File Clerks Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for file clerkss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$53,640
- Illinois$52,410
- Massachusetts$51,290
- Oregon$50,890
- Alaska$50,840
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$33,060
- Mississippi$33,300
- West Virginia$34,380
- South Dakota$36,210
- Montana$38,250
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $53,640 | $49,040 | $26 | +17.7% | 9,520 |
| 2 | Illinois | $52,410 | $49,920 | $25 | +15% | 3,780 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $51,290 | $48,310 | $25 | +12.5% | 600 |
| 4 | Oregon | $50,890 | $50,660 | $24 | +11.6% | 970 |
| 5 | Alaska | $50,840 | $49,910 | $24 | +11.5% | 150 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $49,040 | $50,630 | $24 | +7.6% | 100 |
| 7 | Washington | $49,030 | $45,830 | $24 | +7.5% | 520 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $48,620 | $46,640 | $23 | +6.6% | 760 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $48,130 | $44,810 | $23 | +5.6% | 350 |
| 10 | Colorado | $47,780 | $46,490 | $23 | +4.8% | 1,130 |
| 11 | Iowa | $47,070 | $46,560 | $23 | +3.2% | 430 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $47,060 | $44,400 | $23 | +3.2% | 2,310 |
| 13 | Vermont | $46,660 | $47,540 | $22 | +2.3% | 70 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $46,640 | $42,860 | $22 | +2.3% | 60 |
| 15 | New York | $46,450 | $44,340 | $22 | +1.9% | 2,590 |
| 16 | Nevada | $46,140 | $44,150 | $22 | +1.2% | 1,110 |
| 17 | Michigan | $46,100 | $43,950 | $22 | +1.1% | 1,820 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $45,770 | $42,920 | $22 | +0.4% | 2,830 |
| 19 | Maryland | $45,720 | $44,920 | $22 | +0.3% | 880 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $45,100 | $45,130 | $22 | -1.1% | 1,550 |
| 21 | Arizona | $45,070 | $43,690 | $22 | -1.1% | 2,190 |
| 22 | Georgia | $45,010 | $41,000 | $22 | -1.3% | 2,570 |
| 23 | Indiana | $44,460 | $39,740 | $21 | -2.5% | 1,430 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $44,210 | $44,390 | $21 | -3% | 300 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $44,130 | $43,260 | $21 | -3.2% | 1,970 |
| 26 | Maine | $44,020 | $43,910 | $21 | -3.4% | 210 |
| 27 | Idaho | $43,920 | $45,910 | $21 | -3.7% | 540 |
| 28 | Kansas | $43,470 | $42,130 | $21 | -4.7% | 570 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $43,160 | $43,010 | $21 | -5.3% | 2,060 |
| 30 | Alabama | $43,040 | $38,290 | $21 | -5.6% | 110 |
| 31 | Florida | $42,800 | $41,750 | $21 | -6.1% | 6,180 |
| 32 | Texas | $42,450 | $39,480 | $20 | -6.9% | 11,340 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $42,400 | $40,640 | $20 | -7% | 750 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $42,340 | $36,400 | $20 | -7.1% | — |
| 35 | Virginia | $41,980 | $39,900 | $20 | -7.9% | 2,110 |
| 36 | Ohio | $41,880 | $40,650 | $20 | -8.1% | 1,820 |
| 37 | Utah | $41,840 | $41,450 | $20 | -8.2% | 510 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $41,580 | $39,170 | $20 | -8.8% | 1,440 |
| 39 | Missouri | $41,390 | $38,400 | $20 | -9.2% | 1,000 |
| 40 | Delaware | $41,320 | $39,940 | $20 | -9.4% | — |
| 41 | South Carolina | $40,810 | $39,350 | $20 | -10.5% | 1,210 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $40,680 | $39,250 | $20 | -10.8% | 250 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $40,010 | $38,470 | $19 | -12.2% | 310 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $39,820 | $37,700 | $19 | -12.7% | 340 |
| 45 | Montana | $38,250 | $38,370 | $18 | -16.1% | 410 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $36,210 | $36,640 | $17 | -20.6% | — |
| 47 | West Virginia | $34,380 | $31,600 | $17 | -24.6% | 260 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $33,300 | $31,260 | $16 | -27% | — |
| 49 | Louisiana | $33,060 | $32,200 | $16 | -27.5% | 680 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 340 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,840 | $65,520 | 540 |
| 2 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $60,530 | $54,560 | 60 |
| 3 | Salinas, CA | $59,040 | $56,620 | 80 |
| 4 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $58,320 | $55,780 | 2,640 |
| 5 | Vallejo, CA | $56,750 | $54,610 | 60 |
| 6 | Napa, CA | $55,980 | $58,830 | 40 |
| 7 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $54,910 | $60,000 | 890 |
| 8 | Carson City, NV | $54,820 | $49,160 | 40 |
| 9 | Greeley, CO | $54,360 | $51,930 | 40 |
| 10 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $54,240 | $55,100 | 90 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing file clerkss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural Gas Distribution | $76,200 | $75,470 | 30 |
| 2 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $71,880 | $69,410 | 120 |
| 3 | Telecommunications | $69,850 | $65,620 | 400 |
| 4 | Utilities | $67,650 | $66,670 | 180 |
| 5 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $67,650 | $66,670 | 180 |
| 6 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $64,310 | $74,920 | 40 |
| 7 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $64,310 | $74,920 | 40 |
| 8 | Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $63,550 | $59,700 | — |
| 9 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | $62,640 | $59,180 | 170 |
| 10 | Pipeline Transportation | $61,800 | $63,450 | — |
| 11 | Support Activities for Air Transportation | $61,610 | $59,840 | 210 |
| 12 | Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $58,190 | $56,570 | 190 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do file clerks make in the U.S.?
The median file clerks salary in the United States is $43,600 per year (mean $45,590), and about 80% earn between $31,200 and $63,490.
How much do file clerks make per hour?
Roughly $22 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $45,590 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays file clerks the most?
California has the highest average pay for file clerks at $53,640 per year (median $49,040).
What is the job outlook for file clerks?
Employment is projected to change -15.9% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 7,300 openings per year.