Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Salary
The median pay for a payroll and timekeeping clerks in Delaware is $56,430/year ($27.13/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.51), that's roughly $57,871 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,448/month, about 39.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Delaware. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $56K get you in Delaware?
About payroll and timekeeping clerks
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What this looks like in Delaware
Payroll and timekeeping clerks pay in Delaware tracks closely to the national median, $56K locally vs. $58K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,448/month, which is 38.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.51) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Delaware
Entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary by metro in Delaware
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | $51K | -9% | 40 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Delaware numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a payroll and timekeeping clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Delaware?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 38.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,448/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 Delaware?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new payroll and timekeeping clerks typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,321/month. At HUD’s $1,448/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Delaware?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $56K locally vs. $58K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Delaware compare to the national average for payroll and timekeeping clerks?
Delaware pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — below the national median.
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make in Delaware?
The median is $56,430 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,680, and experienced payroll and timekeeping clerks can clear $86,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Delaware?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,736/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,448/month, which eats 38.8% 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 Delaware?
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity of 97.51 (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 $57,871 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.