Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Salary
The median pay for a payroll and timekeeping clerks in California is $65,340/year ($31.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $61,560 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 57.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $65K get you in California?
About payroll and timekeeping clerks
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for payroll and timekeeping clerks, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 57% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary by metro in California
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $81K | +23% | 2,260 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $78K | +19% | 1,000 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $69K | +5% | 300 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $68K | +5% | 120 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $66K | +1% | 2,000 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $65K | -0% | 6,600 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $64K | -2% | 1,840 |
| Vallejo | $63K | -3% | 190 |
| Napa | $63K | -4% | 100 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $62K | -5% | 90 |
| Modesto | $62K | -5% | 260 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $61K | -6% | 320 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $61K | -6% | 340 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $61K | -6% | 1,630 |
| Merced | $60K | -8% | 100 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $60K | -8% | 150 |
| Fresno | $60K | -9% | 710 |
| Chico | $60K | -9% | 80 |
| Salinas | $60K | -9% | 270 |
| Yuba City | $59K | -10% | 70 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $58K | -11% | 240 |
| El Centro | $58K | -12% | 100 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $57K | -13% | 500 |
| Redding | $55K | -15% | 80 |
| Visalia | $55K | -16% | 240 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a payroll and timekeeping clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 57% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new payroll and timekeeping clerks typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,767/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 89% 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 California?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $65K here vs. $58K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for payroll and timekeeping clerks?
California pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make in California?
The median is $65,340 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,120, and experienced payroll and timekeeping clerks can clear $92,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,336/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 57% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median payroll and timekeeping clerks salary is worth about $61,560 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.