Research Summary. The Zippia data team has analyzed a combination of public government and company data alongside thousands of job postings to create average salary estimates for clerk positions across the US. This data has been used to identify the highest-paying clerk roles based on their average annual salaries.
Here’s a summary of our findings regarding the highest-paying types of clerks:
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Audit Clerk ranks as the highest-paid clerk, with an average salary of $39,465 and an hourly rate of $18.97.
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The second highest-paying clerk role is the Support Clerk, earning an average salary of $35,159.
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The average salary for clerks overall is $31,163 per year, equating to an hourly wage of $14.98.
Table Of Contents: Background | Table | Methodology | FAQs
Background
Choosing a career path can be challenging. While salary should not be the sole factor in your decision, it is an important consideration. Understanding the highest-paid clerk roles can help you plan your career trajectory effectively.
Here are the top salaries for various clerk positions:
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Audit Clerk
Average Salary: $39,465
Audit Clerks conduct audits and assessments of financial activities, ensuring accuracy and compliance. They gather and analyze data from multiple sources, check payments and balances, verify tax deductions, and generate reports while identifying any discrepancies. In some organizations, they may also handle financial reconciliation, verify banking transactions, and perform various clerical duties, including documentation and correspondence management.
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Support Clerk
Average Salary: $35,159
A Support Clerk is responsible for facilitating administrative tasks within an office to enhance daily operations. Their duties typically include processing documentation, managing calls, organizing files, and running errands. They also maintain databases and ensure effective communication among staff to optimize workplace efficiency.
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Title Clerk
Average Salary: $34,858
Title Clerks prepare and process title documents for property ownership transfers, typically working with lawyers and agents. Their responsibilities include submitting documents to government offices, collecting sales funds, ensuring information accuracy, managing calls, and explaining title transfer processes to clients.
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Shop Clerk
Average Salary: $34,468
Shop Clerks assist customers in retail environments, ensuring a high level of service. Their tasks include greeting customers, answering queries, locating products, promoting sales, and maintaining store cleanliness. They also manage product displays to enhance visual appeal.
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Operations Clerk
Average Salary: $33,746
Operations Clerks perform essential administrative and clerical functions that support business operations. They address customer inquiries, manage data entry, create reports, and maintain records while ensuring smooth office workflows. Strong time-management and organizational skills are crucial for this role.
Below is a comprehensive table showcasing the average salaries for various clerk positions, followed by a detailed explanation of our methodology.
Highest-Paying Types Of Clerks
| Rank | Job Title | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Audit Clerk | |
| 2 | Support Clerk | |
| 3 | Title Clerk | |
| 4 | Shop Clerk | |
| 5 | Operations Clerk | |
| 6 | Control Clerk | |
| 7 | General Clerk | |
| 8 | Administrative Clerk | |
| 9 | Receptionist/Billing Clerk | |
| 10 | Clerk Typist | |
| 11 | Data Entry Clerk | |
| 12 | File Clerk | |
| 13 | Data Clerk | |
| 14 | Front Office Clerk | |
| 15 | Office Clerk | |
| 16 | Room Clerk | |
| 17 | General Office Clerk | |
| 18 | Mailroom Clerk | |
| 19 | Cash Office Clerk | |
| 20 | Office Services Clerk |
Methodology
Zippia utilizes publicly available information from government sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), to develop salary estimates.
Our data science team also reviews job postings and company resources to acquire up-to-date salary information for clerks.
After gathering the data, the team computes a weighted average for each job title being assessed. For further details on our salary estimates, you can read the detailed methodology.
Highest-Paying Types Of Clerk Jobs FAQs
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What is the highest-paid clerk job?
The highest-paid clerk job is an audit clerk. Audit Clerks earn an average salary of $39,465, equivalent to $18.97 per hour.
Audit Clerks conduct thorough audits and assessments of financial activities, ensuring accuracy and compliance. They gather data from multiple offices, check customer and vendor payments, verify tax deductions, and prepare reports while identifying discrepancies. They may also reconcile financial records, verify bank transactions, and manage clerical tasks like documentation and correspondence.
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What is a good salary for a clerk?
A good salary for a clerk is $31,163 or more. This figure represents the average clerk salary, meaning those earning at least this amount are receiving above-average compensation.
However, salaries can vary by location, as companies adjust pay scales based on local cost of living. Research the average salary for your expertise and experience level to gain a clearer perspective on your compensation.
For entry-level clerks, the average starting salary is approximately $21,777, so it’s essential not to base your salary expectations solely on the average, as this figure encompasses all clerks across various experience levels.
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Do clerk jobs pay well?
No, clerk jobs typically do not offer high salaries. While some clerk roles have better pay than others, the average clerk salary of $31,163 is lower than the average national salary of around $44,225 per year.
Nevertheless, many clerk roles present opportunities for higher earnings, with the top 10% of clerks making an average of $44,873 annually.
Clerk salaries vary based on experience, industry, and location, so consider these factors when seeking clerk positions. Research the salary landscape in your area to ensure you negotiate effectively.
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Where do clerks get paid the most?
Clerks earn the highest salaries in Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, clerks average an annual salary of $34,066, with an hourly wage of $16.38.
Following Wisconsin, the states with the highest clerk salaries are Connecticut, Indiana, and Alaska, with average annual salaries of $35,093, $32,926, and $34,812, respectively.
The cities with the highest salaries for clerks include:
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Washington, DC – $37,266
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Sacramento, CA – $34,282
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Seattle, WA – $33,573
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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.
