Payroll Specialist salary in Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA
Payroll specialists earn more in Portland-Vancouver than anywhere else in Oregon. Expect a median of $64,170 a year1, 5.2% above the Oregon statewide median of $60,980 and 10.1% above the US median of $58,260. Nationally that is #24 of 486 areas, in the top tenth. It is the largest market for the job in Oregon: about 1,850 people.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Portland-Vancouver against Oregon and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | $45,670 | $64,170 | $82,610 | |
| Oregon | $42,430 | $60,980 | $82,080 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Portland-Vancouver earns $53,820–$73,060. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $82,610, 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 $19,240 wide, against $21,080 across Oregon and $21,610 nationally: employers in Portland-Vancouver 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 | $45,670 | $3,806 | $21.96 | $58,929 |
| 25th percentile | $53,820 | $4,485 | $25.88 | $69,445 |
| Median | $64,170 | $5,348 | $30.85 | $82,800 |
| 75th percentile | $73,060 | $6,088 | $35.12 | $94,271 |
| 90th percentile | $82,610 | $6,884 | $39.72 | $106,594 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,350 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,890, or about $11,471 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 25th percentile and the median in Portland-Vancouver, and the Oregon statewide median of $60,980 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Portland-Vancouver
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 $18,630 to the $64,170 median and brings it to $82,800 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 Portland-Vancouver
Of the 17 roles we track in Portland-Vancouver, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($74,900) and bookkeepers ($57,040). Project Coordinator is the highest at $108,340.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +17.5% | 3,510 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +16.7% | 7,530 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 1,850 | |
| Bookkeeper | -11.1% | 12,170 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -13.7% | 13,510 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Portland-Vancouver (+10.1%), between accountants (+10.2%) and office managers (+9.9%). The typical role here is at +9.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 1.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Portland-Vancouver, 1.5% across Oregon and 1.0% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Oregon
Across the 11 areas of Oregon with data for this job, the median runs from $53,530 in Medford to $64,170 in Portland-Vancouver, a gap of $10,640 a year. No other area in Oregon has as many payroll specialists, and all 10 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Portland-Vancouver | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | this area | 1,850 | |
| Salem, OR | -4.0% | 290 | |
| Corvallis, OR | -5.9% | 30 | |
| Bend, OR | -6.6% | 160 | |
| Grants Pass, OR | -9.2% | 40 | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | -10.8% | 220 | |
| Central Oregon (Nonmetro) | -11.6% | 80 |
Portland-Vancouver against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Portland-Vancouver is #17 of 482 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Oregon, Fairbanks-College and Longview-Kelso pay just above Portland-Vancouver and Yakima and Bridgeport-Stamford just below. All four are within $270 a year of the median in Portland-Vancouver. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Portland-Vancouver | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +3.8% | 1,980 | jobs | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | +0.4% | 60 | pay | |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | +0.1% | 50 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | this area | 1,850 | ||
| Yakima, WA | -0.2% | 110 | pay | |
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | -0.3% | 310 | pay | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | -0.6% | 1,840 | jobs | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | -1.7% | 1,920 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA?
About $82,800 a year at the median, or $6,900 a month: $64,170 in pay plus about $18,630 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for payroll specialists in Portland-Vancouver?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $64,170 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,670, the 90th $82,610, and the middle half earned $53,820 to $73,060.
Is Portland-Vancouver the most expensive area in Oregon for payroll specialists?
Yes. Its median of $64,170 is the highest of 11 areas in Oregon. Salem comes next at $61,590.
How many payroll specialists work in Portland-Vancouver?
BLS counts about 1,850 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Oregon has as many.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in Portland-Vancouver?
Yes: $7,130 a year more at the median. The medians are $64,170 and $57,040.
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.