Payroll Manager Salary Guide 0
Looking for a new career path? Perhaps becoming the top-dog in the payroll department is an option. This article will give you information about becoming a payroll manager as well as offer information on average salaries.
Common Qualifications
As is always the case, there is not set of completely rigid qualifications that you absolutely have to have in order to get this type of job. However, there are some things that most employers are looking for. It’s also important to note that at the end of the day it is often who you know and not what you know that gets you a management job.
Most companies want someone who has received their degree in accounting. They will often settle for someone with some form of a business major, but accounting is preferred because of its applicability. You can still sometimes find jobs in this area with an Associates degree, but more often than not companies are looking for someone with a Bachelors.
Companies want someone who has had experience in the payroll department. Remember this is a managerial job and usually to qualify for a management position you need to have some experience in the area; otherwise it can be difficult to manage. You will probably need close to five years of experience as a payroll coordinator before you’ll be considered for management.
You’ll probably need experience working with ADP (this company is the giant in the payroll industry). Some companies will want you to have experience working with Kronos time management software. In addition you’ll probably want to be pretty handy with computers, especially Microsoft Excel. You should know how to whip up pivot tables and make reports that are easy for management to understand.
Now that we’ve talked about some of the tangible skills necessary, we should probably talk about some of the intangibles. Everybody wants to be a manager because of the payroll manager salary, but you’ll need to develop certain skills to be considered for this job by your employers. For example, you’ll need to ensure that all of the payroll clerks are performing their day-to-day tasks. You’ll also have to listen to problems and come up with solutions for them. When you are just an entry-level payroll employee and you find a problem, you simply report it to the manager and hope he or she will fix it. Well, now you are the manager and you’re the one that has to fix the problem.
Salary Expectations
The type of payroll salary you receive will depend on several factors including (1) years of experience, (2) degree obtained, and (3) location. The average payroll manager salary in the United States is around $64,000 (according to indeed.com). However, those averages can vary dramatically. In places where cost of living is much lower, the average salary may be closer to $40,000 whereas in places like California and New York the averages may be closer to $90,000. Cost of living is a big determinant in payroll manager salaries.
Becoming a payroll manager can be a rewarding experience. It is a demanding job that requires you to have career-specific attributes as well as a high social intellect to manage others. In addition, as a manager you become a problem solver instead of a problem identifier. You’ll have to be the one that decides whether or not $60k a year is worth the task.