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Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks

Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed

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.

Pay & job outlook

Median pay: $58,260/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)

$39,500$81,350

Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.

Job outlook: -16.7% projected growth, 20242034 — declining.

About 13,000 openings per year, on average, over the decade.

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.

Top skills
Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningMathematicsWritingSpeakingCritical ThinkingMonitoringService OrientationComplex Problem SolvingSocial Perceptiveness
Top knowledge areas
AdministrativeMathematicsEnglish LanguageEconomics and AccountingPersonnel and Human ResourcesAdministration and ManagementCustomer and Personal ServiceComputers and Electronics
Core tasks

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.

Frequently asked questions

What's the median pay for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks?

The median pay for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks is $58,260 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What's the job outlook for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks?

Employment for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks is projected to change -16.7% from 2024 to 2034 - declining.

What education is typically required for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks?

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

How many job openings are there each year for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks?

About 13,000 openings per year, on average, over the decade.