How much does a payroll clerk make in the United States?
This is the median gross salary: half earn more and half earn less. That is $4,855 a month.
- Approx. take-home per month
- $4,078
- Compared with the median pay in the United States
- 1.1 times
- Data from
- 2025
Where the United States ranks among 144 countries
Each line is a country, on a log scale from $100 to $100,000 a year.
In other countries
Median gross salary a year, in dollars.
| 1. Switzerland estimate | $86,730 |
| 2. Luxembourg estimate | $65,610 |
| 3. Iceland estimate | $65,030 |
| 5. Qatar estimate | $59,370 |
| 6. United States | $58,260 |
| 7. Norway estimate | $57,460 |
| 144. Nigeria estimate | $583 |
Similar jobs
Clerical support workers
- Accounts assistant$49,870
- Audit clerk$50,810
- Stock coordinator$39,310
- Production line coordinator$59,650
- Transport clerks$50,340
By state
Median gross salary a year.
| District of Columbia | $74,670 |
| California | $65,340 |
| Washington | $64,560 |
| Colorado | $64,140 |
| Massachusetts | $63,670 |
| New Hampshire | $63,090 |
| Alaska | $62,210 |
| Connecticut | $62,200 |
| Hawaii | $62,070 |
| Illinois | $61,390 |
See all 51 states
| Minnesota | $61,320 |
| New York | $61,040 |
| Oregon | $60,980 |
| New Jersey | $60,750 |
| North Dakota | $60,600 |
| Georgia | $59,990 |
| Maryland | $59,760 |
| Rhode Island | $59,370 |
| Wisconsin | $59,310 |
| Virginia | $58,250 |
| Nevada | $58,220 |
| Maine | $57,360 |
| Ohio | $57,270 |
| Kansas | $56,590 |
| Delaware | $56,430 |
| Utah | $56,430 |
| Michigan | $56,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,690 |
| Vermont | $55,340 |
| Montana | $55,040 |
| Nebraska | $54,900 |
| Texas | $54,090 |
| Iowa | $54,080 |
| Missouri | $54,080 |
| Indiana | $53,770 |
| North Carolina | $53,550 |
| New Mexico | $53,230 |
| Kentucky | $52,890 |
| South Carolina | $52,240 |
| Wyoming | $51,940 |
| Florida | $51,910 |
| Idaho | $51,790 |
| Tennessee | $51,780 |
| Louisiana | $50,800 |
| Arizona | $50,210 |
| Oklahoma | $49,920 |
| South Dakota | $47,680 |
| West Virginia | $47,460 |
| Alabama | $46,170 |
| Arkansas | $46,110 |
| Mississippi | $45,170 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a payroll clerk make a month in the United States?
The median gross salary is $4,855 a month, $58,260 a year.
How much does a payroll clerk make starting out and with experience?
The lowest-paid 10%, usually people starting out, make around $39,500 a year; the top 10%, with experience or senior roles, make more than $81,350.
Which country pays a payroll clerk the most?
United States, with a median of $58,260 a year before tax, according to our data.
Which state pays a payroll clerk the most?
District of Columbia, with a median of $74,670 a year.
Does a payroll clerk make more in the United States or in United Kingdom?
In the United States: $58,260 a year against $42,240 in United Kingdom, 1.4 times more.
Who makes more, a payroll clerk or an accounts assistant?
A payroll clerk: $58,260 a year against $49,870 for an accounts assistant, 1.2 times more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS survey, 2025. How we calculate