Payroll Specialist salary in Rochester, NY
Rochester is a lower-cost market for payroll specialists: the median of $57,440 a year1 is 5.9% below the New York statewide median of $61,040, and 1.4% below the US median of $58,260. Among US areas it comes in at #155 of 486. BLS counts about 590 people in this job here, 7% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Rochester, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Rochester against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | $44,350 | $57,440 | $76,470 | |
| New York | $45,140 | $61,040 | $86,470 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Rochester earns $50,220–$65,880. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $76,470, 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 only $15,660 wide, against $22,520 across New York and $21,610 nationally: employers in Rochester 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 | $44,350 | $3,696 | $21.32 | $57,226 |
| 25th percentile | $50,220 | $4,185 | $24.14 | $64,800 |
| Median | $57,440 | $4,787 | $27.62 | $74,116 |
| 75th percentile | $65,880 | $5,490 | $31.67 | $85,006 |
| 90th percentile | $76,470 | $6,372 | $36.76 | $98,671 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,440 a year in pay and about $10,890 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,220 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 Rochester, and the New York statewide median of $61,040 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Rochester
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 $16,676 to the $57,440 median and brings it to $74,116 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 Rochester
Of the 17 roles we track in Rochester, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($67,400) and paralegals ($57,250). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,520.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +20.9% | 4,220 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +17.3% | 3,510 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 590 | |
| Paralegal | -0.3% | 1,300 | |
| Bookkeeper | -11.4% | 4,380 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Rochester (-1.4%), between office managers (-0.1%) and administrative assistants (-1.6%). The typical role here is at -2.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 1.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Rochester, 0.8% across New York and 1.0% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in New York
Across the 15 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $49,940 in Utica-Rome to $63,500 in New York-Newark, a gap of $13,560 a year. Of the 2 areas in New York with more payroll specialists than Rochester, 1 pays less: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ($55,650).
| Area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark, NY-NJ | +10.6% | 7,770 | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +2.9% | 250 | |
| Rochester, NY | this area | 590 | |
| Southwest New York (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 160 | |
| Glens Falls, NY | -1.8% | 60 | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | -1.9% | 570 | |
| Capital/Northern New York (Nonmetro) | -2.1% | 140 |
Rochester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Rochester is #49 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 New York, Miami-Fort Lauderdale and Provo-Orem pay just above Rochester and Billings and Waterloo-Cedar Falls just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Rochester. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +8.6% | 590 | jobs | |
| Provo-Orem, UT | +0.1% | 370 | pay | |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL | +0.0% | 2,750 | pay | |
| Rochester, NY | this area | 590 | ||
| Billings, MT | -0.2% | 100 | pay | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | -0.2% | 40 | pay | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | -4.9% | 600 | jobs | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | -5.8% | 590 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Rochester, NY?
About $74,116 a year at the median, or $6,176 a month: $57,440 in pay plus about $16,676 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do payroll specialists earn in Rochester?
The median was $57,440 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $44,350, the 90th $76,470, and the middle half earned $50,220 to $65,880.
Is Rochester cheaper than the rest of New York for payroll specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $57,440 against $61,040 statewide. The next area up in New York is Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie at $59,110, the next down the Southwest New York nonmetro area at $56,890.
How many payroll specialists work in Rochester?
BLS counts about 590 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the New York total of 8,400. Only New York-Newark and Buffalo-Cheektowaga have more in New York.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a paralegal in Rochester?
Yes: $190 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,440 and $57,250.
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.