Salary comparison
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks: Bellingham vs Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO pays about 4.2% more for payroll and timekeeping clerks on paper — $67,710 vs $64,990. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Fort Collins comes out ahead by $2,720 a year in real buying power.
Bellingham, WA
$64,990
$63,250
$64,990
$31.25
100
$64,990/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Fort Collins, CO
$67,710
$57,750
$78,350
$32.55
100
$67,710/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $2,720 a year (4.2%) in favor of Fort Collins. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Bellingham runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Fort Collins sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Fort Collins is the better deal by $2,720 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Bellingham to Fort Collins for this role, the raise needs to beat 4.2% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do payroll and timekeeping clerks earn more, Bellingham or Fort Collins?
Fort Collins pays $67,710 on median — about 4.2% more than Bellingham ($64,990). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Fort Collins. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Fort Collins gives you roughly$67,710 of real buying power versus $64,990 in the other city.