Payroll representative vs benefits clerk

The differences between payroll representatives and benefits clerks 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 representative and a benefits clerk. Additionally, a payroll representative has an average salary of $45,054, which is higher than the $34,841 average annual salary of a benefits clerk.

The top three skills for a payroll representative include data entry, payroll data and payroll system. The most important skills for a benefits clerk are payroll system, data entry, and open enrollment.

Payroll representative vs benefits clerk overview

	Payroll Representative	Benefits Clerk
Yearly salary	$45,054	$34,841
Hourly rate	$21.66	$16.75
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	6,076	75,454
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	4	4

Payroll representative vs benefits clerk salary

Payroll representatives and benefits clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Payroll Representative	Benefits Clerk
Average salary	$45,054	$34,841
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $63,000	Between $27,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	Hartford, CT	Los Angeles, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Minnesota
Best paying company	ABB	Monarch Casino & Resort
Best paying industry	Health Care	Government

Differences between payroll representative and benefits clerk education

There are a few differences between a payroll representative and a benefits clerk in terms of educational background:

	Payroll Representative	Benefits Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Payroll representative vs benefits clerk demographics

Here are the differences between payroll representatives' and benefits clerks' demographics:

	Payroll Representative	Benefits Clerk
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5%	Male, 13.3% Female, 86.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 6.1% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 5.9% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between payroll representative and benefits clerk duties and responsibilities

Payroll representative example responsibilities.

Initial set up of associates and day to day processes within Kronos
Field and answer employee payroll questions, assisting staff with determining quota balances, union contract terms, and proper timekeeping.
Prepare tax reports and reconciliations.
Provide individual assistance with timekeeping system as needed.
Compile and provide earning statements while utilizing PeopleSoft and excel spreadsheets.
Prepare and analyze payroll management reports for supervisors and managers, utilizing PeopleSoft reporting.

Benefits clerk example responsibilities.

Examine HMO documents to verify eligibility to process or reject into or from a manage care plan when necessary.
Enter employee data in HRIS system.
Used ADP HR/B software for benefits enrollment and reports.
Maintain retirement (401k) plan, FMLA and personnel records.
Monitor FMLA, CFRA, PDL, and personal leave of absence and premiums payments.
Update and maintain benefits data in the HRIS system to ensure accuracy and integrity of employee information.

Payroll representative vs benefits clerk skills

Common payroll representative skills

Data Entry, 7%
Payroll Data, 7%
Payroll System, 6%
Human Resources, 6%
Kronos, 4%
Customer Service, 4%

Common benefits clerk skills

Payroll System, 17%
Data Entry, 8%
Open Enrollment, 7%
Cobra, 7%
HRIS, 5%
Human Resources, 5%

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Payroll Representative vs Benefits Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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