Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $58,810 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $47,628 take-home, or $3,969 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median payroll and timekeeping clerk salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,877
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,646
- Medicare (1.45%)$853
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,805
- Take-home pay$47,628
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $2,199 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $45,429 ($3,786 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,150 | $20.26 | $34,754 | $2,896 |
| 25th percentile | $49,540 | $23.82 | $40,465 | $3,372 |
| Median (50th) | $58,810 | $28.27 | $47,628 | $3,969 |
| 75th percentile | $70,380 | $33.84 | $56,182 | $4,682 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $81,570 | $39.22 | $63,710 | $5,309 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $58,810 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median payroll and timekeeping clerk's $47,628 take-home pay has the buying power of $46,442 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk jobs are about as common in Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.84).
Best-paying cities for payroll and timekeeping clerks, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #5 of 10 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta, GA | $62,710 | $49,936 | $49,907 |
| 2 | Dallas, TX | $60,230 | $50,575 | $49,059 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $66,930 | $52,789 | $48,758 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $62,920 | $49,766 | $48,039 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $58,810 | $47,628 | $46,442 |
| 6 | Houston, TX | $54,090 | $45,641 | $46,276 |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA | $65,040 | $51,603 | $45,439 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $63,500 | $50,370 | $44,748 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 10 metros →
About the job: payroll and timekeeping clerks
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.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -15.9% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a payroll and timekeeping clerk make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median payroll and timekeeping clerk salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $58,810 a year, or about $28.27 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $49,540 and $70,380.
What is a payroll and timekeeping clerk’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $58,810 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $47,628 a year ($3,969 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,805 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a payroll and timekeeping clerk?
Pay here is 1% above the national median of $58,260. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $46,442 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #5 of 10 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a payroll and timekeeping clerk afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median payroll and timekeeping clerk’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
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- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $72,700
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $61,710
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $61,480
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs — $60,960
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators — $57,430
- Insurance Claim and Policy Processing Clerk — $57,150
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $56,480
- Loan Interviewer and Clerk — $53,780
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $52,710
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance — $51,170
- Billing and Posting Clerk — $50,190