Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,340 a year or less, while the top 10% make $87,990 or more. The middle half of payroll and timekeeping clerks in Chicago earn between $49,750 and $77,230.
- $42K10th
- $50K25th
- $63KMedian
- $77K75th
- $88K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $64,400 | $5,367 | $30.96 |
| Median | $62,920 | $5,243 | $30.25 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,750 | $4,146 | $23.92 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $77,230 | $6,436 | $37.13 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $64,400, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $50,879 a year, or $4,240 a month and $1,957 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $52,023 | $4,335 |
| Working in IL | $50,879 | $4,240 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for payroll and timekeeping clerks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $64,400 buys what about $62,165 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 5.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 7 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$64,400
- Champaign$60,210
- Bloomington$60,110
- Springfield$58,800
- Peoria$58,500
- Decatur$58,330
- Rockford$57,300
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 Chicago: questions
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make an hour in Chicago?
$30.96 an hour on average, and $30.25 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,340 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,750, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the payroll and timekeeping clerks take-home pay in Chicago?
About $50,879 a year ($4,240 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $64,400.
Do payroll and timekeeping clerks earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($60,364).
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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.94, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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