Office and administrative support
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.
Median pay
$58,260
Growth to 2035
−16%
declining
Openings a year
11,400
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Payroll and timekeeping clerks
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Payroll and timekeeping clerks: 28% usually work over 40 hours a week
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.
Also called: Payroll Assistant · Payroll Clerk · Payroll Coordinator · Payroll Representative · Payroll Specialist · Payroll Technician · Personnel Assistant · Personnel Technician
Outlook and AI
Payroll and timekeeping clerks held 159,600 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 134,300 by 2035 (−16%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Productivity change - share decreases as more payroll and timekeeping work is automated, reducing the need for these workers.
Compare with
- Payroll and timekeeping clerks vs. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
- Payroll and timekeeping clerks vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Payroll and timekeeping clerks vs. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Payroll and timekeeping clerks vs. Billing and posting clerks
- Payroll and timekeeping clerks vs. Office clerks, general
- Payroll and timekeeping clerks vs. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Payroll and timekeeping clerks vs. Administrative services manager
- Payroll and timekeeping clerks vs. Administrative assistant
- Payroll and timekeeping clerks vs. Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks
- Payroll and timekeeping clerks vs. File clerk