Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
Also called: Payroll Assistant, Payroll Clerk, Payroll Coordinator, Payroll SpecialistCompile 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 17 of its 21 tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 15.9% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 1.8% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 37% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.9 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,170 | $37,520 to $55,030 | 1,360 |
| Alaska | $62,210 | $56,430 to $68,650 | 360 |
| Arizona | $50,210 | $42,760 to $60,060 | 3,540 |
| Arkansas | $46,110 | $40,260 to $55,360 | 1,220 |
| California | $65,340 | $56,230 to $78,870 | 20,590 |
| Colorado | $64,140 | $51,650 to $76,040 | 2,580 |
| Connecticut | $62,200 | $55,010 to $74,480 | 1,540 |
| Delaware | $56,430 | $48,400 to $80,250 | 320 |
| District of Columbia | $74,670 | $61,840 to $90,270 | 270 |
| Florida | $51,910 | $45,000 to $63,720 | 10,910 |
| Georgia | $59,990 | $48,760 to $69,990 | 6,720 |
| Guam | $38,550 | $31,140 to $48,740 | 60 |
| Hawaii | $62,070 | $54,590 to $76,780 | 700 |
| Idaho | $51,790 | $46,900 to $63,240 | 800 |
| Illinois | $61,390 | $48,560 to $74,820 | 5,580 |
| Indiana | $53,770 | $45,100 to $65,540 | 4,020 |
| Iowa | $54,080 | $46,070 to $61,420 | 1,230 |
| Kansas | $56,590 | $49,750 to $68,100 | 1,400 |
| Kentucky | $52,890 | $43,800 to $62,710 | 1,670 |
| Louisiana | $50,800 | $40,710 to $61,750 | 2,160 |
| Maine | $57,360 | $47,920 to $67,100 | 590 |
| Maryland | $59,760 | $48,740 to $69,350 | 1,870 |
| Massachusetts | $63,670 | $54,890 to $77,960 | 3,280 |
| Michigan | $56,160 | $48,700 to $67,150 | 4,050 |
| Minnesota | $61,320 | $53,450 to $71,190 | 2,790 |
| Mississippi | $45,170 | $36,100 to $56,840 | 1,330 |
| Missouri | $54,080 | $43,080 to $64,120 | 3,460 |
| Montana | $55,040 | $46,500 to $63,060 | 530 |
| Nebraska | $54,900 | $48,210 to $63,500 | 910 |
| Nevada | $58,220 | $45,110 to $70,030 | 1,390 |
| New Hampshire | $63,090 | $52,710 to $74,630 | 800 |
| New Jersey | $60,750 | $50,440 to $73,350 | 4,290 |
| New Mexico | $53,230 | $43,920 to $63,010 | 820 |
| New York | $61,040 | $50,700 to $73,220 | 8,400 |
| North Carolina | $53,550 | $45,680 to $62,650 | 3,630 |
| North Dakota | $60,600 | $53,550 to $66,160 | 300 |
| Ohio | $57,270 | $47,480 to $66,880 | 5,820 |
| Oklahoma | $49,920 | $39,900 to $62,200 | 2,470 |
| Oregon | $60,980 | $51,690 to $72,770 | 2,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,690 | $46,540 to $64,590 | 5,170 |
| Puerto Rico | $34,200 | $27,900 to $41,320 | 1,040 |
| Rhode Island | $59,370 | $48,310 to $71,800 | 410 |
| South Carolina | $52,240 | $45,500 to $62,400 | 1,550 |
| South Dakota | $47,680 | $43,350 to $56,520 | 370 |
| Tennessee | $51,780 | $45,300 to $61,350 | 3,680 |
| Texas | $54,090 | $45,220 to $63,940 | 13,220 |
| Utah | $56,430 | $49,820 to $65,000 | 1,590 |
| Vermont | $55,340 | $45,010 to $63,710 | 270 |
| Virgin Islands | $38,100 | $38,100 to $42,660 | 40 |
| Virginia | $58,250 | $49,380 to $68,140 | 3,400 |
| Washington | $64,560 | $58,310 to $76,390 | 3,560 |
| West Virginia | $47,460 | $36,020 to $60,860 | 580 |
| Wisconsin | $59,310 | $50,850 to $66,980 | 2,590 |
| Wyoming | $51,940 | $42,340 to $64,540 | 160 |
Nationally: $58,260. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 17 of its 21 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Verify attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments, and post information onto designated records. | Not published |
| AI + software | Keep track of leave time, such as vacation, personal, and sick leave, for employees. | Not published |
| AI + software | Record employee information, such as exemptions, transfers, and resignations, to maintain and update payroll records. | Not published |
| AI + software | Issue and record adjustments to pay related to previous errors or retroactive increases. | Not published |
| Not much | Review time sheets, work charts, wage computation, and other information to detect and reconcile payroll discrepancies. | Not published |
| AI + software | Compute wages and deductions, and enter data into computers. | 0.01% |
See all 21 tasks
| AI alone | Process and issue employee paychecks and statements of earnings and deductions. | Not published |
| AI + software | Compile employee time, production, and payroll data from time sheets and other records. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Distribute and collect timecards each pay period. | Not published |
| AI + software | Process paperwork for new employees and enter employee information into the payroll system. | Not published |
| AI alone | Prepare and balance period-end reports, and reconcile issued payrolls to bank statements. | Not published |
| AI + software | Conduct verifications of employment. | Not published |
| AI + software | Complete time sheets showing employees' arrival and departure times. | Not published |
| AI + software | Provide information to employees and managers on payroll matters, tax issues, benefit plans, and collective agreement provisions. | Not published |
| AI + software | Compile statistical reports, statements, and summaries related to pay and benefits accounts, and submit them to appropriate departments. | Not published |
| AI + software | Keep informed about changes in tax and deduction laws that apply to the payroll process. | Not published |
| AI alone | Complete, verify, and process forms and documentation for administration of benefits, such as pension plans, and unemployment and medical insurance. | Not published |
| Not much | Train employees on organizations' timekeeping systems. | Not published |
| AI + software | Balance cash and payroll accounts. | Not published |
| AI alone | Prepare and file payroll tax returns. | Not published |
| AI + software | Coordinate special programs, such as United Way campaigns, that involve payroll deductions. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 2 of the 21 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 21 tasks fall under 17 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- #20 Present research or technical information
- #30 Perform administrative or clerical activities
- and 3 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Verify personal information | |||
| Compile records, documentation, or other data | |||
| Process digital or online data | |||
| Reconcile financial data | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise | |||
| Present research or technical information | |||
| Perform administrative or clerical activities |
Show all 17 activities
| Calculate financial data | |||
| Evaluate the quality or accuracy of data | |||
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Prepare documentation for contracts, applications, or permits | |||
| Execute financial transactions | |||
| Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets | |||
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Train others on operational or work procedures | |||
| Distribute materials, supplies, or resources |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- Data or a spreadsheet41%
- Math or a calculation25%
- A document or report9%
- A chart or visualization4%
- An email or message3%
How they worked with Claude
67% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for payroll and timekeeping clerks specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 55,205 moves out
- 1 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Very high -5.6% 9%
- 2 First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers Very high +0.1% 8%
- 3 Human Resources Specialists Very high +6.4% 5%
- 4 Accountants and Auditors Very high +5.0% 5%
- 5 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 5%
Where people moved in from
of 57,282 moves in
- 1 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Very high -5.6% 9%
- 2 First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers Very high +0.1% 7%
- 3 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 7%
- 4 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 5%
- 5 Human Resources Specialists Very high +6.4% 5%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 21% high school
- 17% associate's
- 32% bachelor's
- 30% not published
O*NET marks 30% of the answers as too uncertain to publish, so the parts shown don't add up to 100%.
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 17 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 2% less than high school
- 22% high school
- 27% some college
- 15% associate's
- 27% bachelor's
- 5% master's
- 1% professional degree
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 1,598 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
1 program: Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
12.3% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | <0.5% | 19.1% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
| a certification | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (Financial Management (Alternate Title: Finance Specialist)). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/43-3051.00