Career Overview
Compile and record employee time and payroll data. May compute employees' time worked, production, and commission. May compute and post wages and deductions, or prepare paychecks.
Also Known As
- Payroll Assistant
- Payroll Clerk
- Payroll Coordinator
- Payroll Specialist
Alternate Job Titles
- Accounting Assistant
- Attendance Clerk
- Bonus Clerk
- Checkman
- Commissions Clerk
- Finance Specialist
- Flight Crew Scheduler
- Flight Crew Time Clerk
- HR and Payroll Admin (Human Resources and Payroll Administrator)
- Human Resources Administrative Assistant (HR Administrative Assistant)
- Human Resources Coordinator (HR Coordinator)
- Human Resources Specialist (HR Specialist)
- Payroll Administrator (Payroll Admin)
- Payroll Analyst
- Payroll and Benefits Specialist
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Verify attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments, and post information onto designated records.
- Process and issue employee paychecks and statements of earnings and deductions.
- Compute wages and deductions, and enter data into computers.
- Process paperwork for new employees and enter employee information into the payroll system.
- Prepare and balance period-end reports, and reconcile issued payrolls to bank statements.
- Review time sheets, work charts, wage computation, and other information to detect and reconcile payroll discrepancies.
- Distribute and collect timecards each pay period.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Administrative
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Economics and Accounting
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Administration and Management
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Near Vision
- Oral Expression
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Information Ordering
- Number Facility
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Perseverance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Support
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Independence
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Kronos Workforce Timekeeper
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Oracle PeopleSoft
- SAP software
Tools & Equipment
- 10-key calculators
- Computer terminals
- Desktop computers
- Personal computers
Work Environment
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Sitting
- Telephone Conversations
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $36,670 |
| Median | $55,290 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $78,830 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 156,950
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $49,440
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $49,210
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $66,140
Billing and Posting Clerks
Education: Some College Courses
Median Salary: $47,170
Office Clerks, General
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $43,630
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.