Office Clerks
O*NET title: 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.
Also called: Administration Clerk, Administrative Clerk (Admin Clerk), Administrative Support Specialist, Administrative Technician (Admin Tech), Agent-Licensing Clerk, Animal Hospital Clerk
Median pay
$45,010
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$30,310 – $64,680
People employed
2,464,940
Holland code
CES
Conventional · Enterprising · Social
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 2.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 3.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 4.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 5.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 6.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 7.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 8.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Office Clerks pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What office clerks do
- 01Operate office machines, such as photocopiers and scanners, facsimile machines, voice mail systems, and personal computers.
- 02Answer telephones, direct calls, and take messages.
- 03Communicate with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, take orders, and address complaints.
- 04Collect, count, and disburse money, do basic bookkeeping, and complete banking transactions.
- 05Complete and mail bills, contracts, policies, invoices, or checks.
- 06Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, either manually or using a computer.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Administrative
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from office clerks
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive95% · +6%
- File Clerks93% · −3%
- Correspondence Clerks91% · +4%
- Billing and Posting Clerks90% · +8%
- Receptionists and Information Clerks90% · −16%
Change into office clerks
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive95% · $47,540
- Correspondence Clerks94% · $46,800
- Billing and Posting Clerks93% · $48,500
- File Clerks93% · $43,600
- Receptionists and Information Clerks93% · $38,010
Majors that lead here
- General Office Occupations and Clerical Services
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.