September 27, 2025
Discover the essential requirements, duties, responsibilities, and skills needed for a Payroll Accountant job description.
What does a Payroll Accountant do?
A payroll accountant is responsible for managing salary payments to employees. Their main duties include calculating salaries, updating payroll systems with employee information, and preparing tax reports for both internal and external purposes. They may also conduct internal audits.
Job Description
We are seeking a highly skilled payroll accountant to oversee our payroll system. As a payroll accountant, your responsibilities will include ensuring accurate salary payments, calculating overtime earnings, and updating employee information on the payroll system.
To be successful in this role, you should have a strong understanding of tax laws and previous experience in a similar position. A top-notch payroll accountant is detail-oriented and able to process salaries accurately and on time.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Preparing ledger entries for earnings and deductions
- Entering payroll information and maintaining payroll files
- Calculating salaries, overtime earnings, and vacation deductions
- Issuing paychecks in a timely manner
- Generating payroll reports for managers to review
- Updating payroll systems with employee hiring and termination information
- Preparing payroll and tax reports for federal, state, and local agencies as needed
- Responding to payroll inquiries from employees
Requirements and Qualifications
- Associate's or bachelor's degree in accounting
- Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) preferred
- At least two years of experience as a payroll accountant or in a similar role
- Proficiency in payroll software, such as BrightPay and Payroll Mate
- Extensive experience in preparing ledger entries and processing payments
- In-depth knowledge of tax laws and regulations
- Experience in preparing payroll and tax reports and handling payroll inquiries
- Ability to maintain and update employee payroll files
- Excellent organizational and communication skills
Payroll Accountant Salary
The earning potential of a Payroll Accountant can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, industry, professional experience, educational background, and the specific employer. On average, the annual salary for an Payroll Accountant in the United States is approximately $63820.
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