Payroll Specialist salary and cost of hiring in Texas
The median payroll specialist in Texas earned $54,090 a year in May 2025[1], 7.2% below the US median of $58,260. That puts Texas at #32 of 51 states for this job.
BLS occupation 43-3051. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.
Salary range
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $36,040 | $54,090 | $75,850 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Texas earns $45,220–$63,940; the top tenth earns $75,850 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth.
What a hire really costs
Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the Texas median that makes about $77,271 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Pay by metro area in Texas
| Area | Median | 75th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $69,720 | 3,800 | |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $72,260 | 960 | |
| Midland, TX | $72,460 | 100 | |
| Waco, TX | $63,610 | 100 | |
| Odessa, TX | $65,370 | 60 | |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $64,050 | 3,260 | |
| Longview, TX | $59,230 | 110 | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $59,950 | 190 | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $61,490 | 980 | |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $63,050 | 30 | |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $61,000 | 160 | |
| Abilene, TX | $58,210 | 70 | |
| Amarillo, TX | $58,540 | 100 | |
| Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $59,760 | 120 | |
| El Paso, TX | $57,160 | 490 | |
| North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $57,510 | 190 | |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $56,680 | 50 | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $57,030 | 90 | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $57,460 | 170 | |
| Tyler, TX | $56,920 | 80 | |
| Lubbock, TX | $57,200 | 150 | |
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $55,420 | 170 | |
| Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $52,920 | 140 | |
| San Angelo, TX | $56,430 | 40 | |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $65,380 | 40 | |
| Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $51,630 | 50 | |
| Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $52,620 | 110 | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $48,390 | 140 | |
| Laredo, TX | $50,640 | 100 | |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $50,000 | 280 |
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX pays the most ($60,230) and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX the least ($40,810): $19,420 a year apart for the same job.
What a payroll specialist does
A payroll specialist prepares payroll runs, checks hours and deductions, keeps employee pay records and answers staff questions about their pay.
Neighbours in the ranking
| State | Median | vs Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Montana | +1.8% | |
| Nebraska | +1.5% | |
| Texas | +0.0% | |
| Iowa | -0.0% | |
| Missouri | -0.0% |
Questions
How much does a payroll specialist earn in Texas?
The median was $54,090 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $45,220 to $63,940.
What does it cost to employ a payroll specialist in Texas?
About $77,271 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).
Where in Texas do payroll specialists earn the most?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, with a median of $60,230 a year.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3051: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes433051.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.