Payroll Specialist salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC
Raleigh-Cary pays payroll specialists more than North Carolina as a whole but less than the country. The median is $54,100 a year1: 1.0% above the North Carolina statewide median of $53,550 and 7.1% below the US median of $58,260. Among US areas it comes in at #240 of 486. About 590 payroll specialists work here, 16% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Raleigh-Cary, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Raleigh-Cary against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $33,730 | $54,100 | $79,880 | |
| North Carolina | $36,620 | $53,550 | $74,480 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $79,880 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of payroll specialists in Raleigh-Cary earns $43,970–$65,190. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $21,220 wide, between the figure for North Carolina ($16,970) 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 | $33,730 | $2,811 | $16.22 | $43,523 |
| 25th percentile | $43,970 | $3,664 | $21.14 | $56,735 |
| Median | $54,100 | $4,508 | $26.01 | $69,806 |
| 75th percentile | $65,190 | $5,432 | $31.34 | $84,116 |
| 90th percentile | $79,880 | $6,657 | $38.40 | $103,071 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $11,090 a year in pay and about $14,310 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $10,130 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 Raleigh-Cary, and the North Carolina statewide median of $53,550 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Raleigh-Cary
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 $15,706 to the $54,100 median and brings it to $69,806 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 Raleigh-Cary
Of the 17 roles we track in Raleigh-Cary, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between paralegals ($61,880) and bookkeepers ($50,200). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,280.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +19.3% | 5,170 | |
| Paralegal | +14.4% | 2,540 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 590 | |
| Bookkeeper | -7.2% | 7,550 | |
| HR Assistant | -10.1% | 370 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in Raleigh-Cary (-7.1%); data entry specialists come first (+10.4%). The typical role here is at -2.0%, so, measured against the US, payroll specialists cost less in Raleigh-Cary than the area's general pay level would suggest. Payroll specialists hold 0.7% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Raleigh-Cary, 0.7% across North Carolina and 1.0% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 16 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $45,700 in Jacksonville to $57,650 in Charlotte-Concord, a gap of $11,950 a year. The one area in North Carolina with more payroll specialists, Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($57,650), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Raleigh-Cary | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | +1.6% | 240 | |
| Asheville, NC | +0.4% | 120 | |
| Greenville, NC | +0.1% | 40 | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | this area | 590 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | -3.6% | 140 | |
| Wilmington, NC | -4.8% | 130 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | -6.1% | 90 |
Raleigh-Cary against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Raleigh-Cary is #48 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 North Carolina, Macon-Bibb County and Spartanburg pay just above Raleigh-Cary and Houston-Pasadena and Brunswick-St. Simons just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Raleigh-Cary. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Raleigh-Cary | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +15.3% | 590 | jobs | |
| Rochester, NY | +6.2% | 590 | jobs | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | +0.9% | 600 | jobs | |
| Spartanburg, SC | +0.1% | 110 | pay | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | +0.0% | 100 | pay | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | this area | 590 | ||
| Houston-Pasadena, TX | -0.0% | 3,260 | pay | |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | -0.1% | 50 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
About $69,806 a year at the median, or $5,817 a month: $54,100 in pay plus about $15,706 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for payroll specialists in Raleigh-Cary?
The median was $54,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,730, the 90th $79,880, and the middle half earned $43,970 to $65,190.
Is Raleigh-Cary cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for payroll specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $54,100 against $53,550 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Greenville at $54,170, the next down Fayetteville at $52,170.
How many payroll specialists work in Raleigh-Cary?
BLS counts about 590 in the May 2025 survey. That is 16% of the North Carolina total of 3,630. Only Charlotte-Concord has more in North Carolina.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in Raleigh-Cary?
Yes: $3,900 a year more at the median. The medians are $54,100 and $50,200.
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.