Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
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.
Also called: Payroll Assistant · Payroll Clerk · Payroll Coordinator · Payroll Representative · Payroll Specialist · Payroll Technician
Median pay (national)
$55,290
$36,670–$78,830 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
156,950
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-16.7%
~13,000 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for payroll and timekeeping clerks shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $78,830 versus $36,670 at the bottom 10% — 2.1x. The median of $55,290 leaves roughly 43% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -16.7% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 13,000 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, District of Columbia pays the most for this role (median $69,210, +25% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $28,670 — a 141% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Mathematics as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags ADP Workforce Now, Kronos Workforce Timekeeper, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Mathematics
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- Record employee information, such as exemptions, transfers, and resignations, to maintain and update payroll records.
- Complete time sheets showing employees' arrival and departure times.
- Conduct verifications of employment.
- 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.
- Distribute and collect timecards each pay period.
- Keep track of leave time, such as vacation, personal, and sick leave, for employees.
Tools & technology
- ADP Workforce Now
- Kronos Workforce Timekeeper
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Oracle HRIS
- Payroll software
- Workday software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Oracle PeopleSoft
- SAP software
- ADP Enterprise HR
- ADP eTIME
- ADP PC/Payroll
- API Navigator
- Asure Software HCM
Knowledge areas
- Administrative
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Economics and Accounting
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics