← Back to all jobs
Payroll Clerk
Office & AdminYou make sure everyone gets paid correctly and on time, which makes you either the most popular or most hated person in the building depending on whether the direct deposits hit. You'll calculate hours, process deductions, file tax forms, and explain to employees why their paycheck is smaller than they expected. Spoiler: it's taxes. It's always taxes.
Salary Range
Low
$32k
Median
$46k
High
$62k
10-Year Growth
slower than average
US Workers
135K
Education
Associate's degree or equivalent experience + Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) preferred
Environment
indoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Payroll processing software (ADP, Paychex, Workday)
- ▸Federal and state tax withholding calculations
- ▸W-2 and 1099 preparation
- ▸Garnishment and deduction processing
- ▸Timekeeping systems (Kronos, UKG)
- ▸Quarterly and annual payroll tax filings
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Accuracy and precision
- ▸Confidentiality
- ▸Organizational skills
- ▸Problem-solving
- ▸Communication with employees
What you'll actually do
- 01Process payroll for hundreds of employees and triple-check everything because underpaying people is a lawsuit
- 02Calculate overtime, PTO, garnishments, and deductions that make a paycheck look like it went through a shredder
- 03File quarterly tax reports and year-end W-2s while the IRS watches your every move
- 04Answer employee questions about why their take-home pay is lower than they expected — every single pay period
- 05Reconcile payroll accounts and fix discrepancies before the auditors find them first
Related Shifts
Think this could be you?
Take the Career DNA Quiz to see if this role fits your personality.
Take the Quiz