Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Salary
The median pay for a payroll and timekeeping clerks in Athens-Clarke County, GA is $52,920/year ($25.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.34), which stretches that salary to about $56,696 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,331/month, about 38.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $53K get you in Athens-Clarke County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Athens-Clarke County’s Regional Price Parity (93.34). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About payroll and timekeeping clerks
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What this looks like in Athens-Clarke County
Payroll and timekeeping clerks pay in Athens-Clarke County tracks closely to the national median, $53K locally vs. $58K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,331/month, which is 37.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.34 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for payroll and timekeeping clerks in metros near Athens-Clarke County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Rome | $55K | $61K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $63K | $63K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $51K | $56K |
| Savannah | $61K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Athens-Clarke County, GA
Entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $75K | +28% | 270 |
| California | $65K | +12% | 20,590 |
| Washington | $65K | +11% | 3,560 |
| Colorado | $64K | +10% | 2,580 |
| Massachusetts | $64K | +9% | 3,280 |
| New Hampshire | $63K | +8% | 800 |
| Alaska | $62K | +7% | 360 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +7% | 1,540 |
| Hawaii | $62K | +7% | 700 |
| Illinois | $61K | +5% | 5,580 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +5% | 2,790 |
| New York | $61K | +5% | 8,400 |
| Oregon | $61K | +5% | 2,890 |
| New Jersey | $61K | +4% | 4,290 |
| North Dakota | $61K | +4% | 300 |
| Georgia | $60K | +3% | 6,720 |
| Maryland | $60K | +3% | 1,870 |
| Rhode Island | $59K | +2% | 410 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | +2% | 2,590 |
| Virginia | $58K | -0% | 3,400 |
| Nevada | $58K | -0% | 1,390 |
| Maine | $57K | -2% | 590 |
| Ohio | $57K | -2% | 5,820 |
| Kansas | $57K | -3% | 1,400 |
| Utah | $56K | -3% | 1,590 |
| Delaware | $56K | -3% | 320 |
| Michigan | $56K | -4% | 4,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $56K | -4% | 5,170 |
| Vermont | $55K | -5% | 270 |
| Montana | $55K | -6% | 530 |
| Nebraska | $55K | -6% | 910 |
| Texas | $54K | -7% | 13,220 |
| Missouri | $54K | -7% | 3,460 |
| Iowa | $54K | -7% | 1,230 |
| Indiana | $54K | -8% | 4,020 |
| North Carolina | $54K | -8% | 3,630 |
| New Mexico | $53K | -9% | 820 |
| Kentucky | $53K | -9% | 1,670 |
| South Carolina | $52K | -10% | 1,550 |
| Wyoming | $52K | -11% | 160 |
| Florida | $52K | -11% | 10,910 |
| Idaho | $52K | -11% | 800 |
| Tennessee | $52K | -11% | 3,680 |
| Louisiana | $51K | -13% | 2,160 |
| Arizona | $50K | -14% | 3,540 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -14% | 2,470 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -18% | 370 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -19% | 580 |
| Alabama | $46K | -21% | 1,360 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -21% | 1,220 |
| Mississippi | $45K | -22% | 1,330 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a payroll and timekeeping clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Athens-Clarke County?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 37.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,331/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Athens-Clarke County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new payroll and timekeeping clerks typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,347/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Athens-Clarke County?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $53K locally vs. $58K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Athens-Clarke County compare to the national average for payroll and timekeeping clerks?
Athens-Clarke County pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make in Athens-Clarke County, GA?
The median is $52,920 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,110, and experienced payroll and timekeeping clerks can clear $72,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Athens-Clarke County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,509/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 37.9% 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 Athens-Clarke County?
Athens-Clarke County has a Regional Price Parity of 93.34 (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 $56,696 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.