Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Salary
The median pay for a payroll and timekeeping clerks in Bowling Green, KY is $53,540/year ($25.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.18), which stretches that salary to about $59,370 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,153/month, about 32.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $54K get you in Bowling Green?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bowling Green’s Regional Price Parity (90.18). 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 Bowling Green
Payroll and timekeeping clerks pay in Bowling Green tracks closely to the national median, $54K locally vs. $58K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,153/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.18 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for payroll and timekeeping clerks in metros near Bowling Green, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $55K | $59K |
| Lexington-Fayette | $56K | $61K |
| Elizabethtown | $59K | $66K |
| Paducah | $57K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bowling Green, KY
Entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $70K 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 Bowling Green?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 32.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/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 Bowling Green?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new payroll and timekeeping clerks typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,174/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Bowling Green?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $54K locally vs. $58K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Bowling Green compare to the national average for payroll and timekeeping clerks?
Bowling Green pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make in Bowling Green, KY?
The median is $53,540 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,230, and experienced payroll and timekeeping clerks can clear $69,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Bowling Green?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,576/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 32.2% 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 Bowling Green?
Bowling Green has a Regional Price Parity of 90.18 (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 $59,370 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.