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Payroll Specialist salary and cost of hiring in Louisiana

The median payroll specialist in Louisiana earned $50,800 a year in May 2025[1], 12.8% below the US median of $58,260. That puts Louisiana at #44 of 51 states for this job.

$4,233median pay per month in Louisiana
$6,048employer cost per month with benefits
$24.42median pay per hour
2,160people in this job in Louisiana

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

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Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
Louisiana$29,480$50,800$71,750
United States$39,500$58,260$81,350
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of payroll specialists in Louisiana earns $40,710–$61,750; the top tenth earns $71,750 or more, 2.4 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 Louisiana median that makes about $72,571 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].

$72,571local 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 Louisiana

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
Baton Rouge, LA
$54,580
$64,210540
New Orleans-Metairie, LA
$53,590
$64,100480
Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA
$51,160
$60,760100
Hammond, LA
$50,520
$58,34030
Lafayette, LA
$50,510
$61,740200
Lake Charles, LA
$50,170
$59,790110
Alexandria, LA
$49,310
$57,98060
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA
$49,110
$58,87090
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
$48,750
$60,010140
Monroe, LA
$48,570
$59,85090
Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area
$47,990
$54,27060
Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area
$46,840
$55,950110
Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area
$45,040
$50,82080

Baton Rouge, LA pays the most ($54,580) and Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area the least ($45,040): $9,540 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 Louisiana
Idaho
$51,790
+1.9%
Tennessee
$51,780
+1.9%
Louisiana
$50,800
+0.0%
Arizona
$50,210
-1.2%
Oklahoma
$49,920
-1.7%

Questions

How much does a payroll specialist earn in Louisiana?

The median was $50,800 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $40,710 to $61,750.

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

About $72,571 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in Louisiana do payroll specialists earn the most?

Baton Rouge, LA, with a median of $54,580 a year.

Other roles in Louisiana

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.