File Clerk salary in California
File Clerks in California earn a median of $49,040 a year ($23.58 an hour), based on BLS data for 9,520 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,780 for the lowest-paid 10% to $78,100 for the top 10%. That is 12% higher than the national median of $43,600. California ranks 5th of 49 states for file clerks pay, one of the best-paying states for this job. There are 0.52 file clerks per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $53,640, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for file clerks in California
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,780 | $17.68 |
| 25th percentile | $39,780 | $19.13 |
| Median | $49,040 | $23.58 |
| 75th percentile | $62,440 | $30.02 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,100 | $37.55 |
| Average (mean) | $53,640 | $25.79 |
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 | $4,086.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,043.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,886.15 |
| Weekly | $943.08 |
| Hourly | $23.58 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
File Clerk salary in cities in California
| 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 |
| Vallejo, CA | $56,750 | 60 |
| Napa, CA | $55,980 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $54,910 | 890 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $53,860 | 30 |
| Modesto, CA | $52,830 | 100 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $50,260 | 50 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $49,180 | 800 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $49,050 | 150 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $49,040 | 480 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $48,450 | 3,930 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $48,400 | 70 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $47,720 | 880 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $46,680 | 280 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,160 | 70 |
| Visalia, CA | $45,660 | 100 |
| Fresno, CA | $44,610 | 220 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $43,620 | 210 |
| Chico, CA | $39,250 | n/a |
| Redding, CA | $39,110 | 40 |
| El Centro, CA | $37,170 | 40 |
Highest-paying states for file clerks
Related jobs in California
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service Representative | $49,560 | $23.83 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $44,100 | $21.20 |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | $63,520 | $30.54 |
| Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | $39,360 | $18.92 |
| Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan | $56,880 | $27.34 |
| Information and Record Clerks, All Other | $58,680 | $28.21 |
| Loan Interviewers and Clerks | $57,300 | $27.55 |
| Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | $63,320 | $30.44 |
| Order Clerk | $47,290 | $22.74 |
| Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $57,590 | $27.69 |
| Library Assistants, Clerical | $47,860 | $23.01 |
| Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks | $49,420 | $23.76 |
| Brokerage Clerk | $77,960 | $37.48 |
| New Accounts Clerk | $52,100 | $25.05 |
More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations · all salaries in California
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 California?
The median salary for file clerks in California is $49,040 a year, or $23.58 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,780 for the lowest-paid 10% to $78,100 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid file clerks make in California?
The top 10% of file clerks in California earn at least $78,100 a year. The top 25% earn $62,440 or more.
What is the starting pay for file clerks in California?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,780 a year, and a quarter of file clerks earn $39,780 or less.
How many file clerks work in California?
About 9,520 file clerks are employed in California, not counting the self-employed.