Office Clerks, General Salary
Office Clerks, Generals in Tennessee make a median of $38,860 a year, or about $18.68 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $43,284 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 43.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $39K get you in Tennessee?
About office clerks, generals
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for office clerks, general in Tennessee runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 43.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level office clerks, generals (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Office Clerks, General salary by metro in Tennessee
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $44K | +13% | 16,770 |
| Memphis | $39K | -1% | 9,060 |
| Clarksville | $38K | -1% | 1,410 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $38K | -2% | 1,690 |
| Knoxville | $38K | -2% | 6,460 |
| Chattanooga | $38K | -3% | 3,920 |
| Jackson | $38K | -3% | 1,170 |
| Johnson City | $36K | -6% | 1,510 |
| Cleveland | $36K | -7% | 630 |
| Morristown | $36K | -8% | 570 |
Compare to other states
Track office clerks, general salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a office clerks, general afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 43.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/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 Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new office clerks, generals typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,607/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 76% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $39K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for office clerks, generals?
Tennessee pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do office clerks, generals make in Tennessee?
The median is $38,860 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,780, and experienced office clerks, generals can clear $58,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,772/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 43.8% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $43,284 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.