Payroll Specialist salary in Omaha, NE-IA
For this job Omaha sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $56,870 a year1. That is 3.6% above the Nebraska statewide median of $54,900, and 2.4% below the US median of $58,260. Among US areas it comes in at #170 of 486. With about 460 payroll specialists, no area in Nebraska employs more.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Omaha, NE-IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Omaha against Nebraska and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | $45,640 | $56,870 | $78,230 | |
| Nebraska | $43,320 | $54,900 | $74,360 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Omaha earns $48,940–$64,300. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $78,230, only 1.7 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 $15,360 wide, between the figure for Nebraska ($15,290) 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 | $45,640 | $3,803 | $21.94 | $58,890 |
| 25th percentile | $48,940 | $4,078 | $23.53 | $63,148 |
| Median | $56,870 | $4,739 | $27.34 | $73,381 |
| 75th percentile | $64,300 | $5,358 | $30.91 | $82,968 |
| 90th percentile | $78,230 | $6,519 | $37.61 | $100,942 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,930 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,430, or about $9,587 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 Omaha, and the Nebraska statewide median of $54,900 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Omaha
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 $16,511 to the $56,870 median and brings it to $73,381 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 Omaha
Of the 17 roles we track in Omaha, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($60,130) and bookkeepers ($49,230). Project Coordinator is the highest at $82,460.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +8.7% | 4,330 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +5.7% | 3,430 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 460 | |
| Bookkeeper | -13.4% | 4,110 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -16.0% | 7,090 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Omaha (-2.4%), between e-commerce order specialists (-2.2%) and bookkeepers (-2.8%). The typical role here is at -2.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 0.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Omaha, 0.9% across Nebraska and 1.0% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Nebraska
Across the 6 areas of Nebraska with data for this job, the median runs from $49,660 in the South Nebraska nonmetro area to $60,280 in Lincoln, a gap of $10,620 a year. No other area in Nebraska has as many payroll specialists, and 3 of the other 5 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Omaha | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | +6.0% | 140 | |
| Grand Island, NE | +4.8% | 40 | |
| Omaha, NE-IA | this area | 460 | |
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 80 | |
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -7.0% | 30 | |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -12.7% | 130 |
Omaha against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Omaha is #60 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 Nebraska, Davenport-Moline and Ames pay just above Omaha and Harrisonburg and Decatur just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Omaha. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Omaha | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA | +0.1% | 30 | pay | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +0.1% | 160 | pay | |
| Omaha, NE-IA | this area | 460 | ||
| Harrisonburg, VA | -0.1% | 50 | pay | |
| Decatur, IL | -0.2% | 40 | pay | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | -0.4% | 500 | jobs | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | -5.8% | 480 | jobs | |
| El Paso, TX | -14.5% | 490 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Omaha, NE-IA?
About $73,381 a year at the median, or $6,115 a month: $56,870 in pay plus about $16,511 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do payroll specialists earn in Omaha?
The median was $56,870 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,640, the 90th $78,230, and the middle half earned $48,940 to $64,300.
Is Omaha cheaper than the rest of Nebraska for payroll specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $56,870 against $54,900 statewide. The next area up in Nebraska is Grand Island at $59,620, the next down the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area at $55,950.
How many payroll specialists work in Omaha?
BLS counts about 460 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Nebraska has as many.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in Omaha?
Yes: $7,640 a year more at the median. The medians are $56,870 and $49,230.
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.