Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,360 a year or less, while the top 10% make $84,340 or more. The middle half of payroll and timekeeping clerks in Santa Maria earn between $50,020 and $73,720.
- $37K10th
- $50K25th
- $58KMedian
- $74K75th
- $84K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $60,820 | $5,068 | $29.24 |
| Median | $57,970 | $4,831 | $27.87 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,020 | $4,168 | $24.05 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $73,720 | $6,143 | $35.44 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Payroll and timekeeping clerks in Santa Maria earn 11% less than the California average ($68,580) and about the same as the U.S. average ($59,630). At the median the gap is -0% against the U.S. median of $58,260.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $60,820 | $57,970 | $37,360 | $84,340 | 240 |
| 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 Maria
On the average salary of $60,820, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $49,207 a year, or $4,101 a month and $1,893 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 Santa Maria a good place for payroll and timekeeping clerks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Maria area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.8), so the average $60,820 buys what about $55,902 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Maria ($51,690). A typical home costs $1,005,339, or 16.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 18th 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
- Santa Maria$60,820
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 Maria: questions
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make an hour in Santa Maria?
$29.24 an hour on average, and $27.87 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,360 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,020, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the payroll and timekeeping clerks take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $49,207 a year ($4,101 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $60,820. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do payroll and timekeeping clerks earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (42200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.9%.
- 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 1.23, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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