How to become a payroll and timekeeping clerk

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.

Steps to get there

Most employers expect most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree..Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

What payroll and timekeeping clerks do

• 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.

Skills that matter most

• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Mathematics
• Writing
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Monitoring
• Active Learning

Is payroll and timekeeping clerk a good career?

On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 14% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.

Where it pays most

• District of Columbia $74,670
• California $65,340
• Washington $64,560
• Colorado $64,140
• Massachusetts $63,670

Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary by state and city

Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.