File Clerks
File Clerks (SOC 43-4071) earn a median $43,600 a year ($20.96 an hour) in the United States, with 73,440 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Oregon.
What file clerks do
File clerks keep an organization's records in order so that they can be found when someone asks for them. They place correspondence, cards, invoices, receipts, and similar records in order, alphabetically or numerically, or according to whatever filing system the organization has set up. Material to be filed is gathered from departments or employees, scanned or read to decide how it should be classified, and sorted by content, purpose, user criteria, or chronological, alphabetical, or numerical order. The clerk adds new material to existing file records or creates new records when needed, and logs what was filed or removed in a logbook or on a computer. When someone asks for information, the clerk finds it, makes copies, and delivers it to authorized users. Old or unnecessary material is destroyed or sent to inactive storage following file maintenance guidelines or legal requirements. Clerks may also type, answer telephones, process mail, operate office machines, and secure confidential materials. Library assistants, who work with books and borrowers, are a different occupation.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report an associate degree as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Admissions Clerk, Blueprint Clerk, Brand Recorder, Card Filer, Claims Clerk.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.00 | $17.51 | $20.96 | $24.89 | $30.53 | $21.92 | 73,440 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $36,420 | $43,600 | $51,770 | $63,490 | $45,590 | ||
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 file 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 | ||||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $16.28 | $19.42 | $24.36 | $29.33 | $32.33 | $24.47 | 970 | 0.49 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $33,860 | $40,390 | $50,660 | $61,000 | $67,240 | $50,890 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $15.47 | $18.30 | $24.34 | $24.52 | $31.09 | $23.58 | 100 | 0.17 | 0.35 |
| Annual | $32,190 | $38,060 | $50,630 | $50,990 | $64,660 | $49,040 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.44 | $18.56 | $24.00 | $30.62 | $35.11 | $25.20 | 3,780 | 0.62 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $32,120 | $38,600 | $49,920 | $63,700 | $73,040 | $52,410 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $16.52 | $19.37 | $24.00 | $29.00 | $31.26 | $24.44 | 150 | 0.47 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $34,370 | $40,300 | $49,910 | $60,310 | $65,030 | $50,840 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.68 | $19.13 | $23.58 | $30.02 | $37.55 | $25.79 | 9,520 | 0.52 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $36,780 | $39,780 | $49,040 | $62,440 | $78,100 | $53,640 | ||||
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 | $13.17 | $15.87 | $18.98 | $23.60 | $29.71 | $20.41 | 11,340 | 0.81 | 1.71 |
| Annual | $27,380 | $33,000 | $39,480 | $49,080 | $61,800 | $42,450 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.68 | $19.13 | $23.58 | $30.02 | $37.55 | $25.79 | 9,520 | 0.52 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $36,780 | $39,780 | $49,040 | $62,440 | $78,100 | $53,640 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $14.91 | $17.36 | $20.07 | $22.97 | $27.19 | $20.58 | 6,180 | 0.62 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $31,010 | $36,110 | $41,750 | $47,780 | $56,550 | $42,800 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.44 | $18.56 | $24.00 | $30.62 | $35.11 | $25.20 | 3,780 | 0.62 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $32,120 | $38,600 | $49,920 | $63,700 | $73,040 | $52,410 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $15.51 | $18.45 | $20.63 | $23.92 | $28.93 | $22.00 | 2,830 | 0.47 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $32,270 | $38,370 | $42,920 | $49,750 | $60,180 | $45,770 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $19.00 | $22.51 | $29.25 | $41.41 | $44.28 | $31.50 | 540 | 0.48 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $39,520 | $46,830 | $60,840 | $86,140 | $92,110 | $65,520 | ||||
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | Hourly | $17.89 | $19.62 | $29.10 | $29.10 | $35.66 | $26.23 | 60 | 0.65 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $37,220 | $40,800 | $60,530 | $60,530 | $74,170 | $54,560 | ||||
| Salinas, CA | Hourly | $17.47 | $20.00 | $28.38 | $34.24 | $37.38 | $27.22 | 80 | 0.43 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $36,330 | $41,600 | $59,040 | $71,210 | $77,760 | $56,620 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.30 | $19.68 | $28.04 | $30.65 | $35.72 | $26.82 | 2,640 | 0.59 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $35,990 | $40,940 | $58,320 | $63,760 | $74,300 | $55,780 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $18.20 | $19.77 | $27.29 | $30.82 | $34.57 | $26.26 | 60 | 0.43 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $37,860 | $41,120 | $56,750 | $64,110 | $71,910 | $54,610 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.95 | $18.68 | $23.29 | $29.59 | $38.31 | $25.55 | 3,930 | 0.63 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $37,330 | $38,850 | $48,450 | $61,540 | $79,680 | $53,150 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.64 | $18.74 | $21.49 | $25.40 | $30.38 | $22.96 | 3,260 | 0.34 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $34,610 | $38,980 | $44,710 | $52,840 | $63,190 | $47,750 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $14.29 | $17.13 | $20.60 | $24.82 | $32.18 | $21.69 | 3,170 | 0.78 | 1.66 |
| Annual | $29,730 | $35,630 | $42,850 | $51,630 | $66,930 | $45,110 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.30 | $19.68 | $28.04 | $30.65 | $35.72 | $26.82 | 2,640 | 0.59 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $35,990 | $40,940 | $58,320 | $63,760 | $74,300 | $55,780 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $14.25 | $16.58 | $19.90 | $25.73 | $30.57 | $21.71 | 2,580 | 0.78 | 1.66 |
| Annual | $29,640 | $34,480 | $41,400 | $53,520 | $63,580 | $45,150 | ||||
Top industries employing file clerks
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 19.6% of file clerks nationally (14,360 jobs) at a median $48,380 a year ($23.26 an hour), followed by Legal Services (11.3%) and Offices of Physicians (3.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 14,360 | 19.6% | $48,380 | $23.26 |
| Legal Services NAICS 541100 | 8,280 | 11.3% | $44,060 | $21.18 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 2,640 | 3.6% | $38,170 | $18.35 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 2,400 | 3.3% | $44,820 | $21.55 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 2,380 | 3.2% | $46,480 | $22.35 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (73,440). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $36,360 for file clerks in May 2021 and $43,600 in May 2025, with employment of 85,460 and 73,440.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $36,360 | $17.48 | 85,460 |
| May 2022 | $37,290 | $17.93 | 87,250 |
| May 2023 | $38,130 | $18.33 | 82,290 |
| May 2024 | $41,270 | $19.84 | 78,980 |
| May 2025 | $43,600 | $20.96 | 73,440 |
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
50 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 | Oregon profile | $24.36 | $50,660 | $33,860 | $67,240 | 970 | 0.49 | 1.04 |
| 2 | Hawaii profile | $24.34 | $50,630 | $32,190 | $64,660 | 100 | 0.17 | 0.35 |
| 3 | Illinois profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $32,120 | $73,040 | 3,780 | 0.62 | 1.31 |
| 4 | Alaska profile | $24.00 | $49,910 | $34,370 | $65,030 | 150 | 0.47 | 0.99 |
| 5 | California profile | $23.58 | $49,040 | $36,780 | $78,100 | 9,520 | 0.52 | 1.11 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $23.22 | $48,310 | $37,430 | $70,210 | 600 | 0.17 | 0.35 |
| 7 | Vermont profile | $22.86 | $47,540 | $32,940 | $61,780 | 70 | 0.22 | 0.46 |
| 8 | Minnesota profile | $22.43 | $46,640 | $39,250 | $61,840 | 760 | 0.26 | 0.55 |
| 9 | Iowa profile | $22.38 | $46,560 | $33,390 | $63,480 | 430 | 0.28 | 0.58 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $22.35 | $46,490 | $35,140 | $62,550 | 1,130 | 0.39 | 0.83 |
| 11 | Idaho profile | $22.07 | $45,910 | $29,600 | $50,460 | 540 | 0.62 | 1.32 |
| 12 | Washington profile | $22.04 | $45,830 | $36,410 | $63,670 | 520 | 0.15 | 0.31 |
| 13 | Wisconsin profile | $21.70 | $45,130 | $31,370 | $61,160 | 1,550 | 0.53 | 1.11 |
| 14 | Maryland profile | $21.60 | $44,920 | $35,950 | $60,530 | 880 | 0.32 | 0.68 |
| 15 | Connecticut profile | $21.55 | $44,810 | $34,010 | $68,190 | 350 | 0.21 | 0.44 |
| 16 | New Jersey profile | $21.34 | $44,400 | $33,370 | $65,100 | 2,310 | 0.54 | 1.14 |
| 17 | New Hampshire profile | $21.34 | $44,390 | $29,950 | $58,920 | 300 | 0.43 | 0.92 |
| 18 | New York profile | $21.32 | $44,340 | $34,270 | $59,770 | 2,590 | 0.27 | 0.57 |
| 19 | Nevada profile | $21.22 | $44,150 | $33,280 | $61,160 | 1,110 | 0.72 | 1.51 |
| 20 | Michigan profile | $21.13 | $43,950 | $31,750 | $61,900 | 1,820 | 0.41 | 0.88 |
| 21 | Maine profile | $21.11 | $43,910 | $37,430 | $51,860 | 210 | 0.33 | 0.70 |
| 22 | Arizona profile | $21.01 | $43,690 | $34,820 | $56,950 | 2,190 | 0.68 | 1.43 |
| 23 | North Carolina profile | $20.80 | $43,260 | $31,520 | $56,790 | 1,970 | 0.40 | 0.85 |
| 24 | Tennessee profile | $20.68 | $43,010 | $26,460 | $59,020 | 2,060 | 0.63 | 1.33 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania profile | $20.63 | $42,920 | $32,270 | $60,180 | 2,830 | 0.47 | 0.99 |
| 26 | North Dakota profile | $20.61 | $42,860 | $37,650 | $59,020 | 60 | 0.14 | 0.29 |
| 27 | Kansas profile | $20.26 | $42,130 | $31,940 | $56,430 | 570 | 0.40 | 0.84 |
| 28 | Florida profile | $20.07 | $41,750 | $31,010 | $56,550 | 6,180 | 0.62 | 1.32 |
| 29 | Utah profile | $19.93 | $41,450 | $31,240 | $53,160 | 510 | 0.30 | 0.63 |
| 30 | Georgia profile | $19.71 | $41,000 | $29,740 | $59,710 | 2,570 | 0.53 | 1.11 |
| 31 | Ohio profile | $19.54 | $40,650 | $27,190 | $57,410 | 1,820 | 0.33 | 0.69 |
| 32 | Nebraska profile | $19.54 | $40,640 | $30,300 | $55,050 | 750 | 0.73 | 1.55 |
| 33 | Delaware profile | $19.20 | $39,940 | $31,200 | $52,730 | ** | ** | ** |
| 34 | Virginia profile | $19.18 | $39,900 | $31,200 | $56,970 | 2,110 | 0.51 | 1.09 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $19.11 | $39,740 | $32,230 | $61,470 | 1,430 | 0.45 | 0.95 |
| 36 | Texas profile | $18.98 | $39,480 | $27,380 | $61,800 | 11,340 | 0.81 | 1.71 |
| 37 | South Carolina profile | $18.92 | $39,350 | $27,710 | $56,800 | 1,210 | 0.52 | 1.11 |
| 38 | Kentucky profile | $18.87 | $39,250 | $27,450 | $57,280 | 250 | 0.12 | 0.26 |
| 39 | Oklahoma profile | $18.83 | $39,170 | $27,980 | $57,990 | 1,440 | 0.84 | 1.78 |
| 40 | Arkansas profile | $18.49 | $38,470 | $28,230 | $53,150 | 310 | 0.23 | 0.50 |
| 41 | Missouri profile | $18.46 | $38,400 | $29,750 | $57,770 | 1,000 | 0.34 | 0.72 |
| 42 | Montana profile | $18.45 | $38,370 | $25,150 | $49,660 | 410 | 0.81 | 1.71 |
| 43 | Alabama profile | $18.41 | $38,290 | $30,320 | $61,930 | 110 | 0.05 | 0.11 |
| 44 | New Mexico profile | $18.12 | $37,700 | $25,700 | $52,130 | 340 | 0.39 | 0.83 |
| 45 | South Dakota profile | $17.62 | $36,640 | $31,930 | $37,900 | ** | ** | ** |
| 46 | Rhode Island profile | $17.50 | $36,400 | $32,390 | $62,840 | ** | ** | ** |
| 47 | Louisiana profile | $15.48 | $32,200 | $20,920 | $44,150 | 680 | 0.35 | 0.75 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $15.19 | $31,600 | $26,340 | $47,650 | 260 | 0.37 | 0.78 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $15.03 | $31,260 | $25,210 | $44,200 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Wyoming profile | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.26 | 0.54 |
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 43-4071 File 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 43-4071, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-4071.00, 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.