At Bank of America, we are guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better through the power of every connection. We do this by driving Responsible Growth and delivering for our clients, teammates, communi…
Finance & Accounting · Washington, DC
Payroll Specialist jobs in Washington, DC
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.
623
Open roles today
$27–$54/hr
Typical pay range
$79k
Median, full-time
2
Fresh in this list
No email, no resume, no sign-up. Save any listing below and you start anonymously.
You're signed in. Saving a listing drops it straight into your pipeline.
01
Open payroll specialist roles
6 shown of 623 · sorted by freshness
$55k - $65k
500 ~ Globally unified systems Job Description Job Description Entry Level 0-2 years of experience Maintain all payroll data, ensuring the highest level of accuracy and confidentiality Verify accuracy of timesheets and c…
We are looking for an experienced payroll specialist to be responsible for all payroll-related tasks. In this role, your responsibilities will include collecting and reviewing employee information and working hours, calc…
At Bank of America, we are guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better through the power of every connection. We do this by driving Responsible Growth and delivering for our clients, teammates, communi…
$59.59k - $74.63k
United Food and Commercial Workers U.S. Payroll Staff Accountant Based in Washington DC near Metro (on-site) Organization: United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) is North America’s neighborhood uni…
$80k - $120k
Job Title: Senior Payroll Specialist Location (city, state): Fully on-site in Bellevue, WA Compensation: $80-120K Benefits: This position is eligible for medical, dental, vision, and 401(k). Qualifications: Minimum 7 yea…
02
What payroll specialists earn in Washington
Hourly first — that's how the offer arrives
| Experience | Hourly | Annual, full-time |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $27–$35 | $56k–$72k |
| Mid level | $33–$43 | $69k–$90k |
| Senior | $42–$54 | $88k–$112k |
Adjusted for the Washington 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
Ten quiet minutes a day
Applying for payroll specialist jobs in Washington?
Robbi carries this page into your first day: your role, your city, your shift preference. Then it hands you a few small things each morning and keeps the pipeline honest.
Save what looks right here, then let Robbi hand you a few small things each morning and keep the follow-ups honest.
Start with this search
No email, no resume, no sign-up.
Open your tracker
Everything you saved is already there.