Payroll Specialist salary in Richmond, VA
Budget above the national rate here. The median payroll specialist in Richmond earned $60,010 a year in May 20251, 3.0% above the Virginia statewide median of $58,250 and 3.0% above the US median of $58,260. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#85 of 486). About 630 payroll specialists work here, 19% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Richmond, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Richmond against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | $41,180 | $60,010 | $77,520 | |
| Virginia | $43,890 | $58,250 | $78,800 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
Payroll specialists at the 90th percentile earn $77,520, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of payroll specialists in Richmond earns $47,510–$66,620. The mean ($58,960) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $19,110 wide, between the figure for Virginia ($18,760) 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 | $41,180 | $3,432 | $19.80 | $53,135 |
| 25th percentile | $47,510 | $3,959 | $22.84 | $61,303 |
| Median | $60,010 | $5,001 | $28.85 | $77,432 |
| 75th percentile | $66,620 | $5,552 | $32.03 | $85,961 |
| 90th percentile | $77,520 | $6,460 | $37.27 | $100,026 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $6,610 over it, while the 25th sits $12,500 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $8,529 more a year with benefits. 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 Richmond, and the Virginia statewide median of $58,250 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Richmond
At the $60,010 median, a local hire costs about $77,432 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,422 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 Richmond
Of the 17 roles we track in Richmond, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($61,510) and HR assistants ($52,730). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,170.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +4.9% | 1,930 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +2.5% | 5,710 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 630 | |
| HR Assistant | -12.1% | 470 | |
| Bookkeeper | -14.3% | 4,890 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Richmond (+3.0%), between marketing specialists (+3.7%) and bookkeepers (+1.4%). The typical role here is at +0.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 0.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Richmond, 0.8% across Virginia and 1.0% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $46,770 in Blacksburg-Christiansburg to $60,600 in Staunton-Stuarts Draft, a gap of $13,830 a year. The one area in Virginia with more payroll specialists, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($53,190), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Richmond | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | +1.0% | 40 | |
| Charlottesville, VA | +0.6% | 80 | |
| Richmond, VA | this area | 630 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | -0.0% | 40 | |
| Lynchburg, VA | -0.1% | 50 | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | -5.3% | 50 | |
| Southwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | -8.6% | 70 |
Richmond against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Richmond is #44 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 Virginia, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles and Worcester pay just above Richmond and Bend and Kenosha just below. All four are within $220 a year of the median in Richmond. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Richmond | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | +0.1% | 260 | pay | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +0.0% | 150 | pay | |
| Richmond, VA | this area | 630 | ||
| Bend, OR | -0.1% | 160 | pay | |
| Kenosha, WI | -0.4% | 80 | pay | |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | -0.5% | 620 | jobs | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | -7.3% | 630 | jobs | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | -9.0% | 600 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Richmond, VA?
About $77,432 a year at the median, or $6,453 a month: $60,010 in pay plus about $17,422 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for payroll specialists in Richmond?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $60,010 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $41,180, the 90th $77,520, and the middle half earned $47,510 to $66,620.
Is Richmond cheaper than the rest of Virginia for payroll specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $60,010 against $58,250 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Charlottesville at $60,380, the next down the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area at $59,980.
How many payroll specialists work in Richmond?
BLS counts about 630 in the May 2025 survey. That is 19% of the Virginia total of 3,400. Only Virginia Beach-Chesapeake has more in Virginia.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than an HR assistant in Richmond?
Yes: $7,280 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,010 and $52,730.
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.