Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks

High Risk
Low High

Explore safer careers (5)

Lower estimated automation risk

Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists
25% automation risk | Low Risk
Pays better Higher growth
46.9 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Applies pay rules, job data, benefits deductions, HR records, wage questions, policy interpretation, and reporting.

Human Resources Specialists
32% automation risk | Low Risk
Pays better Higher growth
40.4 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Transfers employee data, policies, onboarding, benefits questions, compliance records, HRIS work, and workforce communication.

Accountants and Auditors
39% automation risk | Low Risk
Pays better Higher growth
32.8 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Fits payroll clerks adding accounting credentials while reusing reconciliations, controls, payroll taxes, records, and audit support.

Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping
51% automation risk | Moderate Risk
Higher growth
21.4 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Directly reuses employee records, onboarding forms, benefits data, confidentiality, HR systems, deadlines, and staff communication.

Tax Preparers
57% automation risk | Moderate Risk
Higher growth
14.9 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Uses wage statements, deductions, withholding, documentation, deadlines, client questions, and tax-form accuracy.


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Occupation snapshot

What does this snowflake show?
The Snowflake is a visual summary of the five badges: Automation Risk (calculated), Risk (polled), Growth, Wages and Volume. It gives you an instant snapshot of an occupations profile. The colour of the Snowflake relates to its size. The better the occupation scores in relation to others, the larger and greener the Snowflake becomes.
JOB SCORE
1.8/10
What's this?
Job Score (higher is better):

We rate jobs using four factors. These are:

- Chance of being automated
- Job growth
- Wages
- Volume of available positions

These are some key things to think about when job hunting.

Risk & user votes

Calculated automation risk

72% (High Risk)

High Risk (61-80%): This occupation shows a significant risk of end-to-end replacement by automation. Many core parts of the role may be structured, repeatable, software-driven, or physically predictable enough for AI, machines, or robotic systems to take over. If you work in this area, it may be worth exploring safer related careers or moving towards more human-centred responsibilities.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Human strengths important in this job

These are human abilities and work contexts that are important in this occupation. They may help explain why parts of the role are harder to replace end-to-end, but they are not the only inputs into the automation score.

Decision-making and problem solving

Quite important
Why this matters
Analyze information, weigh tradeoffs, and choose the best solution—especially when situations are ambiguous, high-stakes, or have real-world consequences.
Jobs that also use this strength

What users think

Based on 62 votes

79% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted that it's probable this occupation will be automated. This assessment is further supported by the calculated automation risk level, which estimates 72% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?

Sentiment

Based on user votes over time

View sentiment trend

How opinions have changed over time

Pay & outlook

Wages

Low paid relative to other professions

In 2024, the median annual wage for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks was $55,290 ($27 per hour).

The median annual wage for Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks was 11.7% higher than the national median annual wage, which stood at $49,500.

View wage trend

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Growth

Very slow growth relative to other professions.

The number of 'Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks' job openings is expected to decline 16.7% by 2034

View employment trend

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2023 and 2033
Updated projections are due 09-2025.

Volume

Greater range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2024 there were 156,950 people employed as 'Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks' within the United States.

This represents around 0.10% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 982 people are employed as 'Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks'.

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What people are saying (5)

Leave a comment
Sacha Malchair (Low)
07 Oct 2025 08:02
The rules regarding the payment process is far from being simple to explain, there are a lot of rules, legal aspects, specific aspects and it is more conditionnal
Karolina (Low)
05 Aug 2025 08:31
It needs much more know-how, thinking and decisions as simple repetitive tasks. You need to know deeply international social insurace law, labour law, taxes and have analitycal skills.
Bri (Low)
13 Nov 2024 14:51
I cant get people to stop submitting their SSN via email, i cant get them to even OPEN a computer, they refuse to use technology, and you think they would go to an automated timekeeping? They refuse to use anything but paper.
Judita (Low)
15 Nov 2019 15:15
Well the robot is only as good as the information provided. Until all data coming in is completely accurate and on time payroll is safe. The amount of mistakes I got to correct due to human error keeps me in the job
Etular
16 Mar 2019 09:06
Given that human managers regularly attempt to fabricate the record of hours or miss payment deadlines (thus, requiring manual adjustments), I think payroll clerks are safe from automation at least up until the point where management are automated.

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Job description

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.

O*NET-SOC code: 43-3051.00