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The differences between payroll analysts and timekeepers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a payroll analyst and a timekeeper. Additionally, a payroll analyst has an average salary of $54,217, which is higher than the $46,290 average annual salary of a timekeeper.
The top three skills for a payroll analyst include customer service, payroll system and payroll data. The most important skills for a timekeeper are timekeeping, data entry, and human resources.
| Payroll Analyst | Timekeeper | |
| Yearly salary | $54,217 | $46,290 |
| Hourly rate | $26.07 | $22.25 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 15,555 | 754 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A payroll analyst is primarily in charge of overseeing a company's payroll processes and transactions, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating with human resources for accurate and complete timesheets and employee data, managing calendars and schedules, calculating wages and deductions, and performing consistent audits. There are also instances when a payroll analyst must perform clerical tasks such as processing documents, prepare progress reports, and respond to employee inquiries. Furthermore, it is essential to report to managers should there be any issues and concerns.
A Timekeeper works in various industries and organizations and is typically hired as the acting liaison between payroll coordinators and employees. This is to make sure the pay distribution process runs smoothly. As a timekeeper, you will be required to maintain an accurate track of the total number of hours worked for payroll purposes. This involves compiling payroll data from timesheets, computing wages, including the removal of taxes and social security withholding, and putting it into the computer system.
Payroll analysts and timekeepers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Payroll Analyst | Timekeeper | |
| Average salary | $54,217 | $46,290 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $74,000 | Between $30,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | Olympia, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | - |
| Best paying company | Varian Medical Systems | - |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a payroll analyst and a timekeeper in terms of educational background:
| Payroll Analyst | Timekeeper | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between payroll analysts' and timekeepers' demographics:
| Payroll Analyst | Timekeeper | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.2% Female, 75.8% | Male, 17.2% Female, 82.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.1% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 6.0% White, 57.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |