Payroll Specialist salary in Tucson, AZ
Hiring a payroll specialist costs less in Tucson than in Arizona or the country as a whole. The median is $49,090 a year1: 2.2% below the Arizona statewide median of $50,210 and 15.7% below the US median of $58,260. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#377 of 486). BLS counts about 330 people in this job here, 9% of the Arizona total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Tucson, AZ. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Tucson against Arizona and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson, AZ | $36,510 | $49,090 | $70,820 | |
| Arizona | $33,870 | $50,210 | $69,980 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Tucson earns $40,810–$58,890. The top tenth earns $70,820 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $18,080 wide, between the figure for Arizona ($17,300) 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 | $36,510 | $3,042 | $17.55 | $47,110 |
| 25th percentile | $40,810 | $3,401 | $19.62 | $52,658 |
| Median | $49,090 | $4,091 | $23.60 | $63,342 |
| 75th percentile | $58,890 | $4,908 | $28.31 | $75,987 |
| 90th percentile | $70,820 | $5,902 | $34.05 | $91,381 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,800 a year in pay and about $12,645 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,280 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 Tucson, and the Arizona statewide median of $50,210 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Tucson
At the $49,090 median, a local hire costs about $63,342 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,252 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 Tucson
Of the 17 roles we track in Tucson, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between paralegals ($52,430) and bookkeepers ($47,150). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,500.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +21.1% | 3,500 | |
| Paralegal | +6.8% | 980 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 330 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.0% | 2,640 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -5.6% | 80 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Tucson (-15.7%), between office managers (-14.5%) and recruiters (-15.8%). The typical role here is at -10.1%, so, measured against the US, payroll specialists cost less in Tucson than the area's general pay level would suggest. Payroll specialists hold 0.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Tucson, 1.0% across Arizona and 1.0% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Arizona
Across the 8 areas of Arizona with data for this job, the median runs from $37,810 in Yuma to $53,390 in Flagstaff, a gap of $15,580 a year. The one area in Arizona with more payroll specialists, Phoenix-Mesa, AZ ($50,350), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Tucson | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | +8.8% | 60 | |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | +2.6% | 2,650 | |
| Tucson, AZ | this area | 330 | |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | -3.8% | 40 | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -7.1% | 50 | |
| Arizona (Nonmetro) | -12.0% | 100 | |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | -14.9% | 70 |
Tucson against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tucson is #69 of 482 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Arizona, Houma-Bayou Cane and Ocala pay just above Tucson and Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and Wildwood-The Villages just below. All four are within $220 a year of the median in Tucson. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tucson | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +24.7% | 340 | jobs | |
| Akron, OH | +14.0% | 330 | jobs | |
| Ocala, FL | +0.3% | 80 | pay | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | +0.0% | 90 | pay | |
| Tucson, AZ | this area | 330 | ||
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | -0.1% | 180 | pay | |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | -0.4% | 40 | pay | |
| Birmingham, AL | -1.4% | 340 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Tucson, AZ?
About $63,342 a year at the median, or $5,278 a month: $49,090 in pay plus about $14,252 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do payroll specialists earn in Tucson?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $49,090 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,510, the 90th $70,820, and the middle half earned $40,810 to $58,890.
Is Tucson cheaper than the rest of Arizona for payroll specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $49,090 against $50,210 statewide. The next area up in Arizona is Phoenix-Mesa at $50,350, the next down Sierra Vista-Douglas at $47,210.
How many payroll specialists work in Tucson?
BLS counts about 330 in the May 2025 survey. That is 9% of the Arizona total of 3,540. Only Phoenix-Mesa has more in Arizona.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in Tucson?
Yes: $1,940 a year more at the median. The medians are $49,090 and $47,150.
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.