Payroll administrator
Payroll administrators make sure employees get paid the right amount on the right date.
Also known as: Payroll clerk, payroll officer
- Starter salary£22,000 a year
- Experienced£35,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 39 a week
What you'll do
As a payroll administrator, you will:
- enter employee data onto a payroll system
- process wages, overtime, deductions and send out pay slips
- calculate statutory contributions like pensions and National Insurance
- audit information to make sure it's accurate and up-to-date
- answer staff queries about timesheets or pay slips
- create payroll reports for management
Working environment
You could work in an office.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- administration skills
- the ability to work well with others
- maths knowledge
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to work on your own
- excellent verbal communication skills
- the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a payroll administrator
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- applying directly
College
You could do a college course which will give you some of the skills you'll need to apply for a trainee payroll position or an apprenticeship. Some of the courses that are available include:
- bookkeeping
- computerised payroll
- a T Level in accounting
Some courses can be studied at college or by distance learning. Speak to your chosen college to find the right level of course for you.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
Apprenticeship
You could apply for a Payroll Administrator Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.
If you want to train for management, you could do a Payroll Assistant Manager Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship.
These apprenticeships are offered by commercial companies and public sector organisations, and take around 2 years to complete.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Work
You may be able to join a payroll department as an assistant or take on payroll responsibilities while working in a related role like human resources or finance. You could then do on-the-job training through a professional body, such as:
- The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals
- Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers
Courses are available from introductory level to foundation degree and higher.
Direct application
You could apply directly for jobs. Employers will expect you to have GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including maths.
While experience in payroll is not always essential to start, a background in bookkeeping or accounts could help improve your job prospects.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a manager of a payroll or finance department in a large organisation, like a local authority or the NHS.
You might also:
- move into pensions management or human resources
- train to qualify as an accountant
- work in payroll software development
- manage an agency that provides payroll services to businesses
Career tips
You'll get training in payroll software when you start a job but good computer skills, especially with spreadsheets, will give you an advantage when looking for work.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleAccounting technician
- Job roleBookkeeper
- Job rolePensions administrator
- Job roleHuman resources officer
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0