Payroll Specialist salary in Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN
No other area in Tennessee pays payroll specialists more than Nashville-Murfreesboro: the median is $55,960 a year1. That is 8.1% above the Tennessee statewide median of $51,780, and 3.9% below the US median of $58,260. Nationally it ranks #197 of 486 areas. It is the largest market for the job in Tennessee: about 1,460 people, 40% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Nashville-Murfreesboro against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | $42,820 | $55,960 | $76,180 | |
| Tennessee | $36,270 | $51,780 | $75,160 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Nashville-Murfreesboro earns $48,690–$62,440. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $76,180, 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 $13,750 wide, against $16,050 across Tennessee and $21,610 nationally: employers in Nashville-Murfreesboro 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 | $42,820 | $3,568 | $20.59 | $55,252 |
| 25th percentile | $48,690 | $4,058 | $23.41 | $62,826 |
| Median | $55,960 | $4,663 | $26.90 | $72,206 |
| 75th percentile | $62,440 | $5,203 | $30.02 | $80,568 |
| 90th percentile | $76,180 | $6,348 | $36.62 | $98,297 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,270 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,480, or about $8,361 once benefits are added. 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 Nashville-Murfreesboro, and the Tennessee statewide median of $51,780 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Nashville-Murfreesboro
At the $55,960 median, a local hire costs about $72,206 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,246 here. 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 Nashville-Murfreesboro
Of the 17 roles we track in Nashville-Murfreesboro, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between paralegals ($60,800) and bookkeepers ($50,810). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,990.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +12.5% | 9,370 | |
| Paralegal | +8.6% | 2,660 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 1,460 | |
| Bookkeeper | -9.2% | 13,790 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -12.4% | 12,100 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Nashville-Murfreesboro (-3.9%), between executive assistants (-3.8%) and accountants (-6.7%). The typical role here is at -3.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 1.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Nashville-Murfreesboro, 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. No other area in Tennessee has as many payroll specialists, and all 13 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Nashville-Murfreesboro | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | this area | 1,460 | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -4.5% | 520 | |
| Knoxville, TN | -5.5% | 500 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -6.3% | 100 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -7.3% | 190 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -8.6% | 90 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -9.9% | 100 |
Nashville-Murfreesboro against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Nashville-Murfreesboro is #24 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, Akron and Odessa pay just above Nashville-Murfreesboro and Ogden and Sioux City just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Nashville-Murfreesboro. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Nashville-Murfreesboro | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +6.5% | 1,450 | jobs | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | +5.8% | 1,530 | jobs | |
| Cleveland, OH | +5.6% | 1,370 | jobs | |
| Odessa, TX | +0.1% | 60 | pay | |
| Akron, OH | +0.0% | 330 | pay | |
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | this area | 1,460 | ||
| Ogden, UT | +0.0% | 150 | pay | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -0.0% | 50 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN?
About $72,206 a year at the median, or $6,017 a month: $55,960 in pay plus about $16,246 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for payroll specialists in Nashville-Murfreesboro?
The median was $55,960 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $42,820, the 90th $76,180, and the middle half earned $48,690 to $62,440.
Is Nashville-Murfreesboro the most expensive area in Tennessee for payroll specialists?
Yes. Its median of $55,960 is the highest of 14 areas in Tennessee. Memphis comes next at $53,420.
How many payroll specialists work in Nashville-Murfreesboro?
BLS counts about 1,460 in the May 2025 survey. That is 40% of the Tennessee total of 3,680. No other area in Tennessee has as many.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in Nashville-Murfreesboro?
Yes: $5,150 a year more at the median. The medians are $55,960 and $50,810.
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.