Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Salary
The median pay for a payroll and timekeeping clerks in Jefferson City, MO is $50,420/year ($24.24/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.97), which stretches that salary to about $57,315 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $910/month, or 27.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $50K get you in Jefferson City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Jefferson City’s Regional Price Parity (87.97). 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 Jefferson City
Pay for payroll and timekeeping clerks in Jefferson City runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $58K. Rent runs $910/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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 Jefferson City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $59K | $62K |
| Kansas City | $57K | $61K |
| Springfield | $48K | $54K |
| Joplin | $49K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Jefferson City, MO
Entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $41K 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)
Track payroll and timekeeping clerks salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a payroll and timekeeping clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Jefferson City?
Yes — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 26.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $910/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for payroll and timekeeping clerks in Jefferson City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new payroll and timekeeping clerks typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,924/month. At HUD’s $910/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Jefferson City?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $50K here vs. $58K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Jefferson City compare to the national average for payroll and timekeeping clerks?
Jefferson City pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make in Jefferson City, MO?
The median is $50,420 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,070, and experienced payroll and timekeeping clerks can clear $73,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Jefferson City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,412/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $910/month, which eats 26.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a payroll and timekeeping clerks salary go in Jefferson City?
Jefferson City has a Regional Price Parity of 87.97 (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 $57,315 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.