Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks (SOC 43-3051) earn a median $58,260 a year ($28.01 an hour) in the United States, with 153,140 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What payroll and timekeeping clerks do
Payroll and timekeeping clerks compile and record employee time and payroll data so that workers are paid correctly. They distribute and collect timecards each pay period, verify attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments, and post them to the proper records. They compute wages and deductions, and may also compute time worked, production, and commissions. They then enter the data into the payroll system and process and issue paychecks and statements of earnings and deductions. Clerks review time sheets, work charts, and wage computations to catch and reconcile discrepancies, and at the end of a period they prepare and balance reports and reconcile issued payrolls to bank statements. They also record changes such as exemptions, transfers, and resignations, and process paperwork for new employees. The code is separate from bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, who record a wider range of financial data.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Accounting Assistant, Attendance Clerk, Bonus Clerk, Checkman, Commissions Clerk.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.99 | $23.07 | $28.01 | $33.46 | $39.11 | $28.67 | 153,140 |
| Annual | $39,500 | $47,990 | $58,260 | $69,600 | $81,350 | $59,630 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where payroll and timekeeping clerks earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $23.69 | $29.73 | $35.90 | $43.40 | $47.48 | $36.79 | 270 | 0.38 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $49,270 | $61,840 | $74,670 | $90,270 | $98,760 | $76,510 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $22.17 | $27.03 | $31.41 | $37.92 | $44.27 | $32.97 | 20,590 | 1.13 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $46,120 | $56,230 | $65,340 | $78,870 | $92,080 | $68,580 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $24.14 | $28.04 | $31.04 | $36.72 | $42.93 | $32.60 | 3,560 | 1.00 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $50,220 | $58,310 | $64,560 | $76,390 | $89,290 | $67,810 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $22.40 | $24.83 | $30.84 | $36.56 | $42.33 | $31.44 | 2,580 | 0.90 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $46,590 | $51,650 | $64,140 | $76,040 | $88,050 | $65,400 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $23.61 | $26.39 | $30.61 | $37.48 | $41.52 | $32.12 | 3,280 | 0.90 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $49,110 | $54,890 | $63,670 | $77,960 | $86,360 | $66,810 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.17 | $27.03 | $31.41 | $37.92 | $44.27 | $32.97 | 20,590 | 1.13 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $46,120 | $56,230 | $65,340 | $78,870 | $92,080 | $68,580 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.33 | $21.74 | $26.00 | $30.74 | $36.47 | $26.63 | 13,220 | 0.94 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $36,040 | $45,220 | $54,090 | $63,940 | $75,850 | $55,390 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.18 | $21.63 | $24.96 | $30.64 | $36.88 | $26.52 | 10,910 | 1.10 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $35,730 | $45,000 | $51,910 | $63,720 | $76,710 | $55,170 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $21.70 | $24.37 | $29.35 | $35.20 | $41.57 | $30.60 | 8,400 | 0.87 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $45,140 | $50,700 | $61,040 | $73,220 | $86,470 | $63,650 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $19.04 | $23.44 | $28.84 | $33.65 | $36.92 | $28.61 | 6,720 | 1.37 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $39,590 | $48,760 | $59,990 | $69,990 | $76,790 | $59,510 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $26.01 | $31.96 | $38.71 | $45.70 | $51.13 | $39.29 | 2,260 | 0.95 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $54,100 | $66,480 | $80,510 | $95,050 | $106,350 | $81,730 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $28.06 | $32.85 | $37.48 | $45.69 | $57.65 | $40.69 | 1,000 | 0.88 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $58,370 | $68,330 | $77,950 | $95,030 | $119,910 | $84,640 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $24.56 | $27.92 | $33.11 | $38.10 | $42.00 | $33.48 | 300 | 1.46 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $51,080 | $58,070 | $68,870 | $79,250 | $87,360 | $69,640 | ||||
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | Hourly | $18.80 | $27.39 | $32.88 | $36.23 | $42.54 | $31.84 | 120 | 1.19 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $39,110 | $56,970 | $68,380 | $75,360 | $88,480 | $66,230 | ||||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | Hourly | $25.44 | $30.51 | $32.57 | $40.12 | $40.60 | $33.02 | 110 | 1.44 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $52,910 | $63,450 | $67,740 | $83,450 | $84,460 | $68,690 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $21.99 | $25.52 | $30.53 | $36.44 | $42.76 | $31.79 | 7,770 | 0.82 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $45,730 | $53,070 | $63,500 | $75,790 | $88,940 | $66,110 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $23.54 | $28.75 | $31.27 | $37.58 | $42.62 | $33.09 | 6,600 | 1.05 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $48,970 | $59,810 | $65,040 | $78,160 | $88,640 | $68,830 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $21.07 | $24.95 | $30.15 | $33.65 | $37.91 | $30.27 | 4,260 | 1.47 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $43,820 | $51,890 | $62,710 | $69,990 | $78,850 | $62,960 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $20.35 | $23.92 | $30.25 | $37.13 | $42.30 | $30.96 | 4,170 | 0.92 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $42,340 | $49,750 | $62,920 | $77,230 | $87,990 | $64,400 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $17.00 | $23.22 | $28.96 | $33.52 | $37.69 | $28.10 | 3,800 | 0.94 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $35,350 | $48,290 | $60,230 | $69,720 | $78,390 | $58,450 | ||||
Top industries employing payroll and timekeeping clerks
Management of Companies and Enterprises employ 9.3% of payroll and timekeeping clerks nationally (14,220 jobs) at a median $61,020 a year ($29.34 an hour), followed by Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (9.1%) and Employment Services (6.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 14,220 | 9.3% | $61,020 | $29.34 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services NAICS 541200 | 14,010 | 9.1% | $50,030 | $24.05 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 10,440 | 6.8% | $53,550 | $25.75 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 7,720 | 5.0% | $61,050 | $29.35 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 7,320 | 4.8% | $62,290 | $29.95 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (153,140). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $47,610 for payroll and timekeeping clerks in May 2021 and $58,260 in May 2025, with employment of 149,290 and 153,140.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,610 | $22.89 | 149,290 |
| May 2022 | $49,630 | $23.86 | 159,190 |
| May 2023 | $52,240 | $25.11 | 157,230 |
| May 2024 | $55,290 | $26.58 | 156,950 |
| May 2025 | $58,260 | $28.01 | 153,140 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $35.90 | $74,670 | $49,270 | $98,760 | 270 | 0.38 | 0.39 |
| 2 | California profile | $31.41 | $65,340 | $46,120 | $92,080 | 20,590 | 1.13 | 1.15 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $31.04 | $64,560 | $50,220 | $89,290 | 3,560 | 1.00 | 1.02 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $30.84 | $64,140 | $46,590 | $88,050 | 2,580 | 0.90 | 0.91 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $30.61 | $63,670 | $49,110 | $86,360 | 3,280 | 0.90 | 0.91 |
| 6 | New Hampshire profile | $30.33 | $63,090 | $42,220 | $87,140 | 800 | 1.17 | 1.18 |
| 7 | Alaska profile | $29.91 | $62,210 | $46,790 | $78,450 | 360 | 1.11 | 1.12 |
| 8 | Connecticut profile | $29.91 | $62,200 | $47,120 | $83,950 | 1,540 | 0.91 | 0.92 |
| 9 | Hawaii profile | $29.84 | $62,070 | $45,140 | $83,810 | 700 | 1.12 | 1.13 |
| 10 | Illinois profile | $29.51 | $61,390 | $39,670 | $86,460 | 5,580 | 0.92 | 0.93 |
| 11 | Minnesota profile | $29.48 | $61,320 | $49,270 | $79,370 | 2,790 | 0.95 | 0.96 |
| 12 | New York profile | $29.35 | $61,040 | $45,140 | $86,470 | 8,400 | 0.87 | 0.88 |
| 13 | Oregon profile | $29.32 | $60,980 | $42,430 | $82,080 | 2,890 | 1.47 | 1.49 |
| 14 | New Jersey profile | $29.21 | $60,750 | $42,990 | $84,990 | 4,290 | 1.00 | 1.02 |
| 15 | North Dakota profile | $29.13 | $60,600 | $46,880 | $77,530 | 300 | 0.70 | 0.71 |
| 16 | Georgia profile | $28.84 | $59,990 | $39,590 | $76,790 | 6,720 | 1.37 | 1.40 |
| 17 | Maryland profile | $28.73 | $59,760 | $31,750 | $82,140 | 1,870 | 0.68 | 0.69 |
| 18 | Rhode Island profile | $28.54 | $59,370 | $38,080 | $82,090 | 410 | 0.82 | 0.84 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | $28.52 | $59,310 | $42,730 | $76,830 | 2,590 | 0.88 | 0.90 |
| 20 | Virginia profile | $28.01 | $58,250 | $43,890 | $78,800 | 3,400 | 0.83 | 0.84 |
| 21 | Nevada profile | $27.99 | $58,220 | $37,850 | $78,410 | 1,390 | 0.90 | 0.91 |
| 22 | Maine profile | $27.58 | $57,360 | $43,370 | $79,040 | 590 | 0.92 | 0.93 |
| 23 | Ohio profile | $27.54 | $57,270 | $40,310 | $80,650 | 5,820 | 1.05 | 1.07 |
| 24 | Kansas profile | $27.21 | $56,590 | $42,340 | $79,160 | 1,400 | 0.98 | 0.99 |
| 25 | Delaware profile | $27.13 | $56,430 | $38,680 | $86,620 | 320 | 0.66 | 0.67 |
| 26 | Utah profile | $27.13 | $56,430 | $43,400 | $74,530 | 1,590 | 0.91 | 0.93 |
| 27 | Michigan profile | $27.00 | $56,160 | $38,560 | $78,200 | 4,050 | 0.92 | 0.93 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania profile | $26.78 | $55,690 | $39,630 | $76,980 | 5,170 | 0.85 | 0.87 |
| 29 | Vermont profile | $26.61 | $55,340 | $45,010 | $70,690 | 270 | 0.88 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Montana profile | $26.46 | $55,040 | $37,910 | $78,500 | 530 | 1.03 | 1.05 |
| 31 | Nebraska profile | $26.40 | $54,900 | $43,320 | $74,360 | 910 | 0.89 | 0.91 |
| 32 | Texas profile | $26.00 | $54,090 | $36,040 | $75,850 | 13,220 | 0.94 | 0.95 |
| 33 | Iowa profile | $26.00 | $54,080 | $39,410 | $70,990 | 1,230 | 0.79 | 0.80 |
| 34 | Missouri profile | $26.00 | $54,080 | $37,030 | $79,470 | 3,460 | 1.18 | 1.20 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $25.85 | $53,770 | $38,910 | $77,700 | 4,020 | 1.26 | 1.28 |
| 36 | North Carolina profile | $25.75 | $53,550 | $36,620 | $74,480 | 3,630 | 0.74 | 0.75 |
| 37 | New Mexico profile | $25.59 | $53,230 | $37,230 | $69,990 | 820 | 0.94 | 0.96 |
| 38 | Kentucky profile | $25.43 | $52,890 | $36,600 | $76,590 | 1,670 | 0.83 | 0.85 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | $25.12 | $52,240 | $38,180 | $77,660 | 1,550 | 0.67 | 0.68 |
| 40 | Wyoming profile | $24.97 | $51,940 | $38,320 | $74,610 | 160 | 0.59 | 0.59 |
| 41 | Florida profile | $24.96 | $51,910 | $35,730 | $76,710 | 10,910 | 1.10 | 1.12 |
| 42 | Idaho profile | $24.90 | $51,790 | $41,440 | $70,390 | 800 | 0.93 | 0.95 |
| 43 | Tennessee profile | $24.89 | $51,780 | $36,270 | $75,160 | 3,680 | 1.12 | 1.14 |
| 44 | Louisiana profile | $24.42 | $50,800 | $29,480 | $71,750 | 2,160 | 1.11 | 1.13 |
| 45 | Arizona profile | $24.14 | $50,210 | $33,870 | $69,980 | 3,540 | 1.09 | 1.11 |
| 46 | Oklahoma profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $32,410 | $74,190 | 2,470 | 1.45 | 1.47 |
| 47 | South Dakota profile | $22.92 | $47,680 | $38,780 | $64,350 | 370 | 0.81 | 0.82 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $22.82 | $47,460 | $30,990 | $63,390 | 580 | 0.83 | 0.85 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $22.20 | $46,170 | $32,210 | $64,170 | 1,360 | 0.64 | 0.65 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $22.17 | $46,110 | $34,270 | $71,280 | 1,220 | 0.94 | 0.95 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $21.72 | $45,170 | $30,560 | $66,930 | 1,330 | 1.15 | 1.16 |
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-3051 Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-3051, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-3051.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.