Office Clerks, General Salary in Washington, DC
Office Clerks, General in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn a median $51,880 a year — 15% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $41,919 take-home, or $3,493 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median office clerks, general salary in Washington, DC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,046
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,217
- Medicare (1.45%)$752
- District of Columbia income tax$1,947
- Take-home pay$41,919
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro spans District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Office Clerks, General pay by experience in Washington, DC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,230 | $17.42 | $30,283 | $2,524 |
| 25th percentile | $43,770 | $21.04 | $35,889 | $2,991 |
| Median (50th) | $51,880 | $24.94 | $41,919 | $3,493 |
| 75th percentile | $62,940 | $30.26 | $50,108 | $4,176 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $76,240 | $36.65 | $58,953 | $4,913 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, District of Columbia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $51,880 buys in Washington, DC
Prices in Washington, DC are 8.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median office clerks, general's $41,919 take-home pay has the buying power of $38,499 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Office Clerks, General jobs are less concentrated in Washington, DC than nationally (location quotient 0.79), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for office clerks, general, adjusted for cost of living
Washington, DC ranks #46 of 157 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fargo, ND | $49,060 | $41,600 | $45,779 |
| 2 | Duluth, MN | $46,820 | $38,114 | $42,936 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $58,840 | $47,113 | $42,666 |
| 4 | Des Moines, IA | $46,540 | $38,458 | $41,939 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $53,990 | $43,894 | $41,495 |
| 6 | Reno, NV | $49,230 | $41,736 | $41,317 |
| 7 | Santa Maria, CA | $55,620 | $44,761 | $41,141 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $45,640 | $37,644 | $40,677 |
| 46 | Washington, DC | $51,880 | $41,919 | $38,499 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 157 metros →
About the job: office clerks, general
Perform duties too varied and diverse to be classified in any specific office clerical occupation, requiring knowledge of office systems and procedures. Clerical duties may be assigned in accordance with the office procedures of individual establishments and may include a combination of answering telephones, bookkeeping, typing or word processing, office machine operation, and filing.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -6.0% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a office clerks, general make in Washington, DC?
The median office clerks, general salary in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $51,880 a year, or about $24.94 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $43,770 and $62,940.
What is a office clerks, general’s take-home pay in Washington, DC?
On the median $51,880 salary, a single filer living in District of Columbia takes home about $41,919 a year ($3,493 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,947 in District of Columbia taxes in 2026.
Is Washington, DC a good place to work as a office clerks, general?
Pay here is 15% above the national median of $45,010. Local prices are 8.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $38,499 would in a typical U.S. city. Washington, DC ranks #46 of 157 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a office clerks, general afford rent in Washington, DC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Washington, DC is $1,990 a month ($2,223 for two bedrooms) — 57% of a median office clerks, general’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Washington, DC
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $90,320
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $77,220
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $76,400
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $64,250
- Information and Record Clerks, All Other — $61,760
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $60,990
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $59,290
- Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other — $57,160
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance — $57,160
- Billing and Posting Clerk — $55,920
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $53,660
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $48,280