JobAfterNext

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.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$58,260
Employment, U.S.153,140
Median hourly wage$28.01
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$39,500$47,990$58,260$69,600$81,350
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama1,360$46,1700.65
Alaska360$62,2101.12
Arizona3,540$50,2101.11
Arkansas1,220$46,1100.95
California20,590$65,3401.15
Colorado2,580$64,1400.91
Connecticut1,540$62,2000.92
Delaware320$56,4300.67
District of Columbia270$74,6700.39
Florida10,910$51,9101.12
Georgia6,720$59,9901.40
Hawaii700$62,0701.13
Idaho800$51,7900.95
Illinois5,580$61,3900.93
Indiana4,020$53,7701.28
Iowa1,230$54,0800.80
Kansas1,400$56,5900.99
Kentucky1,670$52,8900.85
Louisiana2,160$50,8001.13
Maine590$57,3600.93
Maryland1,870$59,7600.69
Massachusetts3,280$63,6700.91
Michigan4,050$56,1600.93
Minnesota2,790$61,3200.96
Mississippi1,330$45,1701.16
Missouri3,460$54,0801.20
Montana530$55,0401.05
Nebraska910$54,9000.91
Nevada1,390$58,2200.91
New Hampshire800$63,0901.18
New Jersey4,290$60,7501.02
New Mexico820$53,2300.96
New York8,400$61,0400.88
North Carolina3,630$53,5500.75
North Dakota300$60,6000.71
Ohio5,820$57,2701.07
Oklahoma2,470$49,9201.47
Oregon2,890$60,9801.49
Pennsylvania5,170$55,6900.87
Rhode Island410$59,3700.84
South Carolina1,550$52,2400.68
South Dakota370$47,6800.82
Tennessee3,680$51,7801.14
Texas13,220$54,0900.95
Utah1,590$56,4300.93
Vermont270$55,3400.90
Virginia3,400$58,2500.84
Washington3,560$64,5601.02
West Virginia580$47,4600.85
Wisconsin2,590$59,3100.90
Wyoming160$51,9400.59

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Billing and Posting Clerks1-20.958
2Correspondence Clerks1-20.942
3Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks30.939
4Accountants and Auditors40.938
5Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists40.936
6Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping30.931
7Tax Preparers30.930
8Budget Analysts40.929
9Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents30.926
10Office Clerks, General1-20.920

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Correspondence ClerksWriting1.000.942
Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingCoordination0.880.931
Office Clerks, GeneralCoordination0.880.920
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveCoordination0.760.920
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersCoordination0.880.908
Court, Municipal, and License ClerksCoordination0.880.894

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks, excluding software Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS10 of 2011.5x
Document management system software7 of 2020.2x
Medical procedure coding software9 of 209.2x
Medical condition coding software8 of 209.2x
Oracle PeopleSoft Financials8 of 209.0x
Microsoft SharePoint13 of 203.6x
Tax compliance property tax management software4 of 2046.2x
Accounts receivable software4 of 2036.9x
SAP Concur4 of 2036.9x
LexisNexis7 of 205.7x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 3.88 3.75
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.75 3.38
MathematicsEssential skill 3.25 3.12
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.12 3.12
SpeakingEssential skill 3.12 3.12
WritingEssential skill 3.12 3.12
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
MonitoringEssential skill 3.00 3.00
Service OrientationTransferable skill 3.00 2.75
Time ManagementTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Active LearningEssential skill 2.75 2.88
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.75 2.12
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.25 2.62
InstructingTransferable skill 2.25 2.12
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 2.12 2.25
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.00 2.00
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.00 2.00
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.00 2.00
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.00 1.88
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 1.88 1.00
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.88 1.00
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 1.62 0.75
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.38 0.38
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.25not rated
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.25not rated
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.00not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 1.00not rated
RepairingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
ScienceEssential skill 1.00not rated
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Administrative 4.49 5.97
Mathematics 4.21 4.77
English Language 4.19 4.61
Economics and Accounting 4.07 5.27
Personnel and Human Resources 3.90 4.94
Administration and Management 3.83 4.56
Customer and Personal Service 3.21 4.14
Computers and Electronics 3.15 3.74
Communications and Media 2.59 3.01
Education and Training 2.20 2.42
Law and Government 1.93 1.32
Public Safety and Security 1.79not rated
Psychology 1.77not rated
Sociology and Anthropology 1.51not rated
Foreign Language 1.46 0.56
Telecommunications 1.44 0.47
Production and Processing 1.39not rated
History and Archeology 1.38not rated
Sales and Marketing 1.38not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.36not rated
Geography 1.25not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.25not rated
Engineering and Technology 1.08not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.08not rated
Design 1.06not rated
Transportation 1.06not rated
Mechanical 1.02not rated
Biology 1.01not rated
Building and Construction 1.00not rated
Chemistry 1.00not rated
Fine Arts 1.00not rated
Food Production 1.00not rated
Physics 1.00not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Oral Comprehension 3.88 3.88
Written Comprehension 3.88 3.88
Near Vision 3.75 3.75
Written Expression 3.75 3.50
Oral Expression 3.62 3.88
Mathematical Reasoning 3.50 3.38
Number Facility 3.38 3.38
Information Ordering 3.38 3.12
Problem Sensitivity 3.25 3.25
Deductive Reasoning 3.12 3.00
Inductive Reasoning 3.12 3.00
Speech Clarity 3.00 3.12
Speech Recognition 3.00 3.12
Selective Attention 3.00 2.88
Category Flexibility 2.88 2.88
Perceptual Speed 2.88 2.62
Flexibility of Closure 2.75 2.62
Far Vision 2.12 2.12
Fluency of Ideas 2.12 2.12
Originality 2.12 2.12
Memorization 2.12 2.00
Speed of Closure 2.00 2.12
Time Sharing 2.00 2.12
Visualization 2.00 1.75
Finger Dexterity 2.00 1.62
Trunk Strength 2.00 1.50
Auditory Attention 2.00 1.25
Hearing Sensitivity 2.00 1.12
Visual Color Discrimination 2.00 1.12
Manual Dexterity 2.00 1.00
Arm-Hand Steadiness 1.88 0.88
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.75 0.88
Control Precision 1.50 0.50
Dynamic Strength 1.38 0.38
Depth Perception 1.00not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Explosive Strength 1.00not rated
Extent Flexibility 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.00not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.00not rated
Multilimb Coordination 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Rate Control 1.00not rated
Reaction Time 1.00not rated
Response Orientation 1.00not rated
Sound Localization 1.00not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.00not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated
Stamina 1.00not rated
Static Strength 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 64
  • Human resource management software HRMS
  • IBM Cognos Impromptu
  • IBM Notes
  • Jantek Jupiter Time Attendance
  • Kronos Workforce Payroll
  • MicroFocus GroupWise
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Microsoft Dynamics GP
  • Microsoft Great Plains Personal Data Keeper
  • NetSuite ERP
  • Netscape Navigator
  • NuView EBS
  • Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
  • Oracle Fusion Applications
  • Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
  • Oracle PeopleSoft Payroll for North America
  • PDS Vista
  • PayData Advanced HR
  • Paychex payroll software
  • Penta software
  • Quicken
  • RSM McGladrey Clear Pay
  • SAP Americas mySAP ERP Human Capital Management HCM
  • SAP Crystal Reports
  • Sage 50 Accounting
  • Sage HRMS
  • Tax software
  • TimePlus Payroll
  • UNITIME
  • Ultimate Software UltiPro Workplace
  • Virtual Software Virtual Timecard
  • Web browser software
  • WorkForce Software EmpCenter Time and Attendance
  • isolved Time

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Yuma, AZ1301.91$37,810
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA2,0001.88$65,810
Oklahoma City, OK1,1701.75$47,830
Medford, OR1501.72$53,530
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC3901.70$51,490
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL2,3001.61$50,440
Salem, OR2901.57$61,590
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA1,8501.56$64,170
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN1,6901.55$55,450
Bellingham, WA1401.54$64,990

More metros, other thresholds