Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Salary
The median pay for a payroll and timekeeping clerks in Arizona is $50,210/year ($24.14/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $52,080 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,437/month, about 42.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $50K get you in Arizona?
About payroll and timekeeping clerks
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Arizona
Pay for payroll and timekeeping clerks in Arizona runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,437/month, which is 41.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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, Arizona
Entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary by metro in Arizona
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff | $53K | +6% | 60 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $50K | +0% | 2,650 |
| Tucson | $49K | -2% | 330 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas | $47K | -6% | 40 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman | $46K | -9% | 50 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $42K | -17% | 70 |
| Yuma | $38K | -25% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track payroll and timekeeping clerks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a payroll and timekeeping clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 41.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new payroll and timekeeping clerks typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,032/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 71% 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 Arizona?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $50K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for payroll and timekeeping clerks?
Arizona pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make in Arizona?
The median is $50,210 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,870, and experienced payroll and timekeeping clerks can clear $69,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,427/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 41.9% 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 Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (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 $52,080 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.