Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,440 a year or less, while the top 10% make $91,940 or more. The middle half of payroll and timekeeping clerks in San Diego earn between $50,840 and $77,280.
- $37K10th
- $51K25th
- $64KMedian
- $77K75th
- $92K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $65,590 | $5,466 | $31.53 |
| Median | $63,810 | $5,318 | $30.68 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,840 | $4,237 | $24.44 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $77,280 | $6,440 | $37.15 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Payroll and timekeeping clerks in San Diego earn 4% less than the California average ($68,580) and 10% more than the U.S. average ($59,630). At the median the gap is +10% against the U.S. median of $58,260.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $65,590 | $63,810 | $37,440 | $91,940 | 1,840 |
| 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 San Diego
On the average salary of $65,590, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $52,707 a year, or $4,392 a month and $2,027 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% 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 San Diego a good place for payroll and timekeeping clerks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $65,590 buys what about $58,622 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 14.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 9th 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
- Riverside$63,580
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 San Diego: questions
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make an hour in San Diego?
$31.53 an hour on average, and $30.68 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,440 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,840, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the payroll and timekeeping clerks take-home pay in San Diego?
About $52,707 a year ($4,392 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $65,590. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do payroll and timekeeping clerks earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.0%.
- 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 1.21, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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