Payroll assistant vs payroll bookkeeper

The differences between payroll assistants and payroll bookkeepers 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 assistant and a payroll bookkeeper. Additionally, a payroll bookkeeper has an average salary of $46,087, which is higher than the $45,023 average annual salary of a payroll assistant.

The top three skills for a payroll assistant include data entry, payroll system and payroll data. The most important skills for a payroll bookkeeper are reconciliations, general ledger, and journal entries.

Payroll assistant vs payroll bookkeeper overview

	Payroll Assistant	Payroll Bookkeeper
Yearly salary	$45,023	$46,087
Hourly rate	$21.65	$22.16
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	7,063	8,176
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	4	4

Payroll assistant vs payroll bookkeeper salary

Payroll assistants and payroll bookkeepers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Payroll Assistant	Payroll Bookkeeper
Average salary	$45,023	$46,087
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $65,000	Between $34,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City	Riverhead, NY	-
Highest paying state	New York	-
Best paying company	Sidley Austin	-
Best paying industry	Construction	-

Differences between payroll assistant and payroll bookkeeper education

There are a few differences between a payroll assistant and a payroll bookkeeper in terms of educational background:

	Payroll Assistant	Payroll Bookkeeper
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Business	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Payroll assistant vs payroll bookkeeper demographics

Here are the differences between payroll assistants' and payroll bookkeepers' demographics:

	Payroll Assistant	Payroll Bookkeeper
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 16.0% Female, 84.0%	Male, 12.8% Female, 87.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 6.1% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 6.1% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between payroll assistant and payroll bookkeeper duties and responsibilities

Payroll assistant example 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.

Payroll bookkeeper example responsibilities.

Manage AR, prepare deposits and perform basic receptionist/customer service tasks in office.
Perform financial management functions including monthly financial statement preparation and bank reconciliations.
Maintain accounts receivable/accounts payable including handling cash and deposits; process reconciliations and financial reports using SchoolFunds.
Process 1099 and W2's.
Process ACH rejections and stop payments.
Post receivables of checks, ACH and credit card payments.

Payroll assistant vs payroll bookkeeper skills

Common payroll assistant skills

Data Entry, 16%
Payroll System, 7%
Payroll Data, 6%
Human Resources, 5%
ADP, 5%
Payroll Checks, 4%

Common payroll bookkeeper skills

Reconciliations, 9%
General Ledger, 7%
Journal Entries, 5%
Tax Returns, 4%
Bank Reconciliations, 4%
Payroll Processing, 4%