Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in North Carolina
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in North Carolina earn a median of $53,550 a year ($25.75 an hour), based on BLS data for 3,630 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,620 for the lowest-paid 10% to $74,480 for the top 10%. That is 8% lower than the national median of $58,260. North Carolina ranks 36th of 51 states for payroll and timekeeping clerks pay. There are 0.73 payroll and timekeeping clerks per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.75). The average (mean) salary is $54,800, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for payroll and timekeeping clerks in North Carolina
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,620 | $17.61 |
| 25th percentile | $45,680 | $21.96 |
| Median | $53,550 | $25.75 |
| 75th percentile | $62,650 | $30.12 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $74,480 | $35.81 |
| Average (mean) | $54,800 | $26.34 |
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 period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,462.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,231.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,059.62 |
| Weekly | $1,029.81 |
| Hourly | $25.75 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $53,550 salary, see how much house you can afford in North Carolina at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in cities in North Carolina
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $57,650 | 970 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $56,400 | 190 |
| Burlington, NC | $55,440 | 50 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $54,960 | 240 |
| Asheville, NC | $54,290 | 120 |
| Greenville, NC | $54,170 | 40 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $54,100 | 590 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $53,190 | 660 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $52,170 | 140 |
| Wilmington, NC | $51,480 | 130 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $50,800 | 90 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $49,990 | 220 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $49,390 | 50 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $45,700 | 30 |
Highest-paying states for payroll and timekeeping clerks
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $74,670 |
| California | $65,340 |
| Washington | $64,560 |
| Colorado | $64,140 |
| Massachusetts | $63,670 |
| New Hampshire | $63,090 |
| Alaska | $62,210 |
| Connecticut | $62,200 |
| Hawaii | $62,070 |
| Illinois | $61,390 |
Related jobs in North Carolina
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $47,930 | $23.04 |
| Billing and Posting Clerks | $47,160 | $22.67 |
| Bill and Account Collectors | $42,910 | $20.63 |
| Teller | $44,830 | $21.55 |
| Procurement Clerk | $50,390 | $24.23 |
| Financial Clerks, All Other | $58,290 | $28.03 |
| Customer Service Representative | $40,240 | $19.35 |
| Office Clerks, General | $41,770 | $20.08 |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $44,190 | $21.24 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $45,790 | $22.01 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $62,340 | $29.97 |
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $43,040 | $20.69 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $35,440 | $17.04 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $52,640 | $25.31 |
More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations · all salaries in North Carolina
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 North Carolina?
The median salary for payroll and timekeeping clerks in North Carolina is $53,550 a year, or $25.75 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,620 for the lowest-paid 10% to $74,480 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid payroll and timekeeping clerks make in North Carolina?
The top 10% of payroll and timekeeping clerks in North Carolina earn at least $74,480 a year. The top 25% earn $62,650 or more.
What is the starting pay for payroll and timekeeping clerks in North Carolina?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,620 a year, and a quarter of payroll and timekeeping clerks earn $45,680 or less.
How many payroll and timekeeping clerks work in North Carolina?
About 3,630 payroll and timekeeping clerks are employed in North Carolina, not counting the self-employed.