Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for payroll and timekeeping clerks is $58,260, or $28.01 per hour. About 153,140 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $74,670 in District of Columbia to $45,170 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $74,670 | $35.90 | 270 | 0.39 |
| 2 | California | $65,340 | $31.41 | 20,590 | 1.15 |
| 3 | Washington | $64,560 | $31.04 | 3,560 | 1.02 |
| 4 | Colorado | $64,140 | $30.84 | 2,580 | 0.91 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $63,670 | $30.61 | 3,280 | 0.91 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $63,090 | $30.33 | 800 | 1.18 |
| 7 | Alaska | $62,210 | $29.91 | 360 | 1.12 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $62,200 | $29.91 | 1,540 | 0.92 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $62,070 | $29.84 | 700 | 1.13 |
| 10 | Illinois | $61,390 | $29.51 | 5,580 | 0.93 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $61,320 | $29.48 | 2,790 | 0.96 |
| 12 | New York | $61,040 | $29.35 | 8,400 | 0.88 |
| 13 | Oregon | $60,980 | $29.32 | 2,890 | 1.49 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $60,750 | $29.21 | 4,290 | 1.02 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $60,600 | $29.13 | 300 | 0.71 |
| 16 | Georgia | $59,990 | $28.84 | 6,720 | 1.40 |
| 17 | Maryland | $59,760 | $28.73 | 1,870 | 0.69 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $59,370 | $28.54 | 410 | 0.84 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $59,310 | $28.52 | 2,590 | 0.90 |
| 20 | Virginia | $58,250 | $28.01 | 3,400 | 0.84 |
| 21 | Nevada | $58,220 | $27.99 | 1,390 | 0.91 |
| 22 | Maine | $57,360 | $27.58 | 590 | 0.93 |
| 23 | Ohio | $57,270 | $27.54 | 5,820 | 1.07 |
| 24 | Kansas | $56,590 | $27.21 | 1,400 | 0.99 |
| 25 | Utah | $56,430 | $27.13 | 1,590 | 0.93 |
| 26 | Delaware | $56,430 | $27.13 | 320 | 0.67 |
| 27 | Michigan | $56,160 | $27.00 | 4,050 | 0.93 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $55,690 | $26.78 | 5,170 | 0.87 |
| 29 | Vermont | $55,340 | $26.61 | 270 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Montana | $55,040 | $26.46 | 530 | 1.05 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $54,900 | $26.40 | 910 | 0.91 |
| 32 | Texas | $54,090 | $26.00 | 13,220 | 0.95 |
| 33 | Missouri | $54,080 | $26.00 | 3,460 | 1.20 |
| 34 | Iowa | $54,080 | $26.00 | 1,230 | 0.80 |
| 35 | Indiana | $53,770 | $25.85 | 4,020 | 1.28 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $53,550 | $25.75 | 3,630 | 0.75 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $53,230 | $25.59 | 820 | 0.96 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $52,890 | $25.43 | 1,670 | 0.85 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $52,240 | $25.12 | 1,550 | 0.68 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $51,940 | $24.97 | 160 | 0.59 |
| 41 | Florida | $51,910 | $24.96 | 10,910 | 1.12 |
| 42 | Idaho | $51,790 | $24.90 | 800 | 0.95 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $51,780 | $24.89 | 3,680 | 1.14 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $50,800 | $24.42 | 2,160 | 1.13 |
| 45 | Arizona | $50,210 | $24.14 | 3,540 | 1.11 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $49,920 | $24.00 | 2,470 | 1.47 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $47,680 | $22.92 | 370 | 0.82 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $47,460 | $22.82 | 580 | 0.85 |
| 49 | Alabama | $46,170 | $22.20 | 1,360 | 0.65 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $46,110 | $22.17 | 1,220 | 0.95 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $45,170 | $21.72 | 1,330 | 1.16 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make?
The median annual wage for payroll and timekeeping clerks in the United States is $58,260, or $28.01 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $39,500, and the top 10% earn $81,350.
How many payroll and timekeeping clerks are employed in the U.S.?
About 153,140 people work as payroll and timekeeping clerks nationwide.
Which state pays payroll and timekeeping clerks the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $74,670, followed by California ($65,340) and Washington ($64,560).
Which state pays payroll and timekeeping clerks the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $45,170.
Where are payroll and timekeeping clerks jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Oregon at 1.49×.