What is the best state to be a payroll and timekeeping clerks?

By the Gera US Real Pay Index, North Dakota is the best state for a payroll and timekeeping clerks: a BLS median of $60,600 is worth $68,121 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 89.0), an index of 120.8 where the average state is 100.

Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?

Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a payroll and timekeeping clerks at $74,670, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #2 of 51 on real pay (index 114.8). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

Where does a payroll and timekeeping clerks salary go least far?

Arizona ranks last of 51 states for a payroll and timekeeping clerks: a $50,210 BLS median is worth only $49,097 after tax and cost of living (index 87.0). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks

Best States to Be a Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a payroll and timekeeping clerks salary goes furthest in North Dakota — a $60,600 BLS median worth $68,121 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 120.8).

Which US states are best for a payroll and timekeeping clerks after cost of living and tax?

For a payroll and timekeeping clerks, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks North Dakota #1: a $60,600 BLS median becomes $68,121 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 120.8). Arizona ranks last ($49,097, index 87.0). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

North Dakota ranks #1 of 51 states for a payroll and timekeeping clerks. Index 100 = the average state; 120.8 means pay goes 20.8% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

120.8

Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	North Dakota	$60,600	—	89.0	$68,121	120.8
2	District of Columbia	$74,670	$3,479	109.9	$64,778	114.8
3	Wisconsin	$59,310	$1,991	94.1	$60,916	108.0
4	Ohio	$57,270	$793	92.8	$60,876	107.9
5	Alaska	$62,210	—	102.4	$60,776	107.8
6	New Hampshire	$63,090	—	104.2	$60,567	107.4
7	Washington	$64,560	—	107.0	$60,329	107.0
8	Kansas	$56,590	$2,358	90.1	$60,212	106.8
9	Colorado	$64,140	$2,162	103.1	$60,142	106.6
10	Georgia	$59,990	$2,587	96.3	$59,613	105.7
11	Minnesota	$61,320	$2,681	98.6	$59,459	105.4
12	Iowa	$54,080	$2,015	87.8	$59,325	105.2
13	Nebraska	$54,900	$1,759	90.1	$58,978	104.6
14	Illinois	$61,390	$2,898	100.0	$58,517	103.7
15	Nevada	$58,220	—	100.0	$58,232	103.2
16	Connecticut	$62,200	$1,874	103.6	$58,224	103.2
17	Missouri	$54,080	$1,661	90.8	$57,720	102.3
18	Massachusetts	$63,670	$2,964	105.8	$57,402	101.8
19	California	$65,340	$2,095	110.7	$57,121	101.3
20	Maine	$57,360	$2,257	97.0	$56,778	100.7
21	Kentucky	$52,890	$1,985	90.2	$56,462	100.1
22	Rhode Island	$59,370	$1,626	102.3	$56,456	100.1
23	Tennessee	$51,780	—	91.9	$56,362	99.9
24	Louisiana	$50,800	$1,149	88.2	$56,289	99.8
25	New Mexico	$53,230	$1,388	92.2	$56,221	99.7
26	Michigan	$56,160	$2,140	96.2	$56,144	99.5
27	Wyoming	$51,940	—	92.7	$56,036	99.3
28	Montana	$55,040	$2,109	94.6	$55,926	99.2
29	Indiana	$53,770	$1,583	93.3	$55,917	99.1
30	Texas	$54,090	—	97.1	$55,730	98.8
31	Pennsylvania	$55,690	$1,710	97.6	$55,324	98.1
32	Virginia	$58,250	$2,550	101.1	$55,092	97.7
33	Vermont	$55,340	$1,435	98.0	$55,029	97.6
34	North Carolina	$53,550	$1,734	94.3	$54,933	97.4
35	Oklahoma	$49,920	$1,834	87.8	$54,741	97.1
36	Oregon	$60,980	$4,532	103.4	$54,613	96.8
37	Maryland	$59,760	$2,506	105.0	$54,549	96.7
38	Utah	$56,430	$2,568	98.9	$54,481	96.6
39	New Jersey	$60,750	$1,809	108.8	$54,172	96.0
40	Delaware	$56,430	$2,455	99.8	$54,079	95.9
41	New York	$61,040	$2,752	107.9	$54,010	95.8
42	South Carolina	$52,240	$1,632	93.7	$53,983	95.7
43	South Dakota	$47,680	—	88.6	$53,823	95.4
44	Hawaii	$62,070	$3,187	110.0	$53,554	94.9
45	Idaho	$51,790	$1,829	95.5	$52,318	92.8
46	West Virginia	$47,460	$1,408	89.5	$51,457	91.2
47	Arkansas	$46,110	$1,590	86.9	$51,210	90.8
48	Mississippi	$45,170	$1,182	87.0	$50,588	89.7
49	Florida	$51,910	—	103.4	$50,196	89.0
50	Alabama	$46,170	$2,044	88.8	$49,679	88.1
51	Arizona	$50,210	$780	100.7	$49,097	87.0

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In North Dakota, a $60,600 salary is worth about $66,418 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $1,515 (≈ top marginal 2.50% (upper bound)) · take-home $59,085 · BEA cost of living 89.0 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $68,408, a $1,990 gain over North Dakota.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$68,408	88.6
2	Arkansas	$66,987	86.9
3	Louisiana	$66,641	88.2
4	Mississippi	$66,626	87.0
5	Iowa	$66,426	87.8
6	North Dakota	$66,418	89.0
7	Tennessee	$65,963	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$65,710	87.8
9	Wyoming	$65,379	92.7
10	Alabama	$64,814	88.8
11	Kentucky	$64,526	90.2
12	West Virginia	$64,448	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a payroll and timekeeping clerks?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, North Dakota is the best state for a payroll and timekeeping clerks: a BLS median of $60,600 is worth $68,121 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 89.0), an index of 120.8 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a payroll and timekeeping clerks at $74,670, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #2 of 51 on real pay (index 114.8). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a payroll and timekeeping clerks salary go least far?: Arizona ranks last of 51 states for a payroll and timekeeping clerks: a $50,210 BLS median is worth only $49,097 after tax and cost of living (index 87.0). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a payroll and timekeeping clerks is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.