File Clerks: Salary Overview
File clerks file correspondence, invoices, cards, receipts, and other records in alphabetical or numerical order in accordance with a specific filing system.
When a file is requested, they are responsible for locating that file.
They also have to complete additional administrative tasks in the office but their most important job duty is organizing the office’s files.
File clerks typically receive a filing system and have to follow protocols, specifications, and office procedures.
Some of them also type office correspondence and other documentation and may assist with keeping the inventory of office supplies.
They typically work during normal business hours in an office environment.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there where 102,300 file clerks employed in the United States in May 2019.
The mean annual wage for this profession was $34,610 as of May 2019, while the median annual salary was $32,710.
Salaries in this field vary based on a wide range of factors, including the industry and the clerk’s level of education and experience.
Entry-level file clerks may make less than $22,100 while experienced clerks can earn more than $50,000 a year.
Having skills in data entry and computer skills can help you earn an above-average wage.
File Clerk Salary by Industry
File clerks may work in the private sectors, for local, state, or federal governments.
The biggest employers for file clerks are the industry of legal services, local governments, offices of physicians, employment services, and general medical and surgical hospitals.
The median annual salary for file clerks who worked for the legal services field was $33,740 a year, as of May 2019, while those who worked for local governments earned a median annual wage of $39,310.
File clerks who worked in offices of physicians earned a median annual wage of $28,870 while those who worked for employment services earned a median annual salary of $35,170.
The median annual wage for file clerks who worked for hospitals was $34,130 in May 2019.
The highest median salary for file clerks was reported in the federal executive branch; file clerks who worked here earned a median annual wage of $61,980.
However, this field hired only approximately 50 file clerks, and competition for a job at a federal agency can be strong.
The natural gas distribution field hired approximately 40 file clerks and paid them a median annual wage of $59,280.
Other fields where file clerks may earn a wage above average are the telecommunications industry, the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution field and the motion picture and video industry.
About 610 file clerks worked in the telecommunications field in 2019 and their median annual wage was $52,220.
The median annual wage for file clerks who worked in electric power generation, transmission and distribution industry was $48,130.
File clerks who worked in the motion picture and video industries earned a median annual wage of $44,050.
The median annual wage is only the wage at which half of all workers in this profession earned less than this amount and half earned more.
So, depending on your experience, skills, and education you may be either among the lowest 50% or among the highest 50%.
File Clerk Salary by Compensation Structure
File clerks can be paid an hourly rate or a fixed salary.
The average hourly rate for file clerks was $16.64 as of May 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics but entry-level clerks may earn less than $11 an hour while experienced employees can make more than $25 an hour.
Some file clerks also receive bonuses and profit sharing.
According to payscale.com file clerks earned bonuses of $515 a year, on average, and made $1,300 a year, on average, in profit sharing.
Some file clerks also receive other perks, such as medical, dental, or vision insurance.
* Based on information from the May 2024 salary report from the BLS. The figures represent accumulated data for all states of employment for File Clerks. BLS data represents averages and medians for workers at all levels of education and experience. This data doesn't represent starting salaries.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.