File Clerk Salary
File Clerks earn a median $43,600 a year nationally. Office and Administrative Support Occupations
U.S. median
$43,600
$20.96 per hour
Range
$31,200 – $63,490
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
73,440
across the U.S.
File Clerk take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$37,213
per year · effective tax rate 14.6%
$3,101Monthly
$1,551Twice a month
$1,431Every 2 weeks
$17.89Hourly
- Federal income tax$3,052
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,703
- Medicare (1.45%)$632
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$37,213
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 | $27,249 |
| 25th percentile | $36,420 | $17.51 | $31,443 |
| Median (50th) | $43,600 | $20.96 | $37,213 |
| 75th percentile | $51,770 | $24.89 | $43,777 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,490 | $30.52 | $53,194 |
Best cities for file clerks (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $58,320 | $46,298 | $44,691 | 2,640 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $60,840 | $48,574 | $43,989 | 540 |
| 3 | Nashville, TN | $46,990 | $39,936 | $41,455 | 600 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $46,400 | $39,462 | $40,241 | 890 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $52,280 | $40,442 | $38,362 | 480 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $54,910 | $44,242 | $38,268 | 890 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $46,700 | $37,903 | $37,881 | 1,640 |
| 8 | Riverside, CA | $49,180 | $40,057 | $37,632 | 800 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $50,680 | $40,587 | $37,489 | 450 |
| 10 | Sacramento, CA | $49,040 | $39,954 | $37,456 | 480 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh, PA | $42,920 | $35,349 | $37,338 | 680 |
| 12 | Las Vegas, NV | $43,750 | $37,333 | $37,253 | 860 |
| 13 | Oklahoma City, OK | $40,750 | $33,634 | $37,203 | 570 |
| 14 | Denver, CO | $47,680 | $39,101 | $36,964 | 600 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $45,980 | $37,713 | $36,774 | 1,440 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $46,650 | $37,986 | $36,239 | 460 |
| 17 | Houston, TX | $41,400 | $35,445 | $35,938 | 2,580 |
| 18 | San Antonio, TX | $39,520 | $33,934 | $35,827 | 840 |
| 19 | Phoenix, AZ | $44,460 | $37,001 | $35,813 | 1,530 |
| 20 | St. Louis, MO | $40,850 | $34,020 | $35,778 | 580 |
| 21 | Dallas, TX | $42,850 | $36,610 | $35,513 | 3,170 |
| 22 | Detroit, MI | $42,990 | $35,146 | $35,042 | 820 |
| 23 | San Diego, CA | $47,720 | $38,990 | $34,848 | 880 |
| 24 | Los Angeles, CA | $48,450 | $39,523 | $34,802 | 3,930 |
| 25 | Tampa, FL | $40,770 | $34,939 | $34,630 | 1,040 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Jose, CA — $60,840
- Chicago, IL — $58,320
- San Francisco, CA — $54,910
- Portland, OR — $52,280
- Boston, MA — $50,680
- Riverside, CA — $49,180
- Sacramento, CA — $49,040
- Los Angeles, CA — $48,450
- San Diego, CA — $47,720
- Denver, CO — $47,680
- Nashville, TN — $46,990
- Atlanta, GA — $46,700
- Minneapolis, MN — $46,650
- Austin, TX — $46,400
- Philadelphia, PA — $45,980
File Clerk salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $50,660 | $39,282 | $33,860 – $67,240 | 970 |
| Hawaii | $50,630 | $40,532 | $32,190 – $64,660 | 100 |
| Illinois | $49,920 | $39,964 | $32,120 – $73,040 | 3,780 |
| Alaska | $49,910 | $42,283 | $34,370 – $65,030 | 150 |
| California | $49,040 | $39,954 | $36,780 – $78,100 | 9,520 |
| Massachusetts | $48,310 | $38,802 | $37,430 – $70,210 | 600 |
| Vermont | $47,540 | $39,220 | $32,940 – $61,780 | 70 |
| Minnesota | $46,640 | $37,979 | $39,250 – $61,840 | 760 |
| Iowa | $46,560 | $38,473 | $33,390 – $63,480 | 430 |
| Colorado | $46,490 | $38,198 | $35,140 – $62,550 | 1,130 |
| Idaho | $45,910 | $37,744 | $29,600 – $50,460 | 540 |
| Washington | $45,830 | $39,004 | $36,410 – $63,670 | 520 |
| Wisconsin | $45,130 | $37,237 | $31,370 – $61,160 | 1,550 |
| Maryland | $44,920 | $36,503 | $35,950 – $60,530 | 880 |
| Connecticut | $44,810 | $37,093 | $34,010 – $68,190 | 350 |
| New Jersey | $44,400 | $36,950 | $33,370 – $65,100 | 2,310 |
| New Hampshire | $44,390 | $37,847 | $29,950 – $58,920 | 300 |
| New York | $44,340 | $36,010 | $34,270 – $59,770 | 2,590 |
| Nevada | $44,150 | $37,655 | $33,280 – $61,160 | 1,110 |
| Michigan | $43,950 | $35,877 | $31,750 – $61,900 | 1,820 |
| Maine | $43,910 | $35,679 | $37,430 – $51,860 | 210 |
| Arizona | $43,690 | $36,401 | $34,820 – $56,950 | 2,190 |
| North Carolina | $43,260 | $35,722 | $31,520 – $56,790 | 1,970 |
| Tennessee | $43,010 | $36,739 | $26,460 – $59,020 | 2,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,920 | $35,349 | $32,270 – $60,180 | 2,830 |
| North Dakota | $42,860 | $36,618 | $37,650 – $59,020 | 60 |
| Kansas | $42,130 | $34,480 | $31,940 – $56,430 | 570 |
| Florida | $41,750 | $35,726 | $31,010 – $56,550 | 6,180 |
| Utah | $41,450 | $34,586 | $31,240 – $53,160 | 510 |
| Georgia | $41,000 | $33,618 | $29,740 – $59,710 | 2,570 |
| Ohio | $40,650 | $34,507 | $27,190 – $57,410 | 1,820 |
| Nebraska | $40,640 | $33,865 | $30,300 – $55,050 | 750 |
| Delaware | $39,940 | $32,732 | $31,200 – $52,730 | — |
| Virginia | $39,900 | $32,760 | $31,200 – $56,970 | 2,110 |
| Indiana | $39,740 | $32,968 | $32,230 – $61,470 | 1,430 |
| Texas | $39,480 | $33,902 | $27,380 – $61,800 | 11,340 |
| South Carolina | $39,350 | $32,594 | $27,710 – $56,800 | 1,210 |
| Kentucky | $39,250 | $32,461 | $27,450 – $57,280 | 250 |
| Oklahoma | $39,170 | $32,436 | $27,980 – $57,990 | 1,440 |
| Arkansas | $38,470 | $31,803 | $28,230 – $53,150 | 310 |
| Missouri | $38,400 | $32,167 | $29,750 – $57,770 | 1,000 |
| Montana | $38,370 | $31,964 | $25,150 – $49,660 | 410 |
| Alabama | $38,290 | $31,297 | $30,320 – $61,930 | 110 |
| New Mexico | $37,700 | $31,818 | $25,700 – $52,130 | 340 |
| South Dakota | $36,640 | $31,620 | $31,930 – $37,900 | — |
| Rhode Island | $36,400 | $30,679 | $32,390 – $62,840 | — |
| Louisiana | $32,200 | $27,473 | $20,920 – $44,150 | 680 |
| West Virginia | $31,600 | $26,751 | $26,340 – $47,650 | 260 |
| Mississippi | $31,260 | $26,779 | $25,210 – $44,200 | — |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a file clerk make?
The national median salary for file clerks is $43,600 a year ($20.96 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $31,200 and the top 10% earn over $63,490. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays file clerks the most?
Oregon has the highest median pay at $50,660. After taxes and local prices, Chicago, IL offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many file clerks are there in the U.S.?
About 73,440 people work as file clerks nationwide.
All 31 cities
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Baltimore, MD
- Boston, MA
- Chicago, IL
- Dallas, TX
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Houston, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- Las Vegas, NV
- Los Angeles, CA
- Miami, FL
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New York, NY
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Orlando, FL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, OR
- Riverside, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Washington, DC