File Clerk Salary in Los Angeles, CA
File Clerks in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $48,450 a year — 11% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $39,523 take-home, or $3,294 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median file clerk salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,634
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,004
- Medicare (1.45%)$703
- California income tax$956
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$630
- Take-home pay$39,523
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
File Clerk pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,330 | $17.95 | $31,207 | $2,601 |
| 25th percentile | $38,850 | $18.68 | $32,348 | $2,696 |
| Median (50th) | $48,450 | $23.29 | $39,523 | $3,294 |
| 75th percentile | $61,540 | $29.59 | $49,085 | $4,090 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $79,680 | $38.31 | $60,668 | $5,056 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $48,450 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median file clerk's $39,523 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,802 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Los Angeles, CA has 1.3× the national concentration of file clerk jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for file clerks, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #4 of 5 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $58,320 | $46,298 | $44,691 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $41,400 | $35,445 | $35,938 |
| 3 | Dallas, TX | $42,850 | $36,610 | $35,513 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $48,450 | $39,523 | $34,802 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $44,710 | $36,287 | $32,237 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 5 metros →
About the job: file clerks
File correspondence, cards, invoices, receipts, and other records in alphabetical or numerical order or according to the filing system used. Locate and remove material from file when requested.
- 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
- -15.8% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a file clerk make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median file clerk salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $48,450 a year, or about $23.29 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,850 and $61,540.
What is a file clerk’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $48,450 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $39,523 a year ($3,294 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,586 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a file clerk?
Pay here is 11% above the national median of $43,600. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,802 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #4 of 5 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a file clerk afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 68% of a median file clerk’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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