Median Salary
$43,600
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$20.96
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$63,490
entry level starts ~$31,200
Pay Grade
C
below-average pay · 73,000 employed
How much does a File Clerk make?
The median pay for a File Clerk in the United States is $43,600 per year — about $20.96 per hour. Entry-level positions start near $31,200, while the most experienced File Clerks in the top 10% earn $63,490.
That is $17,790 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
File Clerk salary range by percentile
Half of all File Clerks earn between $36,420 and $51,770 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $36,420 | $17.51 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $43,600 | $20.96 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $51,770 | $24.89 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,490 | $30.52 |
|
Highest-paying states for File Clerk
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Oregon leads the country for File Clerk pay at $50,660 a year, followed by Hawaii ($50,630) and Illinois ($49,920). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $31,260 — a gap of $19,400 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
File Clerk salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 49 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Oregon $50,660Hawaii $50,630Illinois $49,920Alaska $49,910California $49,040Massachusetts $48,310Vermont $47,540Minnesota $46,640Iowa $46,560Colorado $46,490Idaho $45,910Washington $45,830Wisconsin $45,130Maryland $44,920Connecticut $44,810New Jersey $44,400New Hampshire $44,390New York $44,340Nevada $44,150Michigan $43,950Maine $43,910Arizona $43,690North Carolina $43,260Tennessee $43,010Pennsylvania $42,920North Dakota $42,860Kansas $42,130Florida $41,750Utah $41,450Georgia $41,000Ohio $40,650Nebraska $40,640Delaware $39,940Virginia $39,900Indiana $39,740Texas $39,480South Carolina $39,350Kentucky $39,250Oklahoma $39,170Arkansas $38,470Missouri $38,400Montana $38,370Alabama $38,290New Mexico $37,700South Dakota $36,640Rhode Island $36,400Louisiana $32,200West Virginia $31,600Mississippi $31,260
Workforce and education
About 73,000 people work as File Clerks in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $45,590 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a File Clerk make in the United States?
The median File Clerk salary in the United States is $43,600 per year, or about $20.96 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $31,200, while the top 10% of earners make $63,490 or more.
How does File Clerk pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C (below-average pay), the File Clerk median of $43,600 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays File Clerks the most?
Oregon is the highest-paying state for File Clerks, with a median salary of $50,660 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a File Clerk?
Becoming a File Clerk typically requires a high school diploma. A high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job.
How many File Clerks work in the United States?
About 73,000 people were employed as File Clerks in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.