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Payroll Clerk Salary by State (2026)
How much does a Payroll Clerk make? The median Payroll Clerk salary in the US is about $57,676 per year (roughly $28.00 an hour), across 153,140 jobs (Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks). But pay swings widely by state — the median ranges from $45,170 in Mississippi to $74,670 in District of Columbia. Pick your state below for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Payroll Clerk salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| District of Columbia | $74,670 | 270 |
| California | $65,340 | 20,590 |
| Washington | $64,560 | 3,560 |
| Colorado | $64,140 | 2,580 |
| Massachusetts | $63,670 | 3,280 |
| New Hampshire | $63,090 | 800 |
| Alaska | $62,210 | 360 |
| Connecticut | $62,200 | 1,540 |
| Hawaii | $62,070 | 700 |
| Illinois | $61,390 | 5,580 |
| Minnesota | $61,320 | 2,790 |
| New York | $61,040 | 8,400 |
| Oregon | $60,980 | 2,890 |
| New Jersey | $60,750 | 4,290 |
| North Dakota | $60,600 | 300 |
| Georgia | $59,990 | 6,720 |
| Maryland | $59,760 | 1,870 |
| Rhode Island | $59,370 | 410 |
| Wisconsin | $59,310 | 2,590 |
| Virginia | $58,250 | 3,400 |
| Nevada | $58,220 | 1,390 |
| Maine | $57,360 | 590 |
| Ohio | $57,270 | 5,820 |
| Kansas | $56,590 | 1,400 |
| Delaware | $56,430 | 320 |
| Utah | $56,430 | 1,590 |
| Michigan | $56,160 | 4,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,690 | 5,170 |
| Vermont | $55,340 | 270 |
| Montana | $55,040 | 530 |
| Nebraska | $54,900 | 910 |
| Texas | $54,090 | 13,220 |
| Iowa | $54,080 | 1,230 |
| Missouri | $54,080 | 3,460 |
| Indiana | $53,770 | 4,020 |
| North Carolina | $53,550 | 3,630 |
| New Mexico | $53,230 | 820 |
| Kentucky | $52,890 | 1,670 |
| South Carolina | $52,240 | 1,550 |
| Wyoming | $51,940 | 160 |
| Florida | $51,910 | 10,910 |
| Idaho | $51,790 | 800 |
| Tennessee | $51,780 | 3,680 |
| Louisiana | $50,800 | 2,160 |
| Arizona | $50,210 | 3,540 |
| Oklahoma | $49,920 | 2,470 |
| South Dakota | $47,680 | 370 |
| West Virginia | $47,460 | 580 |
| Alabama | $46,170 | 1,360 |
| Arkansas | $46,110 | 1,220 |
| Mississippi | $45,170 | 1,330 |
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Payroll Clerk make?
- A Payroll Clerk makes a median of about $57,676 per year in the US (roughly $28.00 per hour), according to the latest BLS data. Pay ranges from $45,170 in Mississippi to $74,670 in District of Columbia depending on the state.
- What is the average Payroll Clerk salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Payroll Clerk salary in the US is about $57,676 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 153,140 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Payroll Clerks the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median Payroll Clerk salary at $74,670 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Payroll Clerks the least?
- Mississippi has the lowest median at $45,170 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks, code 43-3051). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.