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Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in the U.S.

Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in the U.S. earn a median of $58,260 a year ($28.01 an hour), based on BLS data for 153,140 workers.

Median salary
$58,260
Hourly
$28.01
Average
$59,630
Top 10% earn
$81,350
Workers
153,140

Pay ranges from $39,500 for the lowest-paid 10% to $81,350 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $59,630, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for payroll and timekeeping clerks in the U.S.

$0$90,000
Pay levelYearlyHourly
10th percentile (entry level)$39,500$18.99
25th percentile$47,990$23.07
Median$58,260$28.01
75th percentile$69,600$33.46
90th percentile (top earners)$81,350$39.11
Average (mean)$59,630$28.67

Half of payroll and timekeeping clerks earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

Median paycheck, before taxes

Pay periodAmount
Monthly$4,855
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$2,427.50
Biweekly (26 a year)$2,240.77
Weekly$1,120.38
Hourly$28.01

Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
District of Columbia$74,670270
California$65,34020,590
Washington$64,5603,560
Colorado$64,1402,580
Massachusetts$63,6703,280
New Hampshire$63,090800
Alaska$62,210360
Connecticut$62,2001,540
Hawaii$62,070700
Illinois$61,3905,580
Minnesota$61,3202,790
New York$61,0408,400
Oregon$60,9802,890
New Jersey$60,7504,290
North Dakota$60,600300
Georgia$59,9906,720
Maryland$59,7601,870
Rhode Island$59,370410
Wisconsin$59,3102,590
Virginia$58,2503,400
Nevada$58,2201,390
Maine$57,360590
Ohio$57,2705,820
Kansas$56,5901,400
Delaware$56,430320
Utah$56,4301,590
Michigan$56,1604,050
Pennsylvania$55,6905,170
Vermont$55,340270
Montana$55,040530
Nebraska$54,900910
Texas$54,09013,220
Iowa$54,0801,230
Missouri$54,0803,460
Indiana$53,7704,020
North Carolina$53,5503,630
New Mexico$53,230820
Kentucky$52,8901,670
South Carolina$52,2401,550
Wyoming$51,940160
Florida$51,91010,910
Idaho$51,790800
Tennessee$51,7803,680
Louisiana$50,8002,160
Arizona$50,2103,540
Oklahoma$49,9202,470
South Dakota$47,680370
West Virginia$47,460580
Alabama$46,1701,360
Arkansas$46,1101,220
Mississippi$45,1701,330
Guam$38,55060
Virgin Islands$38,10040
Puerto Rico$34,2001,040

Best-paying metro areas for payroll and timekeeping clerks

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$80,5102,260
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$77,9501,000
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$68,870300
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$68,380120
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$67,740110
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO$67,710100
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$66,9302,500
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$66,80060
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$66,65050
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$66,6301,980
Boulder, CO$66,140n/a
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$65,8102,000
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$65,79080
New Haven, CT$65,190250
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$65,0406,600

Metro areas with the most payroll and timekeeping clerks

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ7,770$63,500
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA6,600$65,040
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA4,260$62,710
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN4,170$62,920
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX3,800$60,230
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX3,260$54,090
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL2,750$57,450
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ2,650$50,350
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH2,500$66,930
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD2,410$58,810
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL2,300$50,440
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA2,260$80,510
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV2,010$63,440
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA2,000$65,810
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA1,980$66,630

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$50,670$24.36
Billing and Posting Clerks$48,500$23.32
Teller$43,030$20.69
Bill and Account Collectors$47,030$22.61
Procurement Clerk$50,580$24.32
Financial Clerks, All Other$53,830$25.88
Gambling Cage Worker$37,580$18.07
Customer Service Representative$44,770$21.53
Office Clerks, General$45,010$21.64
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540$22.86
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$69,500$33.41
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$45,930$22.08
Receptionists and Information Clerks$38,010$18.27
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$45,260$21.76

More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-3051. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a payroll and timekeeping clerks make in the U.S.?

The median salary for payroll and timekeeping clerks in the U.S. is $58,260 a year, or $28.01 an hour. Pay ranges from $39,500 for the lowest-paid 10% to $81,350 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid payroll and timekeeping clerks make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of payroll and timekeeping clerks in the U.S. earn at least $81,350 a year. The top 25% earn $69,600 or more.

What is the starting pay for payroll and timekeeping clerks in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $39,500 a year, and a quarter of payroll and timekeeping clerks earn $47,990 or less.

How many payroll and timekeeping clerks work in the U.S.?

About 153,140 payroll and timekeeping clerks are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.