Checked
File Clerks Salary
File Clerks earn a median $43,600 a year in the U.S., with 73,440 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $43,600 a year
- Employment
- 73,440
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- -15.8%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 5,600
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $43,600 · $20.96 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $45,590 · $21.92 an hour (estimate error ±0.8%)
- 10th percentile
- $31,200 · $15.00 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $36,420 · $17.51 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $51,770 · $24.89 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $63,490 · $30.53 an hour
- Employment
- 73,440 (estimate error ±2.8%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
File correspondence, cards, invoices, receipts, and other records in alphabetical or numerical order or according to the filing system used. Locate and remove material from file when requested.
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 76,200
- Projected for 2035
- 64,200
- Change
- -12,000 (-15.8%)
- Openings each year
- 5,600
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 1.4%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $50,660 | 970 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $50,630 | 100 |
| 3 | Illinois | $49,920 | 3,780 |
| 4 | Alaska | $49,910 | 150 |
| 5 | California | $49,040 | 9,520 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $48,310 | 600 |
| 7 | Vermont | $47,540 | 70 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $46,640 | 760 |
| 9 | Iowa | $46,560 | 430 |
| 10 | Colorado | $46,490 | 1,130 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 11,340 | $39,480 |
| California | 9,520 | $49,040 |
| Florida | 6,180 | $41,750 |
| Illinois | 3,780 | $49,920 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,830 | $42,920 |
| New York | 2,590 | $44,340 |
| Georgia | 2,570 | $41,000 |
| New Jersey | 2,310 | $44,400 |
| Arizona | 2,190 | $43,690 |
| Virginia | 2,110 | $39,900 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,840 | 540 |
| 2 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $58,320 | 2,640 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $54,910 | 890 |
| 4 | Modesto, CA | $52,830 | 100 |
| 5 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $52,280 | 480 |
| 6 | Toledo, OH | $50,840 | 100 |
| 7 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $50,680 | 450 |
| 8 | Salem, OR | $50,390 | 130 |
| 9 | Rockford, IL | $49,870 | 100 |
| 10 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $49,420 | 170 |
| 11 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $49,180 | 800 |
| 12 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $49,050 | 150 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,930 | $48,450 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 3,260 | $44,710 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 3,170 | $42,850 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,640 | $58,320 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,580 | $41,400 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,920 | $45,760 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,700 | $43,270 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,640 | $46,700 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,530 | $44,460 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,440 | $45,980 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,040 | $40,770 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 890 | $46,400 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)7 certified filingsMedian offered wage $44,300
File Clerks pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
- Brokerage Clerks
- Correspondence Clerks
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks
- Customer Service Representatives
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks
- Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan
- Library Assistants, Clerical
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks
- New Accounts Clerks
- Order Clerks
Frequently asked questions
- How much do file clerks make?
- The median wage for file clerks in the U.S. is $43,600 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,420 and $51,770.
- Which state pays file clerks the most?
- Oregon has the highest median wage for this occupation at $50,660 a year.
- What is the job outlook for file clerks?
- BLS projects employment to decline 15.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 5,600 openings each year on average.
- What education do file clerks need?
- The typical entry-level education is: high school diploma or equivalent.