Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for payroll bookkeepers in the United States
Payroll bookkeeper job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected payroll bookkeeper job growth rate is -3% from 2018-2028.
About -38,500 new jobs for payroll bookkeepers are projected over the next decade.
Payroll bookkeeper salaries have increased 11% for payroll bookkeepers in the last 5 years.
There are over 358,126 payroll bookkeepers currently employed in the United States.
There are 8,176 active payroll bookkeeper job openings in the US.
The average payroll bookkeeper salary is $46,087.
Are payroll bookkeeper jobs in demand?
Payroll bookkeeper job and salary trends over time
Payroll bookkeeper jobs over time
Payroll bookkeeper job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 358,126 | 0.11% |
| 2020 | 337,638 | 0.10% |
| 2019 | 355,071 | 0.11% |
| 2018 | 359,050 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | 364,368 | 0.11% |
Average payroll bookkeeper salary over time
Payroll bookkeeper salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $46,087 | $22.16 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $45,264 | $21.76 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $44,156 | $21.23 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $43,019 | $20.68 | +3.5% |
| 2021 | $41,549 | $19.98 | +3.4% |
Payroll bookkeeper jobs by state
Most common states for payroll bookkeepers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 34 | 3% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 24 | 3% |
| 3 | California | 39,536,653 | 607 | 2% |
| 4 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 168 | 2% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 136 | 2% |
| 6 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 107 | 2% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 96 | 2% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 75 | 2% |
| 9 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 61 | 2% |
| 10 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 30 | 2% |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 22 | 2% |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 18 | 2% |
| 13 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 15 | 2% |
| 14 | Alaska | 739,795 | 14 | 2% |
| 15 | Vermont | 623,657 | 11 | 2% |
| 16 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 84 | 1% |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 72 | 1% |
| 18 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 27 | 1% |
| 19 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 12 | 1% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 3 | 1% |
Most common cities for payroll bookkeepers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vista | 1 | 1% | $59,994 |
Payroll Bookkeeper job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of payroll bookkeeper experts
Eastern Illinois University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Iona College
University of Texas at El Paso
Florida International University
Winona State University
Dr. Nicholas Robinson
Director of AccountancyEastern Illinois University
EIU School of Business
What soft skills should all Payroll Bookkeepers possess?
Dr. Nicholas Robinson: Thinking of the less than the obvious answer would be the ability to ask questions the right way. If something is unclear or you just cannot figure it out, ask a question. The key part to this is TRYING to figure it out first and understanding when you are wasting your own time not getting anywhere. People will respect that you tried before coming to them for help. Another aspect of asking questions is listening to the answer. Make sure the answer is clear, and you know where or what you are supposed to do from there. Carry a notebook or something like that to both write down the questions you have on your project and their answers. I always find it impressive when people take notes and pay attention to the answer because it happens far too often that people ask questions but never listen to the response.
What technical skills for a Payroll Bookkeeper stand out to employers?
Zev Fried Ph.D.: For accountants, the same skills that were always needed such as proficiency with numbers, use of different types of computer software, and problem identification and solving are still needed. Emerging from the pandemic, there are also added skills such as the ability to work remotely and collaborate and share your work that will be important to employers.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Payroll Bookkeepers?
Qian Song Ph.D.: Certifications in data analytics and other technological skills are expected to have the biggest impact on future job prospects. Universities such as MIT, Cornell, Columbia and organizations such as IBM, Dell and Microsoft are offering certifications in data analytics and other technology. An increasing number of institutions are adding business analytics degrees or data analytics and other technology courses in their curricula.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Payroll Bookkeepers?
Dr. Andrew Griffith: As a student (both undergraduate and graduate), the most important experience you can have while a student is collaborating with faculty on research projects that lead to co-authorship of academic research publications in legitimate, highly visible journals. For the past several years, higher education institutions have advocated for continual learning (AKA lifetime learning). I see this become more of a requirement than an elective as the workforce evolves over the next few decades. The institutions that will be truly successful in adding long-term value to their students' futures in the workforce are the ones that embrace research in high quality journals AND include their students on their projects. The collaboration of students with faculty on academic research that addresses real life problems or pushes the field forward is critical to those students' future success because it helps them understand the value of and how to use academic research. That experience also equips these students with the skills necessary to be able to identify early where their field of expertise is going throughout their careers. The engagement of students with current research projects at the undergraduate and graduate levels of higher education is a trend that is emerging in the business disciplines and it will become more obvious as the workforce evolves. In the long run, the lack of engaging students at all levels through serious academic research will certainly contribute to hastening the demise of financially insecure higher education institutions in the U.S.
Regarding certifications and licenses in the accounting field, I cannot emphasize enough that anyone entering the accounting field must make it a priority to obtain more than just the minimum licenses and credentials required to obtain or retain an employment opportunity. Meeting just the minimum expectations of their employment market is insufficient and will limit their employment opportunities. As Charles Windeknecht of Atlas Air Worldwide once said to some of my students, "Today is the day to get ready for the opportunities of tomorrow. If you don't, the opportunities of tomorrow will pass you by." His words are very accurate. To maximize one's employment opportunities while in the workforce, each of us need to exceed the minimum qualifications and expectations of every role we hold and pursue in the workforce. With that in mind, I highly recommend and encourage those in the accounting field to obtain the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) as a minimum qualification goal because this is the #1 credential sought by employers according to Robert Half International (see https://www.roberthalf.com/blog/salaries-and-skills/finance-and-accounting-certifications-employers-want-to-see). Based on the data presented by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, I conclude that approximately half of the people working in the accounting field hold an active CPA license. This statistic alone is suffient enough to justify the CPA as everyone's first license/credential goal in the accounting field. Once that goal has been satisfied, I recommend that each person quickly shift their focus to any major licenses and certifications that are more in line with their career goals and current career opportunities. For example, if a CPA wants to work primarily in income taxation, then that person should also obtain the Enrolled Agent (EA) credential because it adds tangible value to those in the tax field. I also recommend that CPAs and EAs in the tax field consider obtaining the US Tax Court Practitioner (USTCP) credential. Another example involves CPAs who want to work in internal audit; they should obtain the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and other related credentials offered by The Institute of Internal Auditors as quickly as they can. CPAs who want to work in the fraud examination field should consider the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. CPAs who want to seek management positions should consider the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and/or the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) from the Institute of Management Accountants.
I highly recommend that "minor" credentials in every field be avoided because they do not add value to one's career. Instead, those consume valuable resources including time and money. Everyone is much better off pursuing well established and widely recognized licenses and credentials that are highly desired by employers and serve to enhance one's career opportunities. With that in mind, the list compiled by Robert Half International is a great starting place. As a selling point to get people to spend their money, most organizations that offer a professional credential in the accounting field make a claim that their credential holders make more money than those without the promoted credential. Such statements are often very misleading or not true. Unless one works for a beauracy (like the federal government), obtaining the next degree or license or certification does not normally result in a salary increase. Instead, the major accounting licenses and credentials will create more career opportunities for their holders that, depending on how one performs with the new opportunities, could lead to other better compensated opportunities. In other words, an employee's performance has a larger role in influencing compensation over time than some of these organizations are willing to acknowlege in their quest to entice people to spend their money to obtain the promoted credentials.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Payroll Bookkeeper job market given the pandemic?
David Folsom Ph.D.: Although hiring for new graduates has slowed some, accounting firms are still recruiting for new positions. The students who have placed good job positions demonstrated leadership, adaptability, and a clear vision of what they can offer the firms/companies that employ them. Being able to successfully use technology and adapt to new technology is a needed skill as the workplace for accountants has largely moved to home or remote work. I believe the pandemic accelerated a commitment in the accounting profession to increased flexibility for workers and increased reliance on emerging technologies.
What's a day at work look like for a Payroll Bookkeeper?
Jose Aldrich: -Wake-up and turn on your computer to review the tasks waiting for them that day.
-Detailed work assigned by their immediate boss.
-Listening and learning at meetings whether in person or remote.
-Asking a lot of questions
-Developing a network of colleagues you can rely on when some help is needed.
-Contributing to the success of a project by detail work or providing ideas and input.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Payroll Bookkeepers?
Jodi Olson: We expect our graduates to be even more resilient to change and highly technology savvy, because of the necessary adaptations and remote workflow requirements students have had to overcome in achieving academic success and internship responsibilities during the pandemic. We see this as an enhancement to the skills they will bring to their employers, which already expect incoming graduates to be on the cutting edge of technological advancements, working toward a paperless environment, and keeping up with the many recent and continuing changes for the profession.
What's a day at work look like for a Payroll Bookkeeper?
Jodi Olson: Graduates could see a range of possibilities from working entirely remotely to fully on-site with precautions in place, based on recent graduate and internship experiences we have seen during the pandemic. Except for a very few internships cut short or cancelled immediately at the onset of the pandemic as the profession adapted to unknowns and putting safety measures in place, we have not seen a significant change in the demand for interns or graduates. Some new graduates expect their first day on the jobs to be remote and feel ready to meet that challenge being familiar with the technology required to be productive and communicate virtually. It has become an assumption that precautions are in place, regardless of the remote or in-person setting. It seems that both graduates and employers are working hard together to achieve success, both with caution and the usual high professional standards.