Research Summary. Using a combination of public government and company data as well as data gathered from thousands of job postings, the Zippia data team has created average salary estimates for jobs across the US. Using that data set, the team has identified the types of clerks that are the highest paid based on their average annual salaries.
Here is a summary of our findings for the highest-paying types of clerks:
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Audit Clerk is the highest-paid type of clerk with an average salary of $39,465 and an average hourly rate of $18.97.
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The second highest-paying type of clerk is support clerk, with an average salary of $35,159.
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The average clerk salary is $31,163 per year, and the average hourly pay is $14.98.
Table Of Contents: Background | Table | Methodology | FAQs
Background
Choosing a career path can be difficult, and while pay shouldn’t be the only thing you consider in your decision, it is a significant factor. So if you’d like to work as a clerk, it helps to have an idea of what the highest-paid types of clerks are so that you can plan your career progression.
Here are the top salaries for different types of clerks:
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Audit Clerk
Average Salary: $39,465
An Audit Clerk performs general audits and assessments on its financial activities, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. They gather and analyze data from various offices, check customer and vendor payments and balances, verify tax deductions, and produce and review reports, keeping an eye out for any inconsistencies and irregularities. An Audit Clerk may also reconcile financial records in some companies, verify bank transactions, and process payments. Moreover, they also perform clerical tasks such as preparing documentation, organizing files, and handling calls and correspondence.
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Support Clerk
Average Salary: $35,159
A support clerk is primarily in charge of performing administrative support tasks in an office, making the daily workflow easier. Their responsibilities typically include preparing and processing documentation, answering and forwarding calls, handling correspondence, disseminating and organizing files, and running errands as needed. They may also update databases, maintaining records of all transactions. Furthermore, as a support clerk, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff, coordinating to ensure efficient and smooth workplace operations.
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Title Clerk
Average Salary: $34,858
Title clerks are responsible for preparing and processing title paperwork to transfer property ownership of a vehicle or real estate. They typically work for lawyers and agents, accomplishing varied tasks such as submitting title documents to the designated government office and verifying the collection of funds from sales. Also, title clerks are responsible for ensuring that all information from the records is accurate, answering telephone calls, and maintaining their cleanliness. A title clerk also explains the title transfer process to customers and responds to their queries.
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Shop Clerk
Average Salary: $34,468
A shop clerk is primarily in charge of assisting clients in a retail store, ensuring efficient service for client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include greeting and identifying the clients’ needs, answering inquiries, locating products, offering promotions, and recommending alternatives as needed. They must also maintain the cleanliness of the sales floor, clearing the obstructions and disposing of expired or defective products. Furthermore, a shop clerk must manage the product displays, devising strategies to make them more presentable to the customers.
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Operations Clerk
Average Salary: $33,746
An operations clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties, ensuring smooth business operations. Operations clerks often handle customer service, respond to customers’ inquiries and concerns, and direct guests to appropriate departments. They also manage data entry tasks, update customers or employees’ information to the database, create business reports, identify potential clients through cold calls and e-mails, sort and file documents, and monitor inventories. An operations clerk must have excellent time-management and organizational skills to follow office procedures and meet deadlines.
Below is a full table of the average pay for various clerk that pay the most followed by a more 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 uses publicly published information from government sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to create its salary estimates.
Our data science team also checks job postings and company-published resources for additional up-to-date salary information for clerks.
Once they’ve gathered the data, the team calculates a weighted average for each job title they’re estimating a salary for. For more 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, which is $ 18.97 hourly.
An Audit Clerk performs general audits and assessments on its financial activities, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. They gather and analyze data from various offices, check customer and vendor payments and balances, verify tax deductions, and produce and review reports, keeping an eye out for any inconsistencies and irregularities. An Audit Clerk may also reconcile financial records in some companies, verify bank transactions, and process payments. Moreover, they also perform clerical tasks such as preparing documentation, organizing files, and handling calls 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. The average clerk salary is $31,163, so those making at least $31,163 are earning above-average paychecks.
Keep in mind, however, that the average clerk salary does fluctuate based on location, as companies will adjust their pay scales based on the cost of living in that area. Research what the average salary is in your area for someone of your expertise and experience level to get a more accurate view on how well you’re being paid.
In addition, if you’re just starting your career as a clerk, the average entry level salary is $21,777, so don’t base your opinion of your salary on the $31,163 average, as this includes all clerks of all skill and experience levels.
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Do Clerk jobs pay well?
No, clerk jobs don’t pay well. As in any industry, some clerk jobs pay better than others, but the average clerk salary of $31,163 is times the average national salary of about $44,225 per year.
In addition to this, many clerk jobs have high earning potential, with the top 10% of clerks earning $44,873 a year on average.
Clerks’ salaries will fluctuate based on their experience level, industry, and location, so pay attention to these factors when you’re looking for a job as a clerk. Do your research on the going rate for a clerk in your area with your expertise, and don’t be afraid to negotiate your salary based on that information.
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Where do clerks get paid the most?
Clerks get paid the most in Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, clerks earn an average annual salary of $34,066 and an average hourly wage of $16.38.
Following WI, the states with the highest-paid clerks are Connecticut, Indiana, and Alaska, with average annual salaries of $35,093, $32,926, and $34,812 respectively.
The cities with the highest-paid clerk salaries are:
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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.
