Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in Wilmington, NC
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in the Wilmington, NC metro area earn a median of $51,480 a year ($24.75 an hour), based on BLS data for 130 workers.
Pay ranges from $37,280 for the lowest-paid 10% to $73,480 for the top 10%. That is 12% lower than the national median of $58,260. Pay here is 4% lower than the North Carolina statewide median of $53,550. There are 0.66 payroll and timekeeping clerks per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.67). The average (mean) salary is $53,490, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for payroll and timekeeping clerks in Wilmington, NC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,280 | $17.92 |
| 25th percentile | $47,320 | $22.75 |
| Median | $51,480 | $24.75 |
| 75th percentile | $58,800 | $28.27 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $73,480 | $35.33 |
| Average (mean) | $53,490 | $25.72 |
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 | $4,290 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,145 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,980 |
| Weekly | $990 |
| Hourly | $24.75 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in other metro areas nearby
| 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 |
| 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 |
See Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay in every state or the North Carolina statewide figures.
Related jobs in Wilmington, NC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $45,730 | $21.99 |
| Billing and Posting Clerks | $44,310 | $21.30 |
| Teller | $40,740 | $19.59 |
| Bill and Account Collectors | $44,720 | $21.50 |
| Customer Service Representative | $38,100 | $18.32 |
| Office Clerks, General | $39,380 | $18.93 |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $40,040 | $19.25 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $45,380 | $21.82 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $60,430 | $29.05 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $34,260 | $16.47 |
| Postal Service Mail Carrier | $57,700 | $27.74 |
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $39,630 | $19.05 |
| Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | $29,520 | $14.19 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $49,370 | $23.74 |
More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations · all salaries in Wilmington, NC
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 Wilmington, NC?
The median salary for payroll and timekeeping clerks in the Wilmington, NC metro area is $51,480 a year, or $24.75 an hour. Pay ranges from $37,280 for the lowest-paid 10% to $73,480 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid payroll and timekeeping clerks make in Wilmington, NC?
The top 10% of payroll and timekeeping clerks in the Wilmington, NC metro area earn at least $73,480 a year. The top 25% earn $58,800 or more.
What is the starting pay for payroll and timekeeping clerks in Wilmington, NC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $37,280 a year, and a quarter of payroll and timekeeping clerks earn $47,320 or less.
How many payroll and timekeeping clerks work in Wilmington, NC?
About 130 payroll and timekeeping clerks are employed in the Wilmington, NC metro area, not counting the self-employed.