Finance & Accounting · Boston, MA

Payroll Specialist jobs in Boston, MA

Payroll specialists make sure people are paid correctly and on time. They process pay runs, handle deductions, and keep payroll compliant with federal, state, and local requirements.

204
Open roles today
$28–$55/hr
Typical pay range
$81k
Median, full-time
10
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01

Open payroll specialist roles

12 shown of 204 · sorted by freshness

Department Specialist III

Element Care · Lynn, MA
$24.52 - $34.13 per hour

Great Life work Balance position with excellent benefits! The UM Support Specialist is a well-organized, team player who supports the SCO UM Department by creating and reviewing service authorizations for enrolled member…

Posted yesterday
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Principal Scientist, Bioanalytical Specialist

Scholar Rock · Cambridge, MA
$175k - $225k

highly collaborative leader in clinical bioanalysis to join the Bioanalytical Sciences team as Principal Scientist, Bioanalytical Specialist to provide scientific and operational leadership across our clinical stage prog…

Posted 2d ago
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Community Relations Specialist

Eversource Energy · Waltham, MA
$97.99k - $108.88k

Eversource will not offer immigration-related sponsorship for this position (e.g., H-1B, O-1, J-1, TN, E-3, etc.). Applicants requiring visa sponsorship to start employment with Eversource will not be considered.Role and…

Posted 2d ago
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Sr. HRIS Payroll Analyst

Natixis Investment Managers · Boston, MA · Full-time

: The Analyst is responsible for maintaining financial control and processing payroll for approximately 400 employees using UltiPro (UKG). This person is also responsible for mastering the functions and processes of this…

Posted 3d ago
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Senior Grant Administrator

Massachusetts Eye and Ear · Boston, MA

Site: The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals, including doctors, nurses, business people, tech experts, researchers, and systems analysts to advance our mission…

Posted 3d ago
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Specification Specialist II

HDR · Boston, MA

learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world. In the role of Specification Specialist II, we'll count on you to: Prepare design development and contract documents s…

Posted 4d ago
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2027 Audit Staff

Baker Newman Noyes LLC · Boston, MA
$62.52k - $93.83k

About Us Baker Newman Noyes (BNN) is a top 100 tax, assurance, and advisory firm in the U.S. and holds a Best of Accounting™ recognition for superior client service. BNN was founded to create opportunity for our employee…

Posted 3w ago
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02

What payroll specialists earn in Boston

Hourly first — that's how the offer arrives

ExperienceHourlyAnnual, full-time
Entry level $28–$36 $58k–$74k
Mid level $34–$44 $70k–$92k
Senior $43–$55 $90k–$115k

Adjusted for the Boston market from national ranges.

03

What employers ask for

The skills these listings keep naming

Payroll processingADP, Paychex, or WorkdayMulti-state payroll taxWage and hour complianceGarnishments and deductionsBenefits administration basicsExcelDiscretion and confidentialityAccuracy under deadlines
04

Interview questions worth rehearsing

With the thing the interviewer is actually listening for

Walk me through a full payroll cycle you have run.

Cover collecting time data, validating changes, processing, review, and post-run reporting. Emphasize your checks before anything is finalized.

How do you handle a payroll error after employees have been paid?

Show urgency and correctness: quantify the error, follow the legal rules for corrections, communicate honestly with those affected, and fix the root cause.

What experience do you have with multi-state payroll?

Name the states and the wrinkles you managed, such as local taxes, differing overtime rules, or remote-worker registrations.

How do you process garnishments and other involuntary deductions?

Show you know the order of priority, response deadlines, and the documentation trail, and that you treat these with strict confidentiality.

Which payroll systems have you used, and have you been through a conversion?

Name the platforms and your depth in each. Conversion or implementation experience is a strong differentiator worth detailing.

How do you keep payroll data confidential?

Mention access controls, clean-desk habits, and declining to discuss compensation outside proper channels, even under social pressure.

05

Resume tips that move the needle

For payroll specialists specifically — generic advice costs you here

01

State the payroll size you ran: employee count, pay frequencies, and number of states or entities.

02

Quantify accuracy, such as error rates or consecutive on-time pay runs, since that is the core promise of the role.

03

Name your platforms exactly — ADP Workforce Now, Paychex Flex, Workday, Gusto — as job posts filter on them.

04

Include compliance wins, like clean payroll tax filings, resolved agency notices, or year-end W-2 cycles delivered without corrections.

05

List certifications such as FPC or CPP; they carry real weight in payroll hiring.

06

Where this role goes

Typical progression

01 Payroll Clerk
02 Payroll Specialist
03 Senior Payroll Specialist
04 Payroll Manager
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