How to hire a payroll assistant

How to hire a payroll assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step payroll assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a payroll assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new payroll assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a payroll assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the payroll assistant you need to hire. Certain payroll assistant roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A payroll assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, payroll assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents payroll assistant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Payroll Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Payroll Assistant	Financial clerks do administrative work for many types of organizations. They keep records, help customers, and carry out financial transactions.	$14-31
   Timekeeper	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... Show more	$14-33
   Payroll Clerk	A payroll clerk is responsible for managing the payroll process by collecting the necessary information needed to release payments. Payroll clerks' duties include verifying timesheets, calculating necessary deductions, issuing paychecks timely, managing payment discrepancies and disputes, updating employee's payment information in the database, and creating payroll reports... Show more	$14-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Payroll System
   • Payroll Data
   • Human Resources
   • ADP
   • Payroll Checks
   • Kronos
   • Process Payroll
   • HRIS
   • Direct Deposits
   • Financial Reports
   • Child Support Orders
   • PTO
   • General Ledger

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Enter and update new employees into the timekeeping system KRONOS.
   • Perform payroll functions such as timekeeping and vacation days and submit to payroll.
   • Assist with the payroll process, time cards input and personal time off (PTO).
   • Prepare and input both weekly and biweekly payroll information using ADP software, ensuring information receive and transmit is accurate.
   • Process employee terminations including final pay calculations, PTO payment, deductions, and ensure payment meets state final pay requirements.
   • Maintain accurate records in PeopleSoft.

   More payroll assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your payroll assistant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A payroll assistant can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, payroll assistants' average salary in alabama is 48% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level payroll assistants 52% less than senior-level payroll assistants.
   • Certifications. A payroll assistant with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a payroll assistant's salary.

   Average payroll assistant salary

   $45,023yearly

   $21.65 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level payroll assistant salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average payroll assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$60,193	$29
   2	California	$58,380	$28
   3	Massachusetts	$55,204	$27
   4	Illinois	$51,234	$25
   5	Maryland	$49,180	$24
   6	New Jersey	$47,585	$23
   7	Pennsylvania	$44,855	$22
   8	Oregon	$44,501	$21
   9	Colorado	$44,434	$21
   10	Minnesota	$44,158	$21
   11	Virginia	$43,178	$21
   12	Indiana	$42,537	$20
   13	North Carolina	$41,032	$20
   14	Florida	$39,032	$19
   15	Arizona	$38,643	$19
   16	New Mexico	$37,744	$18
   17	Missouri	$37,442	$18
   18	Texas	$37,213	$18
   19	Georgia	$36,449	$18

   Average payroll assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Sidley Austin	$68,815	$33.08	1
   2	PROLIM	$63,597	$30.58
   3	Moss & Associates	$60,754	$29.21
   4	Queens Health Systems	$59,386	$28.55	1
   5	New York University	$58,847	$28.29
   6	Great Southern Bank	$57,538	$27.66
   7	Burns & McDonnell	$56,944	$27.38
   8	Calvary Hospital	$55,534	$26.70
   9	Donatech	$55,138	$26.51
   10	Northrop Grumman	$54,781	$26.34
   11	New York State Restaurant Association	$53,913	$25.92
   12	Flynn Restaurant Group	$52,338	$25.16
   13	University of California	$50,813	$24.43
   14	Aqua	$50,663	$24.36
   15	University of California-Berkeley	$50,450	$24.25
   16	G.R. Birdwell Construction	$49,417	$23.76
   17	Gypsum Management and Supply	$48,331	$23.24
   18	MYR Group	$47,859	$23.01
   19	PulteGroup	$46,979	$22.59
   20	Dreamstyle Remodeling	$46,875	$22.54

4. Writing a payroll assistant job description

   A job description for a payroll assistant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a payroll assistant job description:

   Payroll assistant job description example

   FrankCrum, voted by its employees as a Top Workplace in Tampa Bay for more than 10 years in a row, is a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) based in Clearwater, Florida. FrankCrum employs approximately 400 people who serve over 4,000 businesses by offering a full range of HR services, including payroll, employee benefits, HR consulting services and workers' compensation insurance. Our PEO is a family culture that encourages people to feel at home, collaborate, and respect each other and we live by our Pillars of Excellence which are Integrity, Prosperity, and Affinity!

   The Role You'll Play to Create Success

   We are happy to announce a full-time Payroll Assistant position filled with many exciting opportunities! In this role, you will have the opportunity to impact FrankCrum business everyday by performing E-Verify, keying employee data and assisting with basic payrolls.

   1. Coordinates and processes E-Verify for clients.
   2. Performs new and existing employee data maintenance.
   3. Assists with basic payrolls.
   4. Assists with indexing.
   5. Assist with other duties as needed.

   The Attributes We Seek

   Keys to success in this position include a high school diploma and customer service experience. Excel, Outlook, and Adobe knowledge and bilingual a plus.

   Our Competitive Benefits

   Along with this great opportunity, FrankCrum also provides exceptional benefits from top carriers including:

   • Health Insurance is $0 paycheck cost for employee's coverage and only $150/month for family!
   • Dental and Vision Insurance
   • Short Term Disability and Term Life Insurance at no cost to the employee
   • Long Term Disability and Voluntary Term Life Insurance
   • Supplemental insurance plans such as Accidental, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Legal Services and Pet Insurance
   • 401(k) Retirement Plan where FrankCrum matches 100% of the first 4% the employee contributes, and the employee is immediately vested in the employer match
   • Employee Assistance Program at no cost to the employee
   • Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical and Dependent Care Reimbursement
   • Health Savings Account funded by FrankCrum
   • Paid time off and holiday pay
   • Education reimbursement up to $5,250 tax free per calendar year
   • PTO cash out
   • Tickets at Work and access to the Corporate America Family Credit Union
   • Employee and client referral bonus program
   • Paid volunteer time

   What's Special About FrankCrum

   FrankCrum, a family-owned business-to-business entity since 1981 made of several companies: FrankCrum Corporate (a professional employer organization), FrankCrum Staffing, Frank Winston Crum Insurance Company, and the FrankCrum Insurance Agency - all based in Clearwater, Florida. This "family of employer solutions" employs more than 400 people who serve over 4,000 clients throughout the United States. FrankCrum employees are trained to deliver high value through exceptional customer service and treat clients and coworkers like family. By living by our Brand Pillars (Integrity, Affinity, and Prosperity) employees are recognized at quarterly events for exceptional customer service and milestones in tenure.

   The FrankCrum headquarters spans 14 acres and includes a cafe, subsidized for employees. Menus include made-to-order breakfast, hot lunch options and even dinners that can be ordered to-go, all at very affordable prices. The cafe also plays host to monthly birthday and anniversary celebrations, eating and costume contests, and yearly holiday parties. Through the input of its own employees, The Tampa Bay Times has recognized FrankCrum as a Top Place to Work for more than 10 years in a row! FrankCrum also supports several community efforts through Trinity Cafe, the Homeless Empowerment Program, Angel Tree, and Clearwater Free Clinic!

   If you want to play this role to positively impact our clients' day-to-day business, then apply now!

   FrankCrum is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right payroll assistant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with payroll assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit payroll assistants who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your payroll assistant job on Zippia to find and attract quality payroll assistant candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit payroll assistants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new payroll assistant

   Once you've found the payroll assistant candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new payroll assistant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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