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Payroll Specialist salary and cost of hiring in Minnesota

The median payroll specialist in Minnesota earned $61,320 a year in May 2025[1], 5.3% above the US median of $58,260. That puts Minnesota at #11 of 51 states for this job.

$5,110median pay per month in Minnesota
$7,300employer cost per month with benefits
$29.48median pay per hour
2,790people in this job in Minnesota

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

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Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
Minnesota$49,270$61,320$79,370
United States$39,500$58,260$81,350
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of payroll specialists in Minnesota earns $53,450–$71,190; the top tenth earns $79,370 or more, 1.6 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 Minnesota median that makes about $87,600 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].

$87,600local 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 Minnesota

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
Rochester, MN
$63,550
$64,85080
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$63,060
$73,7201,920
St. Cloud, MN
$58,960
$65,220100
Mankato, MN
$58,860
$63,41060
Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area
$58,410
$63,360100
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area
$58,410
$66,140110
Duluth, MN-WI
$57,760
$61,830110
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area
$57,530
$64,590160
Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area
$55,910
$64,16040

Rochester, MN pays the most ($63,550) and Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area the least ($55,910): $7,640 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 Minnesota
Hawaii
$62,070
+1.2%
Illinois
$61,390
+0.1%
Minnesota
$61,320
+0.0%
New York
$61,040
-0.5%
Oregon
$60,980
-0.6%

Questions

How much does a payroll specialist earn in Minnesota?

The median was $61,320 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $53,450 to $71,190.

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

About $87,600 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in Minnesota do payroll specialists earn the most?

Rochester, MN, with a median of $63,550 a year.

Other roles in Minnesota

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.