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Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in California

Considering working as a Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in California? Here’s what you need to know. 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. Excludes “Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks” (43-3031).

$61,670 Median Annual Wage (California)

$62,520 National Median Annual Wage

23,180 California Employment

Medium Preparation Needed Typical Preparation

What do Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Make in California?

For a payroll and timekeeping clerks working in California, the median annual wage is $61,670 per year (or roughly $29.65/hour).Earnings range from $35,600 at the 10th percentile to $88,140 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$35,600	$17.11
25th percentile	$49,930	$24.00
Median (50th)	$61,670	$29.65
75th percentile	$75,610	$36.35
90th percentile	$88,140	$42.38

Salary ranges for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in California

The job concentration index in California compared to the national average — is 1.26, suggesting that payroll and timekeeping clerks are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, payroll and timekeeping clerks earn a median of $62,520 per year ($30.06/hour), lower than the California median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 229,022 payroll and timekeeping clerks across the United States. In California alone, about 23,180 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 1,700 payroll and timekeeping clerks.

Forecasted number of jobs for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks

Top California Metros for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks

The metro areas below employ the most payroll and timekeeping clerks in California.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	8,380	$59,420
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	2,590	$78,180
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	1,980	$63,090
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	1,690	$60,080
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	1,630	$63,380
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	990	$80,150
Fresno, CA	720	$55,250
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	530	$53,110
Stockton-Lodi, CA	370	$58,190
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	350	$56,430
Visalia, CA	320	$53,060
Modesto, CA	310	$58,190
Salinas, CA	310	$58,060
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	240	$62,400
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	230	$58,520
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	140	$62,190
Vallejo, CA	140	$64,700
Merced, CA	120	$56,430
Napa, CA	120	$67,250
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	120	$60,560
El Centro, CA	110	$55,940
Hanford-Corcoran, CA	100	$59,300
Chico, CA	80	$57,680
Redding, CA	80	$58,500
Yuba City, CA	60	$58,480

Top States for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Employment

The table below shows the states where the most payroll and timekeeping clerks work.

State	Number Employed
California	23,180
Texas	14,130
Florida	10,060
New York	9,040
Illinois	6,060
Ohio	5,690
Pennsylvania	5,630
Georgia	4,740
New Jersey	4,350
Indiana	4,120
Michigan	3,920
Washington	3,880
Arizona	3,670
North Carolina	3,620
Massachusetts	3,470
Tennessee	3,240
Missouri	3,190
Wisconsin	2,910
Virginia	2,850
Oklahoma	2,840

Highest-Paying States for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks

Where payroll and timekeeping clerks earn the most: payroll and timekeeping clerks.

State	Annual Median Salary
District of Columbia	$69,210
Washington	$62,310
California	$61,670
Minnesota	$60,780
Connecticut	$60,720
New Hampshire	$60,670
New York	$60,600
Massachusetts	$60,260
Illinois	$60,060
New Jersey	$59,920

Skills

Key payroll and timekeeping clerks skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Reading Comprehension 3.9 / 5

Active Listening 3.8 / 5

Mathematics 3.2 / 5

Writing 3.1 / 5

Speaking 3.1 / 5

Critical Thinking 3.1 / 5

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Administrative 4.5 / 5

Mathematics 4.2 / 5

English Language 4.2 / 5

Economics and Accounting 4.1 / 5

Personnel and Human Resources 3.9 / 5

Administration and Management 3.8 / 5

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for payroll and timekeeping clerks, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Oral Comprehension 3.9 / 5

Written Comprehension 3.9 / 5

Near Vision 3.8 / 5

Written Expression 3.8 / 5

Oral Expression 3.6 / 5

Mathematical Reasoning 3.5 / 5

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, payroll and timekeeping clerks typically:

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.
Compile employee time, production, and payroll data from time sheets and other records.
Keep informed about changes in tax and deduction laws that apply to the payroll process.

Work Activities

Working with Computers
Processing Information
Getting Information
Performing Administrative Activities
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Documenting/Recording Information
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Intuit QuickBooks, Kronos Workforce Timekeeper In-demand technologies: Accounting software, ADP Workforce Now

Other careers like payroll and timekeeping clerks include:

Also Known As

Accounting Assistant, Attendance Clerk, Bonus Clerk, Checkman, Commissions Clerk, Finance Specialist, Flight Crew Scheduler, Flight Crew Time Clerk, HR and Payroll Admin (Human Resources and Payroll Administrator), Human Resources Administrative Assistant (HR Administrative Assistant), Human Resources Coordinator (HR Coordinator), Human Resources Specialist (HR Specialist), Payroll Administrator (Payroll Admin), Payroll Analyst, Payroll Assistant.

References

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
O*NET-SOC code: 43-3051.00

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