Payroll Specialist salary in Memphis, TN-MS
Memphis pays payroll specialists more than Tennessee as a whole but less than the country. The median is $53,420 a year1: 3.2% above the Tennessee statewide median of $51,780 and 8.3% below the US median of $58,260. Nationally it ranks #264 of 486 areas. BLS counts about 520 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Memphis, TN-MS-AR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Memphis against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS | $36,710 | $53,420 | $75,460 | |
| Tennessee | $36,270 | $51,780 | $75,160 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Memphis earns $44,980–$61,790. The top tenth earns $75,460 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $16,810 wide, between the figure for Tennessee ($16,050) 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 | $36,710 | $3,059 | $17.65 | $47,368 |
| 25th percentile | $44,980 | $3,748 | $21.62 | $58,039 |
| Median | $53,420 | $4,452 | $25.68 | $68,929 |
| 75th percentile | $61,790 | $5,149 | $29.71 | $79,729 |
| 90th percentile | $75,460 | $6,288 | $36.28 | $97,368 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,370 a year in pay and about $10,800 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,440 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 Memphis, and the Tennessee statewide median of $51,780 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Memphis
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 $15,509 to the $53,420 median and brings it to $68,929 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 Memphis
Of the 17 roles we track in Memphis, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between paralegals ($56,850) and HR assistants ($48,490). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,130.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +10.7% | 3,330 | |
| Paralegal | +6.4% | 1,120 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 520 | |
| HR Assistant | -9.2% | 960 | |
| Bookkeeper | -9.4% | 6,320 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Memphis (-8.3%), between accountants (-8.0%) and recruiters (-8.9%). The typical role here is at -8.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 0.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Memphis, 1.0% across Tennessee and 1.0% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $43,340 in the West Tennessee nonmetro area to $55,960 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $12,620 a year. The one area in Tennessee with more payroll specialists, Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN ($55,960), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +4.8% | 1,460 | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 520 | |
| Knoxville, TN | -1.0% | 500 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -1.9% | 100 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -2.9% | 190 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -4.2% | 90 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -5.6% | 100 |
Memphis against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Memphis is #54 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 Tennessee, Boise City and Longview pay just above Memphis and Muskegon-Norton Shores and Flagstaff just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Memphis. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | +13.8% | 530 | jobs | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | +5.2% | 530 | jobs | |
| Longview, TX | +0.1% | 110 | pay | |
| Boise City, ID | +0.0% | 390 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 520 | ||
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | +0.0% | 40 | pay | |
| Flagstaff, AZ | -0.1% | 60 | pay | |
| Tulsa, OK | -1.3% | 520 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Memphis, TN-MS?
About $68,929 a year at the median, or $5,744 a month: $53,420 in pay plus about $15,509 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do payroll specialists earn in Memphis?
The median was $53,420 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,710, the 90th $75,460, and the middle half earned $44,980 to $61,790.
Is Memphis cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for payroll specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $53,420 against $51,780 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Nashville-Murfreesboro at $55,960, the next down Knoxville at $52,910.
How many payroll specialists work in Memphis?
BLS counts about 520 in the May 2025 survey. Only Nashville-Murfreesboro has more in Tennessee.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than an HR assistant in Memphis?
Yes: $4,930 a year more at the median. The medians are $53,420 and $48,490.
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.