File Clerk salary in the U.S.
File Clerks in the U.S. earn a median of $43,600 a year ($20.96 an hour), based on BLS data for 73,440 workers.
Pay ranges from $31,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,490 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $45,590, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for file clerks in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| 25th percentile | $36,420 | $17.51 |
| Median | $43,600 | $20.96 |
| 75th percentile | $51,770 | $24.89 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,490 | $30.53 |
| Average (mean) | $45,590 | $21.92 |
Half of file clerks earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,633.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,816.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,676.92 |
| Weekly | $838.46 |
| Hourly | $20.96 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
File Clerk salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $50,660 | 970 |
| Hawaii | $50,630 | 100 |
| Illinois | $49,920 | 3,780 |
| Alaska | $49,910 | 150 |
| California | $49,040 | 9,520 |
| Massachusetts | $48,310 | 600 |
| Vermont | $47,540 | 70 |
| Minnesota | $46,640 | 760 |
| Iowa | $46,560 | 430 |
| Colorado | $46,490 | 1,130 |
| Idaho | $45,910 | 540 |
| Washington | $45,830 | 520 |
| Wisconsin | $45,130 | 1,550 |
| Maryland | $44,920 | 880 |
| Connecticut | $44,810 | 350 |
| New Jersey | $44,400 | 2,310 |
| New Hampshire | $44,390 | 300 |
| New York | $44,340 | 2,590 |
| Nevada | $44,150 | 1,110 |
| Michigan | $43,950 | 1,820 |
| Maine | $43,910 | 210 |
| Arizona | $43,690 | 2,190 |
| North Carolina | $43,260 | 1,970 |
| Tennessee | $43,010 | 2,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,920 | 2,830 |
| North Dakota | $42,860 | 60 |
| Kansas | $42,130 | 570 |
| Florida | $41,750 | 6,180 |
| Utah | $41,450 | 510 |
| Georgia | $41,000 | 2,570 |
| Ohio | $40,650 | 1,820 |
| Nebraska | $40,640 | 750 |
| Delaware | $39,940 | n/a |
| Virginia | $39,900 | 2,110 |
| Indiana | $39,740 | 1,430 |
| Texas | $39,480 | 11,340 |
| South Carolina | $39,350 | 1,210 |
| Kentucky | $39,250 | 250 |
| Oklahoma | $39,170 | 1,440 |
| Arkansas | $38,470 | 310 |
| Missouri | $38,400 | 1,000 |
| Montana | $38,370 | 410 |
| Alabama | $38,290 | 110 |
| New Mexico | $37,700 | 340 |
| South Dakota | $36,640 | n/a |
| Rhode Island | $36,400 | n/a |
| Guam | $32,360 | n/a |
| Louisiana | $32,200 | 680 |
| West Virginia | $31,600 | 260 |
| Mississippi | $31,260 | n/a |
| Puerto Rico | $25,700 | 330 |
Best-paying metro areas for file clerks
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,840 | 540 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $60,530 | 60 |
| Salinas, CA | $59,040 | 80 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $58,320 | 2,640 |
| Vallejo, CA | $56,750 | 60 |
| Napa, CA | $55,980 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $54,910 | 890 |
| Carson City, NV | $54,820 | 40 |
| Greeley, CO | $54,360 | 40 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $54,240 | 90 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $53,860 | 30 |
| Modesto, CA | $52,830 | 100 |
| Medford, OR | $52,780 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $52,280 | 480 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $51,990 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most file clerks
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 890 | $54,910 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 880 | $47,720 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 860 | $43,750 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service Representative | $44,770 | $21.53 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $38,010 | $18.27 |
| Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | $35,070 | $16.86 |
| Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | $48,700 | $23.41 |
| Loan Interviewers and Clerks | $50,020 | $24.05 |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | $54,210 | $26.06 |
| Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan | $45,920 | $22.08 |
| Information and Record Clerks, All Other | $49,500 | $23.80 |
| Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks | $44,390 | $21.34 |
| Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 | $24.33 |
| Library Assistants, Clerical | $36,910 | $17.74 |
| Order Clerk | $46,170 | $22.20 |
| New Accounts Clerk | $47,670 | $22.92 |
| Brokerage Clerk | $65,750 | $31.61 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-4071. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a file clerk make in the U.S.?
The median salary for file clerks in the U.S. is $43,600 a year, or $20.96 an hour. Pay ranges from $31,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,490 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid file clerks make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of file clerks in the U.S. earn at least $63,490 a year. The top 25% earn $51,770 or more.
What is the starting pay for file clerks in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $31,200 a year, and a quarter of file clerks earn $36,420 or less.
How many file clerks work in the U.S.?
About 73,440 file clerks are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.