Job description template

Payroll Clerk Job Description Template

A copy-ready payroll clerk job description with responsibilities, qualifications, skills and pay guidance: customize it for your company in minutes.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
How to use this template

Copy the template below, replace the bracketed fields and tailor duties to your workplace. For pay, national BLS data shows payroll clerks earn a median of $58,260 ($28.01/hour); the middle 50% earn $47,990–$69,600.

Job title

Payroll Clerk

Job summary

[Company name] is seeking a dependable payroll clerk to join our team in [city, state]. In this role, you will collect time records, calculate pay and support our team’s commitment to safety, quality and service.

Responsibilities

  • Collect time records
  • Calculate pay
  • Process deductions
  • Run payroll
  • Answer pay questions
  • File payroll taxes
  • Maintain records
  • Follow company policies, safety procedures and applicable regulations

Required qualifications

  • High school diploma or equivalent
  • Working knowledge of payroll processing and wage and hour law
  • Accuracy and confidentiality
  • [Add role-specific requirements, such as driver’s license or ability to pass a background check, if job-related]

Preferred qualifications

  • FPC
  • CPP
  • Payroll software certifications
  • Experience with ADP

Skills

  • Payroll taxes
  • Timekeeping systems
  • Excel
  • Reconciliation
  • Reliability
  • Customer service

Work environment and schedule

Payroll clerks work in HR and accounting offices, and remotely. Full-time hours with firm payroll deadlines.

Pay and benefits

$[min]–$[max] per [hour/year], depending on experience. [List benefits: health insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, training and certification support.]

Equal opportunity

[Company name] is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law, and we provide reasonable accommodations upon request.

Tips for a payroll clerk job posting that attracts applicants

  • Use the title candidates search for. “Payroll Clerk” is the clearest; alternates include Payroll Specialist, Timekeeping Clerk, Payroll Administrator.
  • Show the pay range. Postings with pay get more qualified applicants, and a growing number of states and cities require pay ranges in job postings.
  • Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves. Long requirement lists discourage qualified candidates, especially career changers.
  • Describe a real day. Borrow from our day in the life of a payroll clerk so applicants self-select accurately.
  • Mention training. Highlighting structured onboarding: such as Payroll Clerk training: widens your applicant pool.

Next steps

Screen and interview with our Payroll Clerk hiring guide, then onboard with the 30-60-90 day plan.

Team pricing