Payroll Specialist salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake is a lower-cost market for payroll specialists: the median of $53,190 a year1 is 8.7% below the Virginia statewide median of $58,250, and 8.7% below the US median of $58,260. Among US areas it comes in at #272 of 486. It is the largest market for the job in Virginia: about 660 people.
BLS occupation 43-3051, area Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | $45,230 | $53,190 | $71,970 | |
| Virginia | $43,890 | $58,250 | $78,800 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
The middle half of payroll specialists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake earns $49,350–$61,790. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $71,970, only 1.6 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 $12,440 wide, against $18,760 across Virginia and $21,610 nationally: employers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake 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 | $45,230 | $3,769 | $21.75 | $58,361 |
| 25th percentile | $49,350 | $4,112 | $23.73 | $63,677 |
| Median | $53,190 | $4,432 | $25.57 | $68,632 |
| 75th percentile | $61,790 | $5,149 | $29.71 | $79,729 |
| 90th percentile | $71,970 | $5,998 | $34.60 | $92,865 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,600 over the median, the 25th only $3,840 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,097 a year in employer cost. 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, and the Virginia statewide median of $58,250 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake
At the $53,190 median, a local hire costs about $68,632 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $15,442 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake
Of the 17 roles we track in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($56,270) and bookkeepers ($48,690). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,920.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +12.4% | 1,670 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +5.8% | 5,810 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 660 | |
| Bookkeeper | -8.5% | 5,880 | |
| HR Assistant | -9.8% | 500 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake (-8.7%), between e-commerce order specialists (-8.3%) and marketing specialists (-11.7%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 1.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, 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. No other area in Virginia has as many payroll specialists, and 5 of the other 12 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Virginia Beach-Chesapeake | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lynchburg, VA | +12.7% | 50 | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | +6.8% | 50 | |
| Southwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | +3.1% | 70 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | this area | 660 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -0.2% | 30 | |
| Southside Virginia (Nonmetro) | -2.7% | 70 | |
| Roanoke, VA | -4.0% | 140 |
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake is #42 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 Virginia, Cedar Rapids and Killeen-Temple pay just above Virginia Beach-Chesapeake and Bloomington and Athens-Clarke County just below. All four are within $270 a year of the median in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Virginia Beach-Chesapeake | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | +13.8% | 690 | jobs | |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | +12.3% | 620 | jobs | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | +4.6% | 630 | jobs | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | +0.2% | 190 | pay | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +0.1% | 110 | pay | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | this area | 660 | ||
| Bloomington, IN | -0.3% | 80 | pay | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | -0.5% | 80 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC?
About $68,632 a year at the median, or $5,719 a month: $53,190 in pay plus about $15,442 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do payroll specialists earn in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
The median was $53,190 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,230, the 90th $71,970, and the middle half earned $49,350 to $61,790.
Is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake cheaper than the rest of Virginia for payroll specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $53,190 against $58,250 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is the Southwest Virginia nonmetro area at $54,820, the next down Winchester at $53,080.
How many payroll specialists work in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
BLS counts about 660 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Virginia has as many.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
Yes: $4,500 a year more at the median. The medians are $53,190 and $48,690.
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.