Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay range in Merced
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,270 a year or less, while the top 10% make $81,900 or more. The middle half of payroll and timekeeping clerks in Merced earn between $50,800 and $70,880.
- $42K10th
- $51K25th
- $60KMedian
- $71K75th
- $82K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $62,340 | $5,195 | $29.97 |
| Median | $60,350 | $5,029 | $29.01 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,800 | $4,233 | $24.42 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $70,880 | $5,907 | $34.08 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay in Merced vs. California and the U.S.
Payroll and timekeeping clerks in Merced earn 9% less than the California average ($68,580) and 5% more than the U.S. average ($59,630). At the median the gap is +4% against the U.S. median of $58,260.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced | $62,340 | $60,350 | $42,270 | $81,900 | 100 |
| California | $68,580 | $65,340 | $46,120 | $92,080 | 20,590 |
| United States | $59,630 | $58,260 | $39,500 | $81,350 | 153,140 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary after taxes in Merced
On the average salary of $62,340, a single filer in Merced takes home about $50,337 a year, or $4,195 a month and $1,936 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Merced a good place for payroll and timekeeping clerks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Merced area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.3), so the average $62,340 buys what about $63,434 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Merced ($47,220). A typical home costs $419,171, or 6.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in other California cities
Merced ranks 15th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($84,640).
- San Jose$84,640
- San Francisco$81,730
- Santa Rosa$69,640
- Los Angeles$68,830
- Napa$67,880
- Sacramento$66,670
- Vallejo$66,440
- Santa Cruz$66,230
- San Diego$65,590
- Merced$62,340
Highest-paying cities for payroll and timekeeping clerks
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($84,640).
- San Jose, CA$84,640
- San Francisco, CA$81,730
- Seattle, WA$70,360
- Santa Rosa, CA$69,640
- Bremerton, WA$69,250
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Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in Merced: questions
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make an hour in Merced?
$29.97 an hour on average, and $29.02 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks salary in Merced?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,270 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,800, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the payroll and timekeeping clerks take-home pay in Merced?
About $50,337 a year ($4,195 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $62,340. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do payroll and timekeeping clerks earn more in Merced than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% more than the U.S. average for this job ($59,630).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 43-3051; area Merced, CA (32900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.27, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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