Correspondence Clerks
Correspondence Clerks (SOC 43-4021) earn a median $46,800 a year ($22.50 an hour) in the United States, with 4,290 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Connecticut.
What correspondence clerks do
Correspondence clerks write letters or electronic messages answering requests for merchandise, damage claims, credit information, past-due accounts, billing mistakes, and complaints about poor service. The clerk reads each incoming message to work out what the writer is concerned about and what should happen to it. When a reply is needed, the clerk gathers the records that bear on the problem, checks them for completeness and accuracy, attaches them to the file, and writes the response. Matters that belong to another department are routed there for reply. Other duties include producing documents including damage claims, invoices, and replies on credit, billing, and service matters, compiling data from records into periodic reports, and maintaining files and control records that show what correspondence has been handled. The occupation overlaps with customer service representatives, who answer routine inquiries directly, and with secretaries, who write on behalf of a particular executive.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Authorization and Referral Coordinator, Authorization Coordinator, Authorization Representative (Authorization Rep), Authorization Specialist, Chargeback Specialist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.01 | $18.56 | $22.50 | $26.97 | $31.02 | $23.12 | 4,290 |
| Annual | $33,300 | $38,610 | $46,800 | $56,090 | $64,510 | $48,090 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where correspondence clerks earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $20.60 | $24.60 | $29.48 | $31.02 | $31.02 | $27.85 | 70 | 0.04 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $42,840 | $51,170 | $61,310 | $64,510 | $64,510 | $57,920 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $23.87 | $25.81 | $29.41 | $35.43 | $36.29 | $29.63 | 110 | 0.06 | 2.07 |
| Annual | $49,660 | $53,690 | $61,160 | $73,700 | $75,490 | $61,640 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.85 | $21.35 | $25.79 | $31.68 | $38.98 | $27.75 | 240 | 0.01 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $37,130 | $44,410 | $53,640 | $65,900 | $81,070 | $57,720 | ||||
| Idaho | Hourly | $22.30 | $23.89 | $24.53 | $25.82 | $26.68 | $24.28 | 40 | 0.05 | 1.64 |
| Annual | $46,380 | $49,700 | $51,010 | $53,700 | $55,490 | $50,510 | ||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $18.88 | $18.88 | $23.94 | $23.94 | $23.94 | $22.01 | 60 | 0.06 | 1.98 |
| Annual | $39,270 | $39,270 | $49,800 | $49,800 | $49,800 | $45,780 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.72 | $19.27 | $23.49 | $28.83 | $32.03 | $24.20 | 830 | 0.06 | 2.14 |
| Annual | $36,850 | $40,070 | $48,860 | $59,960 | $66,620 | $50,330 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.19 | $19.34 | $23.73 | $29.00 | $32.12 | $25.12 | 540 | 0.06 | 2.02 |
| Annual | $37,840 | $40,220 | $49,360 | $60,320 | $66,800 | $52,250 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 350 | 0.04 | 1.27 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.85 | $21.35 | $25.79 | $31.68 | $38.98 | $27.75 | 240 | 0.01 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $37,130 | $44,410 | $53,640 | $65,900 | $81,070 | $57,720 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 150 | 0.03 | 1.14 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $25.75 | $27.10 | $31.38 | $35.77 | $36.29 | $31.28 | 80 | 0.06 | 2.33 |
| Annual | $53,560 | $56,370 | $65,270 | $74,390 | $75,490 | $65,070 | ||||
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | Hourly | $23.89 | $23.91 | $28.01 | $28.62 | $28.62 | $26.47 | 40 | 0.22 | 7.84 |
| Annual | $49,690 | $49,730 | $58,270 | $59,530 | $59,530 | $55,050 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.45 | $20.23 | $26.94 | $28.71 | $34.66 | $25.14 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.24 |
| Annual | $32,130 | $42,070 | $56,030 | $59,720 | $72,090 | $52,290 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.29 | $19.49 | $24.83 | $30.86 | $32.78 | $26.35 | 330 | 0.04 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $38,050 | $40,540 | $51,650 | $64,180 | $68,190 | $54,810 | ||||
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | Hourly | $19.78 | $23.03 | $24.75 | $24.75 | $24.75 | $23.72 | 50 | 0.18 | 6.59 |
| Annual | $41,140 | $47,900 | $51,480 | $51,480 | $51,480 | $49,330 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.29 | $19.49 | $24.83 | $30.86 | $32.78 | $26.35 | 330 | 0.04 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $38,050 | $40,540 | $51,650 | $64,180 | $68,190 | $54,810 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.99 | $19.61 | $23.87 | $28.88 | $34.69 | $24.56 | 280 | 0.07 | 2.52 |
| Annual | $39,500 | $40,780 | $49,650 | $60,080 | $72,160 | $51,090 | ||||
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | Hourly | $18.41 | $18.42 | $23.49 | $28.24 | $29.25 | $24.22 | 130 | 0.11 | 4.09 |
| Annual | $38,290 | $38,320 | $48,860 | $58,740 | $60,840 | $50,380 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 120 | 0.02 | 0.66 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | Hourly | $18.81 | $22.81 | $22.81 | $22.81 | $24.78 | $22.96 | 90 | 0.11 | 4.02 |
| Annual | $39,120 | $47,450 | $47,450 | $47,450 | $51,530 | $47,750 | ||||
Top industries employing correspondence clerks
Automobile Dealers employ 8.9% of correspondence clerks nationally (380 jobs) at a median $33,680 a year ($16.19 an hour), followed by Business Support Services (6.5%) and Insurance Carriers (6.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automobile Dealers NAICS 441100 | 380 | 8.9% | $33,680 | $16.19 |
| Business Support Services NAICS 561400 | 280 | 6.5% | $37,130 | $17.85 |
| Insurance Carriers NAICS 524100 | 270 | 6.3% | $50,500 | $24.28 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 260 | 6.1% | $45,040 | $21.65 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 180 | 4.2% | $46,240 | $22.23 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (4,290). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,920 for correspondence clerks in May 2021 and $46,800 in May 2025, with employment of 7,060 and 4,290.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,920 | $18.23 | 7,060 |
| May 2022 | $38,700 | $18.61 | 4,970 |
| May 2023 | $42,120 | $20.25 | 4,650 |
| May 2024 | $46,740 | $22.47 | 6,260 |
| May 2025 | $46,800 | $22.50 | 4,290 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
28 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut profile | $29.48 | $61,310 | $42,840 | $64,510 | 70 | 0.04 | 1.52 |
| 2 | Oregon profile | $29.41 | $61,160 | $49,660 | $75,490 | 110 | 0.06 | 2.07 |
| 3 | California profile | $25.79 | $53,640 | $37,130 | $81,070 | 240 | 0.01 | 0.47 |
| 4 | Idaho profile | $24.53 | $51,010 | $46,380 | $55,490 | 40 | 0.05 | 1.64 |
| 5 | Nebraska profile | $23.94 | $49,800 | $39,270 | $49,800 | 60 | 0.06 | 1.98 |
| 6 | New Hampshire profile | $23.91 | $49,730 | $34,380 | $60,070 | 120 | 0.17 | 6.28 |
| 7 | Indiana profile | $23.90 | $49,710 | $32,130 | $58,740 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.84 |
| 8 | Ohio profile | $23.90 | $49,700 | $35,650 | $58,020 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.25 |
| 9 | New York profile | $23.73 | $49,360 | $37,840 | $66,800 | 540 | 0.06 | 2.02 |
| 10 | Maine profile | $23.65 | $49,180 | $40,260 | $57,840 | 40 | 0.07 | 2.47 |
| 11 | Texas profile | $23.49 | $48,860 | $36,850 | $66,620 | 830 | 0.06 | 2.14 |
| 12 | New Jersey profile | $23.32 | $48,510 | $32,220 | $63,470 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.31 |
| 13 | Virginia profile | $23.23 | $48,310 | $30,640 | $48,310 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | Nevada profile | $22.99 | $47,820 | $40,650 | $61,030 | 130 | 0.09 | 3.12 |
| 15 | Utah profile | $22.81 | $47,450 | $37,460 | $51,490 | 140 | 0.08 | 2.86 |
| 16 | Wisconsin profile | $22.79 | $47,400 | $29,780 | $67,130 | ** | ** | ** |
| 17 | Illinois profile | $22.25 | $46,280 | $39,090 | $71,840 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.29 |
| 18 | Colorado profile | $21.88 | $45,510 | $32,560 | $66,150 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.59 |
| 19 | Missouri profile | $20.86 | $43,400 | $34,260 | $46,240 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.90 |
| 20 | Tennessee profile | $20.38 | $42,390 | $35,100 | $50,280 | 100 | 0.03 | 1.15 |
| 21 | North Carolina profile | $20.35 | $42,340 | $40,400 | $62,640 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.35 |
| 22 | South Carolina profile | $20.06 | $41,710 | $37,310 | $52,480 | 130 | 0.06 | 2.10 |
| 23 | Michigan profile | $19.61 | $40,780 | $33,850 | $56,600 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.34 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania profile | $19.36 | $40,270 | $35,630 | $58,610 | 140 | 0.02 | 0.81 |
| 25 | Arizona profile | $19.18 | $39,900 | $31,400 | $59,680 | 110 | 0.03 | 1.24 |
| 26 | Louisiana profile | $17.69 | $36,790 | $31,930 | $51,210 | 60 | 0.03 | 1.09 |
| – | Florida profile | * | * | * | * | 350 | 0.04 | 1.27 |
| – | Georgia profile | * | * | * | * | 150 | 0.03 | 1.14 |
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-4021 Correspondence Clerks.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-4021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-4021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.