median was $56,590 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,400, the 90th $79,160, and the middle half earned $49,340 to $68,070.
Is Kansas City cheaper than the rest of Missouri for payroll specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $56,590 against $54,080 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is St. Joseph at $56,970, the next down Jefferson City at $50,420.
How many payroll specialists work in Kansas City?
BLS counts about 1,260 in the May 2025 survey. Only St. Louis has more in Missouri.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than an HR assistant in Kansas City?
Yes: $4,450 a year more at the median. The medians are $56,590 and $52,140.
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.