Office & Administrative Support
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
Also called: Payroll Assistant, Payroll Clerk, Payroll Coordinator, Payroll Representative
US median pay
$58,260
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-15.9%
declining
Openings a year (US)
11,400
159,600 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Issue and record adjustments to pay related to previous errors or retroactive increases.
- Keep track of leave time, such as vacation, personal, and sick leave, for employees.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Service Orientation3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.0/5
- Time Management2.9/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9/5
- Coordination2.8/5
- Instructing2.2/5
- Systems Analysis2.1/5
Knowledge
- Administrative4.5/5
- Mathematics4.2/5
- English Language4.2/5
- Economics and Accounting4.1/5
- Personnel and Human Resources3.9/5
- Administration and Management3.8/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree32%
- Some college30%
- High school diploma21%
Who this job suits
Mostly Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.