Payroll Specialist salary in Reno, NV
Reno is the most expensive place in Nevada to hire a payroll specialist. The median is $59,720 a year1, 2.6% above the Nevada statewide median of $58,220 and 2.5% above the US median of $58,260. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#97 of 486). BLS counts about 320 people in this job here, 23% of the Nevada total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Reno, NV. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Reno against Nevada and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reno, NV | $38,430 | $59,720 | $80,900 | |
| Nevada | $37,850 | $58,220 | $78,410 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Reno earns $51,210–$70,710. The top tenth earns $80,900 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $19,500 wide, against $24,920 across Nevada and $21,610 nationally: employers in Reno 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 | $38,430 | $3,202 | $18.48 | $49,587 |
| 25th percentile | $51,210 | $4,268 | $24.62 | $66,077 |
| Median | $59,720 | $4,977 | $28.71 | $77,058 |
| 75th percentile | $70,710 | $5,892 | $34.00 | $91,239 |
| 90th percentile | $80,900 | $6,742 | $38.89 | $104,387 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,510 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $10,990, or about $14,181 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 Reno, and the Nevada statewide median of $58,220 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Reno
At the $59,720 median, a local hire costs about $77,058 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,338 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 Reno
Of the 17 roles we track in Reno, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($66,260) and paralegals ($55,410). Project Coordinator is the highest at $99,500.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +11.6% | 2,170 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +11.0% | 780 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 320 | |
| Paralegal | -7.2% | 770 | |
| Bookkeeper | -12.9% | 3,160 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in Reno (+2.5%), between bookkeepers (+2.6%) and medical administrative assistants (+2.3%). The typical role here is at -1.9%, so, measured against the US, payroll specialists cost more in Reno than the area's general pay level would suggest. Payroll specialists hold 1.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Reno, 1.0% across Nevada and 1.0% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Nevada
Across the 3 areas of Nevada with data for this job, the median runs from $45,020 in the Balance of Nevada nonmetro area to $59,720 in Reno, a gap of $14,700 a year. The one area in Nevada with more payroll specialists, Las Vegas-Henderson, NV ($58,570), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Reno | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reno, NV | this area | 320 | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | -1.9% | 940 | |
| Balance of Nevada (Nonmetro) | -24.6% | 80 |
Reno against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Reno is #73 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 Nevada, Providence-Warwick and Chico pay just above Reno and Wausau and Austin-Round Rock just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Reno. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Reno | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +2.7% | 320 | jobs | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +0.6% | 320 | jobs | |
| Chico, CA | +0.0% | 80 | pay | |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | +0.0% | 620 | pay | |
| Reno, NV | this area | 320 | ||
| Wausau, WI | -0.1% | 60 | pay | |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -0.2% | 960 | pay | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -16.9% | 320 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Reno, NV?
About $77,058 a year at the median, or $6,422 a month: $59,720 in pay plus about $17,338 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do payroll specialists earn in Reno?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $59,720 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,430, the 90th $80,900, and the middle half earned $51,210 to $70,710.
Is Reno the most expensive area in Nevada for payroll specialists?
Yes. Its median of $59,720 is the highest of 3 areas in Nevada. Las Vegas-Henderson comes next at $58,570.
How many payroll specialists work in Reno?
BLS counts about 320 in the May 2025 survey. That is 23% of the Nevada total of 1,390. Only Las Vegas-Henderson has more in Nevada.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a paralegal in Reno?
Yes: $4,310 a year more at the median. The medians are $59,720 and $55,410.
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.