Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Brokerage clerks handle specialized office and support work in financial settings, combining accuracy, customer interaction, and comfort with numbers and technology. Nationally, about 41,000 people work in this occupation, with a median annual salary of $62,940. The role rewards strong attention to detail, mathematics, and computer skills, along with speaking, listening, and customer service abilities. Critical and analytical thinking, problem solving, and clear reading and writing are also central to success. The typical entry requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent, which can make this path accessible to students and career changers who strengthen the listed skills. Although projected employment growth is negative, there are still 4,000 annual openings, reflecting ongoing turnover and replacement needs. For those considering related paths, similar occupations include tax preparers, financial clerks (all other), credit analysts, insurance claims and policy processing clerks, and bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks.
Brokerage clerks earn a national median annual salary of $62,940, with pay varying meaningfully by location. Among the top states, New York and California stand out with median salaries of $78,930 and $77,960, respectively, while Washington offers $73,120 and Massachusetts $63,640. Colorado’s median of $60,950 is closer to the national figure. At the metro level, some areas show even higher earnings. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, reports a median salary of $90,220, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, reports $89,370. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, metro has a median of $78,930, while Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, is at $66,860 and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, at $64,000. These differences highlight how location choices can significantly shape earning potential for brokerage clerks.
Brokerage clerks have national employment of about 41,000 workers, with projected employment growth of -9.5%. Even with this decline, the occupation is expected to have about 4,000 annual openings. This combination suggests that while total employment is projected to shrink, there will still be ongoing opportunities due to replacement needs as people change jobs, retire, or leave the workforce. The -9.5% growth projection appears consistently across the highlighted states and metro areas, indicating a similar directional trend in those regions. For someone exploring this field, the employment outlook points to a more competitive environment, where building strong skills in mathematics, detail orientation, computers and information technology, and customer service may help when pursuing available roles. Individuals who want alternatives with a different outlook might also look at related paths such as tax preparers, financial clerks (all other), credit analysts, insurance claims and policy processing clerks, or bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks.
Location plays a major role in both opportunity and pay for brokerage clerks. Among states, California ranks highest by opportunity score (67.38), with a median salary of $77,960 and employment of 4,740. New York and Massachusetts also show strong scores of 65.78 and 65.87, respectively, with New York combining a high median salary of $78,930 and employment of 5,950. Washington and Colorado round out the top five states, with somewhat lower opportunity scores but still notable median salaries of $73,120 and $60,950. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, records the highest opportunity score (77.42) and the highest median salary at $90,220. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, metro closely follows with an opportunity score of 77.27 and employment of 7,100. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, also offers high earnings at $89,370. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, provide additional options with solid opportunity scores and mid- to upper-$60,000 range median salaries.
The typical education for brokerage clerks is a high school diploma or equivalent, making this career accessible to individuals who may not pursue a four-year degree but are ready to develop strong occupational skills. Success in this role is closely tied to a specific skill set. Mathematics and detail orientation support accurate, precise work. Comfort with computers and information technology underpins daily tasks and data handling. Customer service, speaking, and listening skills help in interacting with clients and colleagues. Critical and analytical thinking, along with problem solving and decision making, are important for handling issues that arise on the job. Writing and reading skills support clear documentation and understanding of information, while fine motor skills may be useful for handling physical materials or equipment. Individuals who build this mix of abilities are better positioned to qualify for brokerage clerk roles and perform effectively once hired.
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