Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
Machines can already do 67% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 93%. Most of the work is changing now.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 67% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 5% of them.
- Forecast: machines can already do half of its tasks, and 93% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 153,140 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $58,260 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 60% for contact with people.
- Also called: Payroll Assistant, Payroll Clerk, Payroll Coordinator, Payroll Representative.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verify attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments, and post information onto designated records | 12% | 70% to 95% | |
| Compute wages and deductions, and enter data into computers | 10% | 58% to 88% | |
| Process and issue employee paychecks and statements of earnings and deductions | 9% | 65% to 92% | |
| Review time sheets, work charts, wage computation, and other information to detect and reconcile payroll discrepancies | 9% | 70% to 95% | |
| Provide information to employees and managers on payroll matters, tax issues, benefit plans, and collective agreement provisions | 8% | 78% to 97% | |
| Prepare and balance period-end reports, and reconcile issued payrolls to bank statements | 7% | 70% to 95% | |
| Compile employee time, production, and payroll data from time sheets and other records | 7% | 70% to 95% | |
| Process paperwork for new employees and enter employee information into the payroll system | 5% | 68% to 94% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills payroll and timekeeping clerks use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Billing and Posting Clerks87% of tasks by 2035 · US median $48,500
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents73% of tasks by 2035 · US median $62,370
- Procurement Clerks81% of tasks by 2035 · US median $50,580
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks88% of tasks by 2035 · US median $50,670
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks?
Machines can already do half of its tasks. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of payroll and timekeeping clerks?
Machines can do 67% of the tasks of payroll and timekeeping clerks today and 93% by 2035. Most of the routine work moves to machines, and the people in the job move to oversight, judgement and client work.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 43-3051.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/payroll-and-timekeeping-clerks/