File Clerks Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for file clerks is $43,600, or $20.96 per hour. About 73,440 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $50,660 in Oregon to $31,260 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 49 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $50,660 | $24.36 | 970 | 1.04 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $50,630 | $24.34 | 100 | 0.35 |
| 3 | Illinois | $49,920 | $24.00 | 3,780 | 1.31 |
| 4 | Alaska | $49,910 | $24.00 | 150 | 0.99 |
| 5 | California | $49,040 | $23.58 | 9,520 | 1.11 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $48,310 | $23.22 | 600 | 0.35 |
| 7 | Vermont | $47,540 | $22.86 | 70 | 0.46 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $46,640 | $22.43 | 760 | 0.55 |
| 9 | Iowa | $46,560 | $22.38 | 430 | 0.58 |
| 10 | Colorado | $46,490 | $22.35 | 1,130 | 0.83 |
| 11 | Idaho | $45,910 | $22.07 | 540 | 1.32 |
| 12 | Washington | $45,830 | $22.04 | 520 | 0.31 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $45,130 | $21.70 | 1,550 | 1.11 |
| 14 | Maryland | $44,920 | $21.60 | 880 | 0.68 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $44,810 | $21.55 | 350 | 0.44 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $44,400 | $21.34 | 2,310 | 1.14 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $44,390 | $21.34 | 300 | 0.92 |
| 18 | New York | $44,340 | $21.32 | 2,590 | 0.57 |
| 19 | Nevada | $44,150 | $21.22 | 1,110 | 1.51 |
| 20 | Michigan | $43,950 | $21.13 | 1,820 | 0.88 |
| 21 | Maine | $43,910 | $21.11 | 210 | 0.70 |
| 22 | Arizona | $43,690 | $21.01 | 2,190 | 1.43 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $43,260 | $20.80 | 1,970 | 0.85 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $43,010 | $20.68 | 2,060 | 1.33 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $42,920 | $20.63 | 2,830 | 0.99 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $42,860 | $20.61 | 60 | 0.29 |
| 27 | Kansas | $42,130 | $20.26 | 570 | 0.84 |
| 28 | Florida | $41,750 | $20.07 | 6,180 | 1.32 |
| 29 | Utah | $41,450 | $19.93 | 510 | 0.63 |
| 30 | Georgia | $41,000 | $19.71 | 2,570 | 1.11 |
| 31 | Ohio | $40,650 | $19.54 | 1,820 | 0.69 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $40,640 | $19.54 | 750 | 1.55 |
| 33 | Delaware | $39,940 | $19.20 | — | — |
| 34 | Virginia | $39,900 | $19.18 | 2,110 | 1.09 |
| 35 | Indiana | $39,740 | $19.11 | 1,430 | 0.95 |
| 36 | Texas | $39,480 | $18.98 | 11,340 | 1.71 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $39,350 | $18.92 | 1,210 | 1.11 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $39,250 | $18.87 | 250 | 0.26 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $39,170 | $18.83 | 1,440 | 1.78 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $38,470 | $18.49 | 310 | 0.50 |
| 41 | Missouri | $38,400 | $18.46 | 1,000 | 0.72 |
| 42 | Montana | $38,370 | $18.45 | 410 | 1.71 |
| 43 | Alabama | $38,290 | $18.41 | 110 | 0.11 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $37,700 | $18.12 | 340 | 0.83 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $36,640 | $17.62 | — | — |
| 46 | Rhode Island | $36,400 | $17.50 | — | — |
| 47 | Louisiana | $32,200 | $15.48 | 680 | 0.75 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $31,600 | $15.19 | 260 | 0.78 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $31,260 | $15.03 | — | — |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do file clerks make?
The median annual wage for file clerks in the United States is $43,600, or $20.96 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $31,200, and the top 10% earn $63,490.
How many file clerks are employed in the U.S.?
About 73,440 people work as file clerks nationwide.
Which state pays file clerks the most?
Oregon pays the most at a median of $50,660, followed by Hawaii ($50,630) and Illinois ($49,920).
Which state pays file clerks the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $31,260.
Where are file clerks jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Oklahoma at 1.78×.