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What is a chief payroll clerk and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a chief payroll clerk. For example, did you know that they make an average of $25.86 an hour? That's $53,799 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -3% and produce -38,500 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreChief Payroll ClerkUS Average
Salary
4.2

Avg. Salary $53,799

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.6

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.48%

Asian 5.21%

Black or African American 7.30%

Hispanic or Latino 12.97%

Unknown 5.97%

White 67.08%

Gender

female 56.00%

male 44.00%

Age - 49
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49
Stress level
6.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.9

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a chief payroll clerk

  1. Explore chief payroll clerk education requirements

    Most common chief payroll clerk degrees

    Bachelor's

    44.4 %

    Associate

    27.8 %

    High School Diploma

    16.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific chief payroll clerk skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Budget43.97%
    Payroll43.97%
    Customer Service12.06%
  3. Complete relevant chief payroll clerk training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New chief payroll clerks learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a chief payroll clerk based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real chief payroll clerk resumes.
  4. Research chief payroll clerk duties and responsibilities

    • Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
    • Research and advise upper management orally and in writing on issues impacting payroll and/or budget.
    • Administer the payroll for the firm, using the ADP manual data entry payroll service.
    • Process payroll and supervise timekeeping functions.
  5. Prepare your chief payroll clerk resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your chief payroll clerk resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a chief payroll clerk resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable chief payroll clerk resume templates

    Build a professional chief payroll clerk resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your chief payroll clerk resume.
    Chief Payroll Clerk Resume
    Chief Payroll Clerk Resume
    Chief Payroll Clerk Resume
    Chief Payroll Clerk Resume
    Chief Payroll Clerk Resume
    Chief Payroll Clerk Resume
    Chief Payroll Clerk Resume
    Chief Payroll Clerk Resume
    Chief Payroll Clerk Resume
  6. Apply for chief payroll clerk jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a chief payroll clerk job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first chief payroll clerk job

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Average chief payroll clerk salary

The average chief payroll clerk salary in the United States is $53,799 per year or $26 per hour. Chief payroll clerk salaries range between $39,000 and $72,000 per year.

Average chief payroll clerk salary
$53,799 Yearly
$25.86 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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