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Salary comparison

File Clerks vs. Office Clerks, General: Who Earns More?

Office Clerks, General out-earn File Clerks by $1K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. File Clerks land at $43,600 and Office Clerks, General at $45,010. The education gap is real: file clerk programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while office clerks, general programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for File Clerks is Oregon ($50,660); for Office Clerks, General it's District of Columbia ($55,040).

File Clerks
Office Clerks, General
Median salary
$43,600
$45,010
Hourly rate
$20.96/hr
$21.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$31,200
$30,310
Senior level (90th %)
$63,490
$64,680
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
73,440
2,464,940
Job growth (10-year)
-15.9%
-6.7%
Category
Office & Admin
Office & Admin
Top-paying state
Oregon
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by File Clerks median pay.

State
File Clerks
Office Clerks, General
Oregon
$50,660
$49,910
Alaska
$49,910
$51,890
California
$49,040
$48,460
Massachusetts
$48,310
$49,940
Vermont
$47,540
$48,310
Minnesota
$46,640
$47,840
Colorado
$46,490
$53,550
Washington
$45,830
$50,500
Maryland
$44,920
$47,270
Connecticut
$44,810
$48,280
New Jersey
$44,400
$48,570
New Hampshire
$44,390
$49,020
North Dakota
$42,860
$50,160
Montana
$38,370
$46,480
Rhode Island
$36,400
$47,830

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, File Clerks or Office Clerks, General?

Office Clerks, General earn more nationally. The median is $43,600 for File Clerks versus $45,010 for Office Clerks, General, a difference of $1K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, File Clerks or Office Clerks, General?

Office Clerks, General has the better 10-year outlook at -6.7% projected growth, compared to -15.9% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, File Clerks or Office Clerks, General?

File Clerks typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Office Clerks, General requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do File Clerks get paid the most?

Oregon is the top-paying state for File Clerks at $50,660/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does File Clerks vs. Office Clerks, General pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Oregon, File Clerks earn $50,660 vs. $49,910 for Office Clerks, General. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full File Clerks salary breakdownView →Full Office Clerks, General salary breakdownView →Best cities for File Clerks by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Office Clerks, General by take-home payExplore →How to become a file clerksGuide →How to become a office clerks, generalGuide →