File Clerk salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
File Clerks in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median of $58,320 a year ($28.04 an hour), based on BLS data for 2,640 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,990 for the lowest-paid 10% to $74,300 for the top 10%. That is 34% higher than the national median of $43,600. Pay here is 17% higher than the Illinois statewide median of $49,920. There are 0.58 file clerks per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.2× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $55,780, close to the median.
Pay range for file clerks in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,990 | $17.30 |
| 25th percentile | $40,940 | $19.68 |
| Median | $58,320 | $28.04 |
| 75th percentile | $63,760 | $30.65 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $74,300 | $35.72 |
| Average (mean) | $55,780 | $26.82 |
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 | $4,860 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,430 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,243.08 |
| Weekly | $1,121.54 |
| Hourly | $28.04 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
File Clerk salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | $49,870 | 100 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $46,270 | 90 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $45,250 | 100 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $43,690 | 60 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $41,360 | 40 |
| Peoria, IL | $41,080 | 170 |
| Springfield, IL | $41,030 | 100 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $40,850 | 580 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $39,690 | 40 |
| Evansville, IN | $38,600 | 70 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $38,590 | 70 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $38,130 | 590 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $37,690 | 260 |
| Bloomington, IN | $37,550 | 40 |
| Bloomington, IL | $36,090 | 50 |
| Muncie, IN | $35,370 | 40 |
Highest-paying states for file clerks
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $50,660 |
| Hawaii | $50,630 |
| Illinois | $49,920 |
| Alaska | $49,910 |
| California | $49,040 |
| Massachusetts | $48,310 |
| Vermont | $47,540 |
| Minnesota | $46,640 |
| Iowa | $46,560 |
| Colorado | $46,490 |
See File Clerk pay in every state or the Illinois statewide figures.
Related jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service Representative | $47,100 | $22.65 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $38,060 | $18.30 |
| Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks | $47,850 | $23.01 |
| Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | $48,560 | $23.35 |
| Loan Interviewers and Clerks | $53,870 | $25.90 |
| Library Assistants, Clerical | $35,160 | $16.90 |
| Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | $36,130 | $17.37 |
| Order Clerk | $47,890 | $23.02 |
| Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $49,590 | $23.84 |
| Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan | $43,460 | $20.90 |
| Brokerage Clerk | $63,390 | $30.47 |
| New Accounts Clerk | $49,950 | $24.02 |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | $62,390 | $30.00 |
| Information and Record Clerks, All Other | $55,850 | $26.85 |
More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations · all salaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median salary for file clerks in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $58,320 a year, or $28.04 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,990 for the lowest-paid 10% to $74,300 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid file clerks make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The top 10% of file clerks in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn at least $74,300 a year. The top 25% earn $63,760 or more.
What is the starting pay for file clerks in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,990 a year, and a quarter of file clerks earn $40,940 or less.
How many file clerks work in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
About 2,640 file clerks are employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, not counting the self-employed.