Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,110 a year or less, while the top 10% make $88,480 or more. The middle half of payroll and timekeeping clerks in Santa Cruz earn between $56,970 and $75,360.
- $39K10th
- $57K25th
- $68KMedian
- $75K75th
- $88K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $66,230 | $5,519 | $31.84 |
| Median | $68,380 | $5,698 | $32.88 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $56,970 | $4,748 | $27.39 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $75,360 | $6,280 | $36.23 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Payroll and timekeeping clerks in Santa Cruz earn 3% less than the California average ($68,580) and 11% more than the U.S. average ($59,630). At the median the gap is +17% against the U.S. median of $58,260.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $66,230 | $68,380 | $39,110 | $88,480 | 120 |
| 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 Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $66,230, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $53,170 a year, or $4,431 a month and $2,045 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 Santa Cruz a good place for payroll and timekeeping clerks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Cruz area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.9), so the average $66,230 buys what about $60,266 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 17.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 8th 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 Santa Cruz: questions
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$31.84 an hour on average, and $32.88 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,110 a year and the 25th percentile is $56,970, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the payroll and timekeeping clerks take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $53,170 a year ($4,431 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $66,230. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do payroll and timekeeping clerks earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% 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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
- 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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