Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Salary
The median pay for a payroll and timekeeping clerks in Alabama is $46,170/year ($22.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $52,252 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 34.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in Alabama?
About payroll and timekeeping clerks
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for payroll and timekeeping clerks in Alabama runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,085/month, which is 35.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for payroll and timekeeping clerkss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary by metro in Alabama
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $52K | +13% | 150 |
| Birmingham | $48K | +5% | 340 |
| Decatur | $47K | +1% | 40 |
| Montgomery | $46K | +1% | 130 |
| Tuscaloosa | $46K | -1% | 40 |
| Mobile | $45K | -2% | 110 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $45K | -3% | 30 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $40K | -13% | 60 |
| Dothan | $39K | -17% | 40 |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a payroll and timekeeping clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 35.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for payroll and timekeeping clerks in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new payroll and timekeeping clerks typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,933/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 56% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is payroll and timekeeping clerk a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $46K here vs. $58K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for payroll and timekeeping clerks?
Alabama pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make in Alabama?
The median is $46,170 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,210, and experienced payroll and timekeeping clerks can clear $64,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,083/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 35.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a payroll and timekeeping clerks salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median payroll and timekeeping clerks salary is worth about $52,252 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do payroll and timekeeping clerks get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.