Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks Salary
The median pay for a payroll and timekeeping clerks in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $57,300/year ($27.55/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $65,817 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 27.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $57K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.06). 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Payroll and timekeeping clerks pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $58K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,051/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $59K | $64K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $57K | $64K |
| Cedar Rapids | $53K | $60K |
| Dubuque | $44K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $27K 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 27.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for payroll and timekeeping clerks in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new payroll and timekeeping clerks typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,375/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $58K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for payroll and timekeeping clerks?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $57,300 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,590, and experienced payroll and timekeeping clerks can clear $66,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,770/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 27.9% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 87.06 (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 $65,817 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.