Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay range in Detroit
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,540 a year or less, while the top 10% make $79,030 or more. The middle half of payroll and timekeeping clerks in Detroit earn between $49,640 and $67,930.
- $39K10th
- $50K25th
- $60KMedian
- $68K75th
- $79K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $59,720 | $4,977 | $28.71 |
| Median | $59,610 | $4,968 | $28.66 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,640 | $4,137 | $23.87 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $67,930 | $5,661 | $32.66 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks pay in Detroit vs. Michigan and the U.S.
Payroll and timekeeping clerks in Detroit earn about the same as the Michigan average ($58,450) and about the same as the U.S. average ($59,630). At the median the gap is +2% against the U.S. median of $58,260.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | $59,720 | $59,610 | $38,540 | $79,030 | 1,450 |
| Michigan | $58,450 | $56,160 | $38,560 | $78,200 | 4,050 |
| 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 Detroit
On the average salary of $59,720, a single filer in Detroit takes home about $46,579 a year, or $3,882 a month and $1,792 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
Is Detroit a good place for payroll and timekeeping clerks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Detroit area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.3), so the average $59,720 buys what about $59,543 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Detroit ($52,080). A typical home costs $269,080, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks salary in other Michigan cities
Detroit ranks 5th of 14 Michigan metro areas for this job; Midland pays the most ($61,220).
- Midland$61,220
- Lansing$60,520
- Kalamazoo$60,480
- Ann Arbor$60,020
- Detroit$59,720
- Saginaw$57,430
- Traverse City$56,760
- Grand Rapids$56,320
- Muskegon$55,720
- Flint$55,340
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 Detroit: questions
How much do payroll and timekeeping clerks make an hour in Detroit?
$28.71 an hour on average, and $28.66 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level payroll and timekeeping clerks salary in Detroit?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,540 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,640, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the payroll and timekeeping clerks take-home pay in Detroit?
About $46,579 a year ($3,882 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $59,720. Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
Do payroll and timekeeping clerks earn more in Detroit 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (19820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- 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). Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.77, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.77).
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