Compile and record employee time and payroll data. May compute employees’ time worked, production, and commission. May compute and post wages and deductions, or prepare paychecks. Excludes “Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks” (43-3031).
National median · BLS
$58,260
▲ +5.37%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$59,630
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
153,140
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Most jobsLoading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Check your salary
Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$39,500
25th
$47,990
Median (50th)
$58,260
75th
$69,600
90th — top pay
$81,350
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
Type in either box; the other updates instantly.
⇄
Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
BLS projects employment of payroll and timekeeping clerks to decline 15.9% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 11,400 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
159,600 → 134,300
-25,400 jobs
Projected change
-15.9%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
11,400
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
1.8% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What payroll and timekeeping clerks do
Verify attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments, and post information onto designated records.
Process and issue employee paychecks and statements of earnings and deductions.
Compute wages and deductions, and enter data into computers.
Process paperwork for new employees and enter employee information into the payroll system.
Prepare and balance period-end reports, and reconcile issued payrolls to bank statements.
Review time sheets, work charts, wage computation, and other information to detect and reconcile payroll discrepancies.
Distribute and collect timecards each pay period.
Record employee information, such as exemptions, transfers, and resignations, to maintain and update payroll records.
Accounting AssistantAttendance ClerkBonus ClerkCheckmanCommissions ClerkFinance SpecialistFlight Crew SchedulerFlight Crew Time ClerkHR and Payroll Admin (Human Resources and Payroll Administrator)Human Resources Administrative Assistant (HR Administrative Assistant)Human Resources Coordinator (HR Coordinator)Human Resources Specialist (HR Specialist)Payroll Administrator (Payroll Admin)Payroll AnalystPayroll and Benefits SpecialistPayroll AssociatePayroll BookkeeperPayroll OfficerPayroll ProcessorPayroll SecretaryPayroll Tax SpecialistPersonnel ClerkPersonnel SchedulerSign Out ClerkTime and Attendance ClerkTime CheckerTime ClerkTime RecorderWanigan Clerk
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $58,260.
