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Job outlook for general office clerks in the United States
General office clerk job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected general office clerk job growth rate is -5% from 2018-2028.
About -130,800 new jobs for general office clerks are projected over the next decade.
General office clerk salaries have increased 16% for general office clerks in the last 5 years.
There are over 916,660 general office clerks currently employed in the United States.
There are 160,597 active general office clerk job openings in the US.
The average general office clerk salary is $30,034.
Are general office clerk jobs in demand?
General office clerk job and salary trends over time
General office clerk jobs over time
General office clerk job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 916,660 | 0.27% |
| 2020 | 991,293 | 0.30% |
| 2019 | 1,051,014 | 0.31% |
| 2018 | 1,057,012 | 0.32% |
| 2017 | 1,055,124 | 0.32% |
Average general office clerk salary over time
General office clerk salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $30,034 | $14.44 | +3.8% |
| 2025 | $28,937 | $13.91 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $27,823 | $13.38 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $26,778 | $12.87 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $25,996 | $12.50 | +3.4% |
General office clerk jobs by state
Most common states for general office clerks
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 330 | 48% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 357 | 37% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,319 | 34% |
| 4 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 1,041 | 34% |
| 5 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 289 | 33% |
| 6 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 622 | 32% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 426 | 32% |
| 8 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 2,190 | 30% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 316 | 30% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 228 | 30% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 1,033 | 29% |
| 12 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 498 | 29% |
| 13 | Alaska | 739,795 | 202 | 27% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 169 | 27% |
| 15 | California | 39,536,653 | 10,188 | 26% |
| 16 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 338 | 25% |
| 17 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 967 | 23% |
| 18 | New York | 19,849,399 | 4,299 | 22% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,213 | 22% |
| 20 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,925 | 21% |
Most common cities for general office clerks
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Junction | 1 | 2% | $35,629 |
| 2 | Lakeville | 1 | 2% | $30,356 |
| 3 | Pico Rivera | 1 | 2% | $34,119 |
| 4 | Hayward | 2 | 1% | $35,427 |
| 5 | Urban Honolulu | 2 | 1% | $33,344 |
| 6 | Fairfield | 1 | 1% | $35,448 |
| 7 | Milpitas | 1 | 1% | $35,378 |
| 8 | Indianapolis | 2 | 0% | $26,102 |
| 9 | Miami | 2 | 0% | $25,775 |
| 10 | Anaheim | 1 | 0% | $34,047 |
| 11 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $28,640 |
| 12 | Colorado Springs | 1 | 0% | $34,877 |
| 13 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $28,204 |
| 14 | Fresno | 1 | 0% | $34,878 |
| 15 | Houston | 1 | 0% | $29,038 |
| 16 | Norfolk | 1 | 0% | $27,543 |
| 17 | Reno | 1 | 0% | $35,658 |
General Office Clerk job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of general office clerk experts
University of Iowa
College of Charleston
Dixie State University
What type of skills will young General Office Clerks need?
Brian Lai Ph.D.: They need to be able to write well, specifically be able to clearly summarize and analyze ideas, policies, and arguments in a succinct manner. They will need at least a working understanding of data analysis techniques, if not some ability to analyze data. In the field of IR, the ability to network and work in a group environment will be important.
What experience really stands out on General Office Clerk resumes?
Jacob Craig Ph.D.: I believe strongly in dexterity and a language of expertise. That means that if a student can show they can adapt to new demands by learning a new way of working, learning about a new audience, learning how to address a new purpose, learning a new genre or style, and learning a new technology, that employee attractive. Especially at the entry-level, the ability to learn and adapt is valuable. Being able to talk about their experience using a persuasive vocabulary is often useful. For instance, if students can describe their approach to communication without using cliches (short and sweet, clear) and something along the lines of purpose, audience, situation, genre, medium--that's persuasive.
Dr. Mike Peterson Ph.D.
Department Chair and Associate Professor of EnglishDixie State University
English Department
What skills stand out on General Office Clerk resumes?
Dr. Mike Peterson Ph.D.: Writing skills have always been valued by employers, but anything that shows an ability to write, produce, or communicate in digital spaces will stand out. While employers are becoming increasingly comfortable having employees work and collaborate digitally (from home or elsewhere), they may still be reluctant to train employees how to do that. They want to see evidence that applicants will know how to use technology and stay productive without extensive training and without a supervisor having to stand behind them. That isn't to say training won't take place, but employers want to use their valuable time and resources training employees on their own systems, policies, and procedures; they don't want to have to show new-hires how to use Zoom, how to format a memo, how to write an email, or how to co-edit a document using OneDrive.