BLS OEWS May 2025
Payroll Administrator salary, Cedar Rapids, IA
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For a Payroll Administrator pay comparison in Cedar Rapids, IA, BLS reports a median annual wage of $53,260 for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks (SOC 43-3051, May 2025). This is the mapped occupation's benchmark, not a separate title-specific survey. That is $5,000 (8.6%) below the U.S. median of $58,260.
Broader occupation
BLS reports Payroll Administrator within a broader occupation. It does not publish separate wages for this exact title, credentials, seniority or industry. Compare the listed SOC duties with your actual role before using this range.
| Percentile | Wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,240 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th | $41,690 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $53,260 | Half earned less and half earned more. |
| 75th | $60,230 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th | $67,530 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $54,570 | Average wage across all workers. |
| Percentile | Wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $39,500 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th | $47,990 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $58,260 | Half earned less and half earned more. |
| 75th | $69,600 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th | $81,350 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $59,630 | Average wage across all workers. |
What BLS wages include and exclude
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
- Employment, area
- 110
- Location quotient
- 0.81
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, released 2026-05-15. SOC 43-3051 Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks, Cedar Rapids, IA, IA. BLS source tables and downloads; release notes. Select this SOC and area in the source files; the tables index is not an exact-row link.
What changed since May 2024
| Reference period | Median |
|---|---|
| BLS OEWS May 2024 | Not published by BLS |
| BLS OEWS May 2025 | $53,260 |
An exact difference cannot be calculated when either value is suppressed or top-coded. Area definitions can change between releases.
What belongs in the pay comparison
OEWS includes straight-time gross wages, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and employer-paid benefits. It is neither pure base salary nor total compensation. If this person covers a payroll deadline, an overdue billing queue or a late close, the overtime bill is separate. A shift differential is also excluded. Compare the regular wage first, then explain the extra hours and any incentive in the offer rather than hide them inside one annual amount.
Pay up and down the role ladder
BLS uses a different occupation for these related jobs. A higher percentile is not a promotion level. Compare the duties and the SOC before comparing the wages.
- Payroll Supervisor: SOC 43-1011 First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
- Payroll Manager: SOC 43-1011 First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
- Director of Payroll: SOC 43-1011 First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
Recruiter's read
Qualitative view from our desk. Not BLS data.
For Payroll Administrator, discuss the work behind these requirements: Owns the full cycle for one employer; benefit and 401(k) deductions and remittances; quarter-end and year-end (941, W-2); FPC or CPP. Ask what the person completed themselves and what a manager or specialist reviewed. A system name on a resume does not establish depth in that workflow. The BLS figure describes the listed occupation, not a separately measured rate for this exact opening.
Common questions
Which median is used when comparing pay for Payroll Administrator?
$53,260 is the annual median for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks (SOC 43-3051) in Cedar Rapids, IA, IA, based on BLS May 2025. It is an occupation benchmark, not a separate compensation survey for this hiring title.
What does the middle half of workers earn?
The 25th percentile is $41,690 and the 75th percentile is $60,230 in Cedar Rapids, IA, IA. That is where the middle half of workers in this occupation fall.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimates 110 workers in Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in Cedar Rapids, IA, IA.
What does the upper percentile show?
The 90th percentile for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks is $67,530. 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned more.
Does BLS publish this exact title?
BLS reports Payroll Administrator within a broader occupation. It does not publish separate wages for this exact title, credentials, seniority or industry. Compare the listed SOC duties with your actual role before using this range.
Related areas and roles
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Payroll Administrator in Cedar Rapids, IA, from BLS data.
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BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. These are published occupation estimates, not a quote for an exact niche title. Tool calculations use BLS values or your inputs, not predictions.