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
Long-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.
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Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Court, municipal, and license clerks work in roles that combine administrative support with public interaction. Nationally, this occupation employs about 180,000 people, with a median annual salary of $47,700. The field is projected to grow by 3.0%, and there are an estimated 18,000 annual openings, suggesting a steady flow of opportunities from new positions and turnover. This career can be a fit for individuals who are detail oriented, comfortable with computers and information technology, and able to handle customer service in structured environments. Strong interpersonal, speaking and listening, and writing and reading skills are important, along with basic mathematics and critical and analytical thinking. The work draws on both people skills and office skills, making it appealing to those who like organized processes and frequent interaction with the public or colleagues. With a typical entry point at a high school diploma or equivalent, it can offer an accessible path into stable, clerical roles tied to court, municipal, or licensing functions.
The national median annual salary for court, municipal, and license clerks is $47,700, but pay can vary significantly by location. Among the top states by opportunity score, Washington shows the highest listed median salary at $64,680, closely followed by California at $63,320 and Massachusetts at $61,730. New York and Colorado also exceed the national median with $53,500 and $50,410 respectively. At the metro level, salary variation is even more pronounced. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro reports a median salary of $83,490, while San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA stands at $77,750 and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $62,850. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ lists $59,320, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV shows $53,210. These figures indicate that certain metros and states offer substantially higher earning potential than the national median for this occupation.
Court, municipal, and license clerks have a national employment base of about 180,000, with projected employment growth of 3.0%. This projected growth, combined with approximately 18,000 annual openings, points to ongoing opportunities for new entrants as well as experienced workers seeking lateral moves. The steady number of openings suggests that people interested in this field may find recurring chances to enter or advance within it over time. Growth rates for top states and metro areas listed are also 3.0%, indicating a consistent projection across those regions. For students and career changers, this combination of an established employment base and continued growth can be attractive, especially when paired with the typical education requirement of a high school diploma or equivalent. The occupation’s presence across multiple states and large metro areas may also provide flexibility for workers who want options in different regions.
Location choices can significantly shape the experience and potential rewards for court, municipal, and license clerks. At the state level, California ranks highest by opportunity score at 67.38, with a median salary of $63,320 and employment of 12,460. Massachusetts and New York follow closely with opportunity scores of 65.87 and 65.78, and median salaries of $61,730 and $53,500. Colorado and Washington also appear as strong options, with opportunity scores of 56.97 and 56.29. Washington shows the highest state-level median salary at $64,680, though with a smaller listed employment count of 3,450. Metro data highlight even more differentiated opportunities. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest opportunity score at 77.42 and the highest median salary at $83,490. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ also scores highly at 77.27, with employment of 9,340. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH all provide notable combinations of salary, employment, and opportunity scores, giving workers multiple strong regional options.
The typical education level for court, municipal, and license clerks is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the career accessible to individuals who have completed secondary education and are ready to develop professional skills on the job. Success in these roles relies on a mix of technical and people-focused abilities. Key strengths include computers and information technology skills, which support modern office and records work, and customer service skills for interacting with the public or internal clients. Interpersonal and speaking and listening skills help in handling questions and conveying information clearly, while writing and reading skills support accurate documentation. Being detail oriented and having fine motor skills can contribute to careful handling of records and materials. Mathematics and critical and analytical thinking skills also matter, supporting tasks that involve basic calculations, checking information, and making sound judgments within established procedures.
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