SOC 43-4071.00

    File Clerks

    File correspondence, cards, invoices, receipts, and other records in alphabetical or numerical order or according to the filing system used.

    Median pay
    $43,600
    Growth
    -15.8%
    Decline
    Openings a year
    5,600
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $31,200
    Median
    $43,600
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $63,490
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    73,440 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    File clerks organize, store, and retrieve records such as invoices, correspondence, and receipts. The career offers a median annual pay of $43,600, though overall employment in this field is declining.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What file clerks do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    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.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    What the work is like

    File clerks spend their days managing records to keep offices running smoothly. Their main tasks involve organizing, planning, and processing information. They place documents in alphabetical or numerical order, or follow other established filing systems. When coworkers or clients need specific records, these clerks locate and retrieve the requested materials.

    This role is a strong fit for people with conventional interests who enjoy structured, detail-oriented tasks. Success in this job requires dependability, integrity, and cooperation. Clerks must use computers, document information, and communicate regularly with supervisors and peers. Key skills include active listening, reading comprehension, and clear speaking. They also rely on knowledge of administrative procedures, the English language, and customer service to assist others and maintain accurate files.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires a high school diploma. Because this occupation is classified as needing some preparation, most people enter the field with a high school education and then receive on-the-job training or have some prior work experience.

    Students interested in preparing for this career can look into college majors such as Business Operations Support and Assistant Services. The job is known by several other titles, including Admissions Clerk, Claims Clerk, Clerk Typist, and Record Recorder. It is closely related to other administrative roles like Data Entry Keyers, Medical Records Specialists, and General Office Clerks.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for file clerks was $43,600. Earnings can vary based on experience and location, with the lowest 10% earning less than $31,200 and the highest 10% earning more than $63,490.

    There are 73,440 people employed in this field. However, opportunities are shrinking, as employment is projected to decline by -15.8% from 2025 to 2035. Despite this decline, about 5,600 job openings are still expected each year to replace workers who leave the occupation.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    24 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    5 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    17 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    13 / 100
    Conventional (C) · strongest
    100 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code CRS. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Working with Computers
    89
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    88
    Processing Information
    87
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    82
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    82
    Analyzing Data or Information
    80
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    80
    Documenting/Recording Information
    79
    Getting Information
    79
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    77
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Reading Comprehension
    • Active Listening
    • Speaking
    • Monitoring
    • Service Orientation
    • Writing
    • Critical Thinking
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Time Management
    • Active Learning

    Knowledge

    • Administrative
    • English Language
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Law and Government
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Telecommunications
    • Mathematics
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Administration and Management
    • Education and Training

    Abilities

    • Information Ordering
    • Written Comprehension
    • Category Flexibility
    • Near Vision
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Written Expression
    • Perceptual Speed
    • Selective Attention
    • Speech Clarity

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Cautiousness
    • Cooperation
    • Perseverance
    • Self-Control
    • Humility
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Sincerity

    Also called

    Admissions Clerk · Blueprint Clerk · Brand Recorder · Card Filer · Claims Clerk · Classification Clerk · Clerk · Clerk Typist · Computer Aide · Computer Tape Librarian

    Career pathway

    From your interests to file clerks

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • File Clerks$43,600 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1
      Bellevue University-Nebraska

      Bellevue, NE · Business Operations Support and Assistant Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $67,452
      4 yrs after
      $83,581
      Median debt
      $19,499
    2. 2Valdosta State University logo
      Valdosta State University

      Valdosta, GA · Business Operations Support and Assistant Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $42,670
      4 yrs after
      $60,715
      Median debt
      $25,991

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What file clerks may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • General Office Occupations and Clerical Services

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about file clerks

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What is the typical entry-level education for a file clerk?

    Most people enter this career with a high school diploma. Employers typically provide some on-the-job training to help new hires learn the specific filing systems used by the organization.

    What are the salary ranges for this position?

    The median annual salary for file clerks is $43,600. The lowest-paid 10% of workers earn less than $31,200, while the highest-paid 10% earn more than $63,490.

    Are job opportunities for file clerks growing or shrinking?

    Opportunities are shrinking, with a projected employment decline of -15.8% between the years 2025 and 2035. Even with this decline, about 5,600 openings are projected to occur each year.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.