Research Summary. Following thorough analysis by the Zippia data science team, we present the latest insights on file clerk salaries across the United States as of 2026:
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Washington offers the highest file clerk salary at $36,367
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Alabama has the lowest file clerk salary at $26,005
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The national average salary for file clerks is $31,562
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The national hourly wage for file clerks is $15.17
For more details on our methodology, click here.
Background
Salary remains a top priority for job seekers across various demographics. A common question is: how much do file clerks earn in my area?
Many factors influence your personal salary expectations, but we provide robust data on average salaries for file clerks by state, categorized by experience level. While your city’s rates may vary slightly from state averages, these figures offer a useful benchmark for salary expectations.
Based on these adjustments, Washington stands out with the highest salary for file clerks.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for file clerk salaries:
Let’s delve deeper into the data and provide a comprehensive ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid File Clerks By State
| Rank | State | Average File Clerk Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $36,367 | $29,000 | $44,000 |
| 2 | Maine | $35,853 | $29,000 | $44,000 |
| 3 | Idaho | $35,761 | $29,000 | $43,000 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $35,332 | $28,000 | $43,000 |
| 5 | New York | $35,175 | $28,000 | $43,000 |
| 6 | Vermont | $34,496 | $27,000 | $42,000 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $33,879 | $27,000 | $42,000 |
| 8 | California | $33,842 | $27,000 | $41,000 |
| 9 | Oregon | $33,774 | $27,000 | $41,000 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $33,596 | $28,000 | $39,000 |
| 11 | Illinois | $32,689 | $26,000 | $40,000 |
| 12 | Colorado | $32,603 | $26,000 | $39,000 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $32,410 | $26,000 | $39,000 |
| 14 | Ohio | $32,338 | $26,000 | $40,000 |
| 15 | Kansas | $32,018 | $26,000 | $39,000 |
| 16 | Michigan | $31,920 | $25,000 | $39,000 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $31,606 | $25,000 | $39,000 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $31,550 | $25,000 | $38,000 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $31,155 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 20 | Montana | $31,144 | $25,000 | $37,000 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $31,075 | $24,000 | $38,000 |
| 22 | Alaska | $31,000 | $27,000 | $35,000 |
| 23 | Utah | $30,971 | $25,000 | $38,000 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $30,851 | $24,000 | $38,000 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $30,754 | $24,000 | $37,000 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $30,641 | $25,000 | $37,000 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $30,589 | $24,000 | $38,000 |
| 28 | Arizona | $30,350 | $24,000 | $37,000 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $30,270 | $24,000 | $37,000 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $29,716 | $24,000 | $36,000 |
| 31 | Missouri | $29,276 | $23,000 | $36,000 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $29,190 | $23,000 | $36,000 |
| 33 | Virginia | $29,164 | $23,000 | $36,000 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $29,049 | $23,000 | $36,000 |
| 35 | Texas | $29,039 | $23,000 | $36,000 |
| 36 | Nevada | $28,962 | $23,000 | $35,000 |
| 37 | Maryland | $28,939 | $23,000 | $36,000 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $28,918 | $23,000 | $35,000 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | $28,606 | $22,000 | $35,000 |
| 40 | Iowa | $28,585 | $23,000 | $35,000 |
| 41 | Georgia | $28,560 | $22,000 | $35,000 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $28,482 | $22,000 | $35,000 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $28,469 | $22,000 | $35,000 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $27,735 | $22,000 | $34,000 |
| 45 | Florida | $27,670 | $21,000 | $35,000 |
| 46 | Delaware | $27,396 | $21,000 | $34,000 |
| 47 | Indiana | $27,319 | $22,000 | $33,000 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $26,836 | $21,000 | $33,000 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $26,737 | $21,000 | $33,000 |
| 50 | Alabama | $26,005 | $20,000 | $32,000 |
Methodology: File Clerk Salary By State
To gain insights into file clerk compensation across states, Zippia has compiled data from various sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. Additionally, we analyze actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team calculates a weighted average of these inputs to derive the average pay for file clerks by state.
We utilized average annual salary data for file clerks from these estimates and ranked each state based on this criterion, with the highest salary state taking the top position.
File Clerk Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for file clerks?
The highest-paid state for file clerks is Washington, with an average salary of $36,367 per year.
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What city pays file clerks the most?
Vancouver, WA offers the highest average salary for file clerks at $36,949 per year.
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What is the worst state for file clerks?
The state with the lowest average salary for file clerks is Alabama, at $26,005 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
