Payroll Administrator Career Info

Duties and Responsibilities of a Payroll Administrator

A payroll administrator ensures that employees are paid on time and that all paychecks are accurate. If there are any inaccuracies in paychecks, then the payroll administrator would also be responsible for addressing these issues and seeing that they are resolved. Other duties include entering timesheet data into a computer program or overseeing an online payroll system whereby employees input their own hours. For companies that do not yet have online or computer payroll systems, a payroll administrator would screen timecards for relevant information. Payroll administrators are also responsible for calculating taxes. Other duties are specified in these Monster.com job postings:

• 'Heavy data entry of payroll data, balancing payroll runs, producing tax payments, assisting employees with questions (60% of the position.) Maintenance and reporting of payroll system, computation of withholdings and deductions (40% of the position.)' --Consumer Source Inc.
• 'Assist in the preparation and processing of the bi-weekly payroll. Processes exception items such as commissions, bonuses, and other payments. Coordinates and consolidates payroll data input from various job sites to ensure information is accurate, complete and received in a timely manner. Conducts audits to verify accuracy of employee earnings, W-2 statements, and other related payroll reports.' --Invitrogen

Job Requirements

Most employers only require high school diplomas or GEDs. However, some employers may require that candidates have the proper certifications. There are two certificates available through the American Payroll Association -- the Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) and the Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC.) The advanced CPP certificate is only available to payroll workers that have three years of relevant experience. A payroll administrator must be extremely organized, as this job requires dealing with large amounts of data. They must also demonstrate tact when handling sensitive payroll information. Other job requirements may be similar to the following as found in jobs posted on Monster.com:

• 'Minimum high school diploma or equivalent. Knowledge in Payroll and Accounting practices acquired through college level courses and/or equivalent work experience. Requires minimum of 1 year of related experience in a multi-state payroll environment, accounting/payroll training, as well as knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets and database management.' --Invitrogen
• '4+ years previous experience. Ceridian experience a strong plus.' --Consumer Source Inc.

Employment Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment outlook for payroll administrators is expected to grow as fast as the national average for all other jobs to 2014. Payroll professionals that have many years of experience and are certified will have better job prospects than those without. The duties of a payroll administrator are becoming more and more complex and now encompass database systems and complex employment retirement and investment plans. Experience with computer payroll systems is a highly desired quality for many employers. The median annual salary of a payroll administrator is $30,350.