Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay range in Reading
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,670 a year or less, while the top 10% make $78,180 or more. The middle half of payroll and timekeeping clerks in Reading earn between $48,320 and $66,500.
- $40K10th
- $48K25th
- $54KMedian
- $66K75th
- $78K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $57,200 | $4,767 | $27.50 |
| Median | $53,680 | $4,473 | $25.81 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,320 | $4,027 | $23.23 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $66,500 | $5,542 | $31.97 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay in Reading vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.
Payroll and timekeeping clerks in Reading earn about the same as the Pennsylvania average ($56,880) and 4% less than the U.S. average ($59,630). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $58,260.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | $57,200 | $53,680 | $39,670 | $78,180 | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,880 | $55,690 | $39,630 | $76,980 | 5,170 |
| 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 Reading
On the average salary of $57,200, a single filer in Reading takes home about $46,384 a year, or $3,865 a month and $1,784 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Reading a good place for payroll and timekeeping clerks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Reading area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.1), so the average $57,200 buys what about $58,933 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Reading ($49,440). A typical home costs $312,348, or 5.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Reading ranks 4th of 14 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Philadelphia pays the most ($60,770).
- Philadelphia$60,770
- Allentown$57,500
- Harrisburg$57,470
- Reading$57,200
- Pittsburgh$56,090
- Lancaster$54,970
- Erie$54,600
- State College$54,330
- York$54,280
- Chambersburg$53,980
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 Reading: questions
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make an hour in Reading?
$27.50 an hour on average, and $25.81 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks salary in Reading?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,670 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,320, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the payroll and timekeeping clerks take-home pay in Reading?
About $46,384 a year ($3,865 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $57,200. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do payroll and timekeeping clerks earn more in Reading than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% less 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 Reading, PA (39740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.7%.
- 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.84, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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