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
Short-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.
Office clerks, general (occupation code 43-9061) play a broad support role in many types of organizations. National employment is 2,646,000, indicating that this is a large occupation with a wide presence across the country. The national median annual salary is $43,630, and a high volume of 282,000 annual openings suggests ongoing turnover and replacement needs. The role typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent, making it accessible to many entry-level job seekers and career changers. Key skills include computers and information technology, customer service, interpersonal skills, writing and reading, mathematics, speaking and listening, detail orientation, adaptability, fine motor skills, and project management. These skills point to work that blends basic office technology use, communication, and organized execution of tasks. While the projected employment growth rate is -6.7%, the combination of large existing employment, substantial annual openings, and clear entry pathways makes office clerk work a practical option for people seeking administrative careers.
The national median annual salary for office clerks, general is $43,630. Several states offer higher median pay than this national figure. Colorado reports a median salary of $53,550, Washington $50,500, Massachusetts $49,940, and California $48,460. Among the listed states, New York’s median salary is $45,890, modestly above the national median. At the metro level, pay can be even higher. The San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA metro shows a median salary of $58,840, while San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA is at $52,000 and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV at $51,880. Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH has a median of $50,710, and New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ stands at $47,670. These differences suggest that location choice significantly affects earning potential for office clerks, particularly in certain states and large metro areas.
Office clerks, general have national employment of 2,646,000, showing that this is a widely employed occupation. The projected employment growth rate is -6.7%, indicating a decline in overall employment levels over the projection period. However, the occupation still has an estimated 282,000 annual openings. This combination of negative growth and high annual openings points to many job opportunities driven by replacement needs, such as workers changing careers, retiring, or leaving positions. For individuals considering this path, it is important to recognize that while total jobs are projected to decrease, there will likely continue to be a substantial flow of openings each year. Job seekers may want to pay attention to geographic differences and focus on regions with stronger opportunity scores or higher employment levels within this occupation when planning their careers.
Location plays a notable role in the opportunity profile for office clerks, general. At the state level, California has the highest CareerGPS opportunity score among the listed states at 67.38, with a median salary of $48,460 and employment of 311,490. Massachusetts and New York follow closely with opportunity scores of 65.87 and 65.78 and median salaries of $49,940 and $45,890, respectively. Colorado and Washington show somewhat lower opportunity scores (56.97 and 56.29) but higher median salaries of $53,550 and $50,500. All listed states share the same projected growth rate of -6.7%. Among metros, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA stands out with an opportunity score of 77.42 and a median salary of $58,840. The New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ metro closely follows with an opportunity score of 77.27 and employment of 136,580. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH also show strong opportunity scores and median salaries around or above $50,000.
The typical education requirement for office clerks, general is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the field accessible to individuals who have completed secondary education but may not have pursued college or other postsecondary programs. Since the formal education barrier is relatively low, skill development becomes particularly important. Key skills for this occupation include computers and information technology, customer service, interpersonal abilities, writing and reading, mathematics, speaking and listening, and being detail oriented. Adaptability, fine motor skills, and project management are also part of the core skill profile. Together, these skills indicate that success in this occupation depends on comfort with basic office technology, clear communication, accuracy, and the ability to stay organized and manage tasks. For students or career changers, focusing on strengthening these listed skills—through school, training programs, or on-the-job experience—can help align their backgrounds with employer expectations for office clerk roles.
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