Correspondence Clerks Salary
Correspondence Clerks in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV make a median of $48,310 a year, or about $23.23 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers.
So what does $48K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.9). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About correspondence clerks
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Correspondence clerks pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,844/month, which is 56.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.9), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level correspondence clerks (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Correspondence Clerks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Correspondence Clerks salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $61K | +31% | 70 |
| Oregon | $61K | +31% | 110 |
| California | $54K | +15% | 240 |
| Idaho | $51K | +9% | 40 |
| Nebraska | $50K | +6% | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $50K | +6% | 120 |
| Indiana | $50K | +6% | 70 |
| Ohio | $50K | +6% | 40 |
| New York | $49K | +5% | 540 |
| Maine | $49K | +5% | 40 |
| Texas | $49K | +4% | 830 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +4% | 40 |
| Virginia | $48K | +3% | N/A |
| Nevada | $48K | +2% | 130 |
| Utah | $47K | +1% | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | +1% | N/A |
| Illinois | $46K | -1% | 50 |
| Colorado | $46K | -3% | 50 |
| Missouri | $43K | -7% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $42K | -9% | 100 |
| North Carolina | $42K | -10% | 50 |
| South Carolina | $42K | -11% | 130 |
| Michigan | $41K | -13% | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $40K | -14% | 140 |
| Arizona | $40K | -15% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $37K | -21% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 26 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track correspondence clerks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a correspondence clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 56.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,844/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for correspondence clerks in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new correspondence clerks typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,158/month. At HUD’s $1,844/month FMR, rent would take 85% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is correspondence clerk a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for correspondence clerks?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do correspondence clerks make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $48,310 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,960, and experienced correspondence clerks can clear $51,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,253/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,844/month, which eats 56.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a correspondence clerks salary go in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median correspondence clerks salary is worth about $44,362 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do correspondence clerks get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.