General clerk education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a general clerk. General clerks usually study business, general studies, or accounting. 33% of general clerks hold a bachelor's degree, and 27% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 12,436 real general clerk resumes to see exactly what general clerk education sections show.

The most common colleges for general clerks are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online general clerk courses to help get the education required to be a general clerk.

There are certain general clerk certifications that you should consider. These general clerk certifications include Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) and Word 2010 Certification.

What education do you need to become a general clerk?

What degree do you need to be a general clerk?

The most common degree for general clerks is bachelor's degree, with 33% of general clerks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 27% and high school diploma degree at 25%.

Bachelor's, 33%

High School Diploma, 27%

Associate, 25%

Diploma, 7%

Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a general clerk?

You should major in business to become a general clerk. 31% of general clerks major in business. Other common majors for a general clerk include general studies and accounting.

Business, 31%

General Studies, 8%

Accounting, 8%

Criminal Justice, 7%

Other Majors, 46%

Most common colleges for general clerks

General clerks often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Cameron University, and Strayer University. Here are the most common colleges for general clerks in the US based on their resumes.

General clerk common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	19.73%
Cameron University	11.34%
Strayer University	7.51%
St. Louis	6.33%
Eastern Kentucky University	5.60%

Show more common general clerk colleges

Best majors for general clerks

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	31.0%
2	General Studies	8.3%
3	Accounting	8.1%
4	Criminal Justice	6.5%
5	Health Care Administration	6.3%

Show more common general clerk majors

Best colleges for general clerks

The best colleges for general clerks are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Boston College.

A general clerk with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for general clerks. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become general clerks.

1. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

6. Cedar Crest College

Allentown, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$39,216

Enrollment

1,303

7. Morgan State University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$7,900

Enrollment

6,404

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

9. Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$27,124

Enrollment

2,035

10. University of Akron

Akron, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,463

Enrollment

13,676

20 best online courses for general clerks

Advertising disclosure

1. Introduction to Computer Information Systems

This Specialization is intended for anyone seeking to learn basic computer skills. Through 3 courses, you will study computer hardware, software, and data safety. You will also learn about digital literacy and productivity tools. These courses will prepare you for a number of jobs within the field of computer information systems...

2. Computer Hardware and Software

This course provides foundational understanding of how computers process information through hardware and software. You will investigate the world of Information Technology (IT) and survey hardware components, mobile devices, operating systems, programs and apps, network fundamentals, the Internet, and touch on security and ethics...

3. Computer Hardware, Operating System and Networking

4.1

(314)

For Any Graduates/Engineering/Diploma/Arts & Science/Freshers/Home Users/Individuals/Desktop Support/FM/Service Engineer...

4. MS Office Course Bundle- Word , Powerpoint , Excel & Outlook

4.3

(319)

MS Office Learn and Polish the Most Desirable Office Courses at work , MS Word , MS Excel , MS Powerpoint and MS Outlook...

5. Relational Databases for Beginners

In Relational Databases for Beginners, you will learn invaluable information about how data is stored with the MySQL database. This guided project provides hands-on lessons with an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and relational databases to give you the skills to process data. In this guided project, you will learn how to explore the IDE interface, create a Python program using the IDE, create, populate, backup, and restore a database, how to create and populate a table, and how to use...

6. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

4.5

(941)

Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...

7. Certificate Program In Management Information Systems

4.1

(261)

Learn about the exciting world of Management Information Systems and its impact on the way organisations now function...

8. Cloud Computing and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Fundamentals

4.4

(735)

Examine the Key Principles of Cloud Computing including Service Models, Deployment Models, & Foundations of AWS...

9. Basic Computer Course - Windows 7/10 - IT & Desktop Support

4.7

(1,213)

Basic computer course with troubleshooting skills -computer hardware and computer networking, for IT support technicians...

10. Ultimate Microsoft Office; Excel, Word, PowerPoint & Access

4.5

(11,600)

Learn basic to advanced Microsoft Office skills in this 9-course bundle for Office 365 or Office 2019...

11. Statistics / Data Analysis: Survey Data and Likert Scales

4.6

(505)

How to Process Survey Data and Analyze Likert Scales In SPSS...

12. Complete Data Entry Skills Course - Learn Data Entry Skills

4.4

(399)

Learn Essential Data Entry Skills Now To Enhance Your Career -Word - Excel - Database - Data Entry Jobs...

13. Data Entry Skills: A Complete Data Entry Course from Scratch

4.7

(533)

A Complete Guide to Data Entry Skills: Learn Data Entry Skills and become a Data Entry Pro & Get a Online Data Entry Job...

14. Computer Organization and How to Organize Computer Files

4.1

(1,198)

Discover how to create Virtual Filing Cabinets and how to organize everything on your computer. Go Paperless today...

15. Computer Network Fundamentals- IT Helpdesk & Desktop Support

(409)

Learn the basic fundamentals of computer networking & OSI model for desktop support and IT service desk technicians...

16. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

4.6

(2,666)

Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...

17. Distributed Systems & Cloud Computing with Java

4.7

(2,569)

Learn Distributed Java Applications at Scale, Parallel Programming, Distributed Computing & Cloud Software Architecture...

18. Fundamentals of Logistics, Supply Chain & Customer Service

4.5

(3,822)

Learn Logistics, Supply Chain and Customer Service. 3 Courses in 1...

19. Machine Learning, Data Science and Generative AI with Python

4.6

(29,651)

Complete hands-on machine learning and AI tutorial with data science, Tensorflow, GPT, Open AI, and neural networks...

20. Build Your Own Custom Computer!

4.2

(547)

Learn everything you need to know about computers including how to do your own troubleshooting!...

Top 10 most affordable universities for general clerks

The most affordable schools for general clerks are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for general clerks are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for general clerks.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

5. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. Dickinson State University

Dickinson, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$6,768

Cost of attendance

15,506

10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for general clerks

The hardest universities for general clerks to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Boston College.

Some great schools for general clerks are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for general clerks based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

6. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

10. Brandeis University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

31%

SAT average

1,398

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for general clerks

The easiest schools for general clerks to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame college, and lim college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a general clerk without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for general clerks.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

3. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

4. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

9. Lewis-Clark State College

Lewiston, ID • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,009

10. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

Average general clerk salary by education level

According to our data, general clerks with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $35,770 annually. General clerks with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $35,242.

General clerk education level	General clerk salary
Master's Degree	$35,770
High School Diploma or Less	$33,759
Bachelor's Degree	$35,242
Some College/ Associate Degree	$34,355

General clerk education FAQs

What is the best college for General Clerks?

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

Search for general clerk jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs