Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Salary in Madison, WI
The median pay for a payroll and timekeeping clerks in Madison, WI is $59,150/year ($28.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $60,798 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,168/month — about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Madison?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). 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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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $69K | +25% | 350 |
| Washington | $62K | +13% | 3,880 |
| California | $62K | +12% | 23,180 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +10% | 2,700 |
| Connecticut | $61K | +10% | 1,540 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | +10% | 1,030 |
| New York | $61K | +10% | 9,040 |
| Massachusetts | $60K | +9% | 3,470 |
| Illinois | $60K | +9% | 6,060 |
| New Jersey | $60K | +8% | 4,350 |
| Rhode Island | $60K | +8% | 290 |
| Oregon | $59K | +7% | 2,780 |
| Alaska | $59K | +7% | 290 |
| Vermont | $59K | +7% | 220 |
| North Dakota | $59K | +6% | 290 |
| Idaho | $58K | +5% | 960 |
| Hawaii | $58K | +5% | 560 |
| Delaware | $58K | +4% | 350 |
| Maryland | $58K | +4% | 2,030 |
| Nevada | $56K | +2% | 1,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $56K | +1% | 5,630 |
| Wisconsin | $55K | +0% | 2,910 |
| Virginia | $55K | -0% | 2,850 |
| Utah | $55K | -1% | 1,530 |
| Michigan | $55K | -1% | 3,920 |
| New Mexico | $54K | -2% | 890 |
| Wyoming | $54K | -3% | 170 |
| Maine | $53K | -4% | 510 |
| Nebraska | $53K | -5% | 990 |
| Georgia | $52K | -6% | 4,740 |
| North Carolina | $52K | -6% | 3,620 |
| Texas | $52K | -6% | 14,130 |
| Missouri | $52K | -6% | 3,190 |
| Ohio | $51K | -7% | 5,690 |
| South Carolina | $51K | -8% | 1,540 |
| Arizona | $51K | -8% | 3,670 |
| Montana | $50K | -9% | 540 |
| Kentucky | $50K | -9% | 1,700 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -9% | 3,240 |
| Kansas | $50K | -10% | 1,910 |
| Iowa | $50K | -10% | 1,240 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -10% | 2,310 |
| Indiana | $49K | -11% | 4,120 |
| Florida | $48K | -13% | 10,060 |
| South Dakota | $47K | -15% | 410 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -17% | 1,410 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -17% | 2,840 |
| Alabama | $45K | -18% | 1,510 |
| Mississippi | $44K | -21% | 950 |
| West Virginia | $42K | -24% | 750 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track payroll and timekeeping clerks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Madison numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make in Madison, WI?
The median is $59,150 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,730, and experienced payroll and timekeeping clerks can clear $78,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,956/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 29.5% 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 Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (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 $60,798 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.