The salary of a Payroll Clerk I in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Payroll Clerk I in the United States is $45,468. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $37,807 to a high of $53,981, with most professionals earning between $41,458 and $49,924.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $49,924 | $4,160 | $960 | $24 |
| Average | $45,468 | $3,789 | $874 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,458 | $3,455 | $797 | $20 |
An entry-level Payroll Clerk I with less than 1 year of experience earns about $45,169. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $45,934. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $46,599. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $46,798, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $46,931.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Payroll Clerk I | $45,169 |
| Intermediate Level Payroll Clerk I | $45,934 |
| Senior Level Payroll Clerk I | $46,599 |
| Specialist Level Payroll Clerk I | $46,798 |
| Expert Level Payroll Clerk I | $46,931 |
| Entry Level | 1% |
| Mid Level | 1% |
| Senior Level | 2% |
| Top Level | 3% |
| Experienced | 3% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of April 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Payroll Clerk I compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $39,792 in 2023 to approximately $39,461 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Payroll Clerk I salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Payroll Clerk I information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Payroll Clerk I job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Payroll Clerk I and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $45,468 | 66.7% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $3,478 | 5.1% | ||
| 401K/403B | $1,910 | 2.8% | ||
| Disability | $909 | 1.3% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 12.3% | ||
| Pension | $2,455 | 3.6% | ||
| Time Off | $5,596 | 8.2% | ||
| Total Compensation | $68,169 | 100% | ||
The average annual salary of Payroll Clerk I is $45,468. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Payroll Clerk I is $22; the average weekly pay of Payroll Clerk I is $874; the average monthly pay of Payroll Clerk I is $3,789.
A Payroll Clerk I's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Payroll Clerk I earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Payroll Clerk I is $57,349.
The highest pay for Payroll Clerk I is $53,981.
The lowest pay for Payroll Clerk I is $37,807.
Prepares and processes payroll and associated information. Collates and verifies data and inputs into the payroll system. Updates payroll records and processes routine changes to employee records. Performs basic reconciliation and auditing processes during each pay cycle. Responds to pay-related inquiries from staff. Researches and resolves errors or omissions. May prepare and submit reports and forms required by IRS or other regulatory bodies. Follows all processing procedures, adheres to policies, and maintains confidentiality. Typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent. Typically reports to a supervisor. Works under the close direction of senior personnel in the functional area. Possesses a moderate understanding of general aspects of the job. May require 0-1 year of general work experience.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Customer Service: Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
General Ledger: Creating and keeping track of business transactions and activities to monitor financial operations.
Bookkeeping: Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions, and is part of the process of accounting in business. Transactions include purchases, sales, receipts, and payments by an individual person or an organization/corporation. There are several standard methods of bookkeeping, including the single-entry and double-entry bookkeeping systems. While these may be viewed as "real" bookkeeping, any process for recording financial transactions is a bookkeeping process. Bookkeeping is the work of a bookkeeper (or book-keeper), who records the day-to-day financial transactions of a business. They usually write the daybooks (which contain records of sales, purchases, receipts, and payments), and document each financial transaction, whether cash or credit, into the correct daybook—that is, petty cash book, suppliers ledger, customer ledger, etc.—and the general ledger. Thereafter, an accountant can create financial reports from the information recorded by the bookkeeper.
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