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Payroll Clerk I Salary in Box Elder, MT

How much does a Payroll Clerk I make in Box Elder, MT?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Payroll Clerk I in Box Elder, MT is $42,639 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $20.

However, a Payroll Clerk I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $47,348
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $38,612 to $45,104
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $34,946
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View as table View as graph 25% $38,612 10% $34,946 90% $47,348 75% $45,104 $42,639 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Payroll Clerk I Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $45,104 $3,759 $867 $22
Average $42,639 $3,553 $820 $20
25th Percentile $38,612 $3,218 $743 $19
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Key Factors That Influence Payroll Clerk I Salaries

A Payroll Clerk I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Payroll Clerk Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Payroll Clerk I's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Payroll Clerk I (0-1 years): $42,639
  • Payroll Clerk II (1-3 years): $47,663
  • Payroll Clerk III (3-5 years): $53,455
  • Payroll Clerk IV (5-7 years): $58,780
  • Payroll Team Lead (7+ years): $83,464
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Payroll Clerk I0-1 years$42,639
Payroll Clerk II1-3 years$47,663
Payroll Clerk III3-5 years$53,455
Payroll Clerk IV5-7 years$58,780
Payroll Team Lead7+ years$83,464
$42,639 Payroll C...
$47,663 Payroll C...
$53,455 Payroll C...
$58,780 Payroll C...
$83,464 Payroll T...
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Payroll Clerk Is

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $57,313
  • San Francisco: $56,686
  • Oakland: $55,491

What Skills Can Increase a Payroll Clerk I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 5.98% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • HRIS (Mentioned in 2.21% Job Postings): HRIS is a management system designed specifically to provide managers with information to make HR decisions. Is a system that lets you keep track of all your employees and information about them.
  • Workday (Mentioned in 1.4% Job Postings): A cloud-based human resource management software system that unifies a wide range of HR functionality into a single system.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 5.98%
HRIS 2.21%
Workday 1.4%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Payroll Clerk I's salary.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
  • Business Administration: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Innovation
 $49,887
17%
Business Administration
 $49,461
16%
Leadership
 $48,608
14%
Consulting
 $48,182
13%
Analytical Skills
 $48,182
13%
General Ledger
 $47,755
12%
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Payroll Clerk I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Payroll Clerk I salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $47,691. While startup companies pay approximate $40,332.

Payroll Clerk I Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup1~50$40,332
Growth Stage51~500$42,658
Established501~5000$46,055
Enterprise5000+$47,691

Payroll Clerk I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Payroll Clerk I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 35% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Payroll Clerk positions in MFG Durable or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Payroll Clerk I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Payroll Clerk I

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$51,166$25.020%
Biotechnology$49,034$24.015%
Healthcare$47,755$23.012%
Business Services$46,902$23.010%
Financial Services$46,902$23.010%

Payroll Clerk I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Payroll Clerk I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Yearly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Hourly
  • Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$38,612
Average $42,639/year
$45,104
$3,218
Average $3,553/month
$3,759
$743
Average $820/week
$867
$19
Average $20/hour
$22
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $45,104 $3,759 $867 $22
Average $42,639 $3,553 $820 $20
25th Percentile $38,612 $3,218 $743 $19

Payroll Clerk I Salary Growth & Career Path

Payroll Clerk I
Payroll Clerk II
Payroll Manager

For a Payroll Clerk I, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Payroll Clerk II role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $47,663 - a projected growth of 12% over your current level.

Salaries of jobs related to Payroll Clerk I

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Cost of Living In Box Elder, MT

Cost of Living in Box Elder, MT is
-3.1% Lower
than the National Average

Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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