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Salary comparison

Meter Readers, Utilities vs. Office Clerks, General: Who Earns More?

Meter Readers, Utilities out-earn Office Clerks, General by $3K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Meter Readers, Utilities land at $48,150 and Office Clerks, General at $45,010. The education gap is real: meter readers, utility programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while office clerks, general programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Meter Readers, Utilities is California ($79,040); for Office Clerks, General it's District of Columbia ($55,040).

Meter Readers, Utilities
Office Clerks, General
Median salary
$48,150
$45,010
Hourly rate
$23.15/hr
$21.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$34,720
$30,310
Senior level (90th %)
$85,930
$64,680
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
19,430
2,464,940
Job growth (10-year)
-12%
-6.7%
Category
Office & Admin
Office & Admin
Top-paying state
California
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Meter Readers, Utilities median pay.

State
Meter Readers, Utilities
Office Clerks, General
California
$79,040
$48,460
Nevada
$76,120
$45,460
Minnesota
$73,930
$47,840
Colorado
$66,550
$53,550
Washington
$65,900
$50,500
Connecticut
$64,180
$48,280
Oregon
$63,660
$49,910
New Jersey
$63,030
$48,570
Alaska
$62,690
$51,890
Illinois
$60,690
$45,730
New York
$56,960
$45,890
Rhode Island
$56,830
$47,830
Massachusetts
$54,150
$49,940
Arizona
$44,760
$46,420
Virginia
$44,020
$46,410

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Meter Readers, Utilities or Office Clerks, General?

Meter Readers, Utilities earn more nationally. The median is $48,150 for Meter Readers, Utilities versus $45,010 for Office Clerks, General, a difference of $3K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Meter Readers, Utilities or Office Clerks, General?

Office Clerks, General has the better 10-year outlook at -6.7% projected growth, compared to -12% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Meter Readers, Utilities or Office Clerks, General?

Meter Readers, Utilities 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 Meter Readers, Utilities get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Meter Readers, Utilities at $79,040/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Meter Readers, Utilities vs. Office Clerks, General pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Meter Readers, Utilities earn $79,040 vs. $48,460 for Office Clerks, General. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Meter Readers, Utilities salary breakdownView →Full Office Clerks, General salary breakdownView →Best cities for Meter Readers, Utilities by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Office Clerks, General by take-home payExplore →How to become a meter readers, utilitiesGuide →How to become a office clerks, generalGuide →