Office Clerks, General Salary
Office Clerks, Generals in Chattanooga, TN-GA make a median of $37,860 a year, or about $18.2 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $41,395 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 51% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). 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 office clerks, generals
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Pay for office clerks, general in Chattanooga runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 51.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for office clerks, generals.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for office clerks, generals in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $44K | $46K |
| Memphis | $39K | $42K |
| Knoxville | $38K | $41K |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $38K | $44K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level office clerks, generals (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Office Clerks, General pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Office Clerks, General salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $55K | +22% | 5,670 |
| Colorado | $54K | +19% | 31,770 |
| Alaska | $52K | +15% | 3,440 |
| Washington | $51K | +12% | 49,050 |
| North Dakota | $50K | +11% | 8,440 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +11% | 47,940 |
| Oregon | $50K | +11% | 27,980 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +9% | 12,740 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +8% | 65,130 |
| California | $48K | +8% | 311,490 |
| Vermont | $48K | +7% | 5,100 |
| Connecticut | $48K | +7% | 23,190 |
| Minnesota | $48K | +6% | 55,530 |
| Rhode Island | $48K | +6% | 7,700 |
| Maryland | $47K | +5% | 27,290 |
| Montana | $46K | +3% | 10,390 |
| Arizona | $46K | +3% | 52,710 |
| Virginia | $46K | +3% | 66,550 |
| New York | $46K | +2% | 134,280 |
| Illinois | $46K | +2% | 95,980 |
| Nevada | $45K | +1% | 20,430 |
| Maine | $45K | +1% | 11,260 |
| Wisconsin | $45K | -0% | 51,440 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | -0% | 107,500 |
| Idaho | $45K | -0% | 20,790 |
| Michigan | $45K | -0% | 88,030 |
| Indiana | $45K | -1% | 58,480 |
| Florida | $44K | -1% | 189,700 |
| Iowa | $44K | -2% | 23,120 |
| Utah | $44K | -2% | 36,470 |
| Ohio | $44K | -3% | 89,310 |
| Wyoming | $43K | -5% | 6,670 |
| Delaware | $43K | -5% | 7,230 |
| Missouri | $42K | -6% | 56,050 |
| Hawaii | $42K | -6% | 12,930 |
| North Carolina | $42K | -7% | 67,930 |
| Georgia | $41K | -10% | 75,390 |
| Texas | $39K | -13% | 218,470 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -14% | 49,880 |
| South Dakota | $39K | -14% | 1,720 |
| Kentucky | $38K | -16% | 29,750 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -16% | 10,000 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -17% | 31,870 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -18% | 11,880 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -18% | 29,940 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -18% | 42,250 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -22% | 9,430 |
| Mississippi | $35K | -22% | 17,600 |
| Louisiana | $32K | -28% | 31,790 |
| Kansas | $32K | -28% | 2,130 |
| Alabama | $31K | -31% | 13,130 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track office clerks, general salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a office clerks, general afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 51.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for office clerks, generals in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new office clerks, generals typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,580/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 88% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is office clerks, general a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $38K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for office clerks, generals?
Chattanooga pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do office clerks, generals make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $37,860 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,340, and experienced office clerks, generals can clear $56,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,705/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 51.4% 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 office clerks, general salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median office clerks, general salary is worth about $41,395 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do office clerks, generals 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.