# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/payroll-and-timekeeping-clerks
- SOC code: 43-3051.00
- Career family: Office and administrative support
- Median annual pay: $58,260 (10th percentile $39,500, 90th percentile $81,350)
- Projected growth: Decline, -15.9%
- Openings a year: 11,400
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CES)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 14 |
| Investigative (I) | 1 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 15 |
| Enterprising (E) | 39 |
| Conventional (C) | 100 |

## What you'd do

- Working with Computers (importance 84/100)
- Processing Information (importance 83/100)
- Getting Information (importance 81/100)
- Performing Administrative Activities (importance 80/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 75/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 72/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 68/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 68/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 66/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 66/100)

## Skills

Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Mathematics, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Writing, Complex Problem Solving, Monitoring, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making

## Knowledge

Administrative, Mathematics, English Language, Economics and Accounting, Personnel and Human Resources, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, Computers and Electronics, Communications and Media, Education and Training

## Also called

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)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Accounting and Related Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5203) (CIP 5203, 1,951 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Georgetown University-DC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgetown-university-dc-1068) | Accounting and Related Services | not reported | $141,931 | $16,035 |
| [Bucknell University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bucknell-university-331) | Accounting and Related Services | $87,150 | $130,990 | $25,350 |
| [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/santa-clara-university-2371) | Accounting and Related Services | $88,383 | $130,087 | $16,249 |
| [Boston College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-college-285) | Accounting and Related Services | $85,089 | $126,461 | $19,000 |
| [Lehigh University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/lehigh-university-1472) | Accounting and Related Services | $83,966 | $125,874 | $19,000 |
| [Villanova University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/villanova-university-3127) | Accounting and Related Services | $83,193 | $120,207 | $24,187 |
| [American University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/american-university-69) | Accounting and Related Services | not reported | $119,020 | not reported |
| [Washington and Lee University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/washington-and-lee-university-3167) | Accounting and Related Services | not reported | $118,946 | $19,500 |

## Related careers

- [Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/human-resources-assistants-except-payroll-and-timekeeping): $50,610 median pay
- [Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/bookkeeping-accounting-and-auditing-clerks): $50,670 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-office-and-administrative-support-workers): $69,500 median pay
- [Billing and Posting Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/billing-and-posting-clerks): $48,500 median pay
- [Office Clerks, General](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/office-clerks-general): $45,010 median pay
- [Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/eligibility-interviewers-government-programs): $54,210 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.