Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay in California

In California, the median pay for payroll and timekeeping clerks is $31.41 an hour ($65,340 a year). About 20,590 people work in this job there.

$31.41Median hourly pay

$56,230–$78,870Middle half of workers, yearly

20,590People in this job in California

That is 12% higher than the U.S. median ($58,260). California ranks 2nd of 51 states and territories for this job’s median pay.

Pay range for payroll and timekeeping clerks in California

Earns more than	Hourly	Yearly
10% of workers	$22.17	$46,120
25% of workers	$27.03	$56,230
Half of workers (median)	$31.41	$65,340
75% of workers	$37.92	$78,870
90% of workers	$44.27	$92,080

Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay in California metro areas

Metro area	Median yearly pay	People in this job
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont	$80,510	2,260
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara	$77,950	1,000
Santa Rosa-Petaluma	$68,870	300
Santa Cruz-Watsonville	$68,380	120
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom	$65,810	2,000
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim	$65,040	6,600
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad	$63,810	1,840
Vallejo	$63,170	190
Napa	$62,920	100
Hanford-Corcoran	$62,050	90
Modesto	$61,980	260
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura	$61,310	320
Stockton-Lodi	$61,230	340
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario	$61,200	1,630
Merced	$60,350	100
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles	$60,040	150
Fresno	$59,730	710
Chico	$59,720	80
Salinas	$59,530	270
Yuba City	$58,840	70
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara	$57,970	240
El Centro	$57,610	100
Bakersfield-Delano	$56,650	500
Redding	$55,430	80
Visalia	$54,890	240

California unemployment rate: 5.1% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for payroll and timekeeping clerks

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
Related work experience most have: 2 to 4 years (O*NET)
Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
Job outlook: -15.9% over ten years, declining · about 11,400 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in California

Job	Median yearly pay
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks	$59,230
Billing and Posting Clerks	$56,260
Tellers	$46,900
Bill and Account Collectors	$57,930
Procurement Clerks	$56,160
Financial Clerks, All Other	$58,100
Gambling Cage Workers	$37,650

Other job titles for this job

Personnel TechnicianPayroll SpecialistTimekeeperBonus ClerkCheckmanCommissions ClerkFlight Crew SchedulerFlight Crew Time ClerkHR and Payroll AdminHR Administrative AssistantHuman Resources CoordinatorPayroll Admin

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.