How to hire an office clerk

Office clerk hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring office clerks in the United States:

In the United States, the median cost per hire an office clerk is $1,633.
It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new office clerk to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an office clerk, step by step

To hire an office clerk, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a office clerk:

Here's a step-by-step office clerk hiring guide:

Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
Step 3: Make a budget
Step 4: Write an office clerk job description
Step 5: Post your job
Step 6: Interview candidates
Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new office clerk
Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an office clerk do?

Office clerks are administrative employees who handle clerical activities for the organization. They are in charge of managing company records, organizing and storing documents, filing and sorting hard copies of documents, and liaising with other departments or external partners. They are also in charge of handling and scheduling meetings and appointments, managing the reservation of office meeting rooms, and manning telephone lines. Office clerks may also be in charge of ordering office supplies, preparing purchase requisitions for office needs, sending out and receiving official company documents, and other correspondences.

Learn more about the specifics of what an office clerk does

Post an office clerk job for free, promote it for a fee

Identify your hiring needs

The office clerk hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

Determine employee vs contractor status

Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

An office clerk's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, office clerks from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

Here's a comparison of office clerk salaries for various roles:

Type of Office Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
Office Clerk	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$12-18
Office Administrator	Office administrators are employees who ensure that the office is running in tip-top shape. They manage the administrative needs of the office... Show more	$13-23
Office Receptionist	An office receptionist, or administrative assistant, performs various administrative tasks for an organization. These tasks may include answering phone calls, providing the public and customers with information, and warmly welcoming, greeting, and directing visitors or guests accordingly... Show more	$12-19

Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:
- Customer Service
- Data Entry
- Telephone Calls
- Payroll
- Office Equipment
- Office Machines
- Direct Calls
- Front Desk
- Word Processing
- Scheduling Appointments
- Clerical Support
- HR
- Bank Deposits
- Purchase Orders
Check all skills
Responsibilities:
- Complete medical records requests as specified under HIPAA regulations.
- Scan EOB's and attach to payments in software system.
- Perform electronic billing of Medicare, Medicaid, and HMO/PPO submissions.
- Follow all HIPAA guidelines and safety rules as required within the healthcare policy.
- Perform account analysis on credit balance accounts using insurance explanation of benefit information (EOB).
- Provide information about establishment, such as location of departments or offices, employees within the organization, or services provide.
More office clerk duties

Make a budget

Including a salary range in your office clerk job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An office clerk salary can vary based on several factors:

Location. For example, office clerks' average salary in new mexico is 43% less than in alaska.
Seniority. Entry-level office clerks earn 34% less than senior-level office clerks.
Certifications. An office clerk with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an office clerk's salary.

Average office clerk salary

$14.87hourly

$30,927 yearly

Entry-level office clerk salary

$25,000 yearly salary

Updated December 29, 2025

Average office clerk salary by state

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Colorado	$35,394	$17
2	California	$34,626	$17
3	Washington	$34,459	$17
4	Oregon	$34,247	$16
5	Connecticut	$34,096	$16
6	Arizona	$32,399	$16
7	Minnesota	$31,713	$15
8	Massachusetts	$31,599	$15
9	Illinois	$31,455	$15
10	Pennsylvania	$30,562	$15
11	New York	$30,365	$15
12	Maine	$30,151	$15
13	Texas	$29,702	$14
14	North Carolina	$28,691	$14
15	Ohio	$28,674	$14
16	Iowa	$28,573	$14
17	Indiana	$28,567	$14
18	Maryland	$28,056	$13
19	Virginia	$27,661	$13
20	Florida	$27,440	$13

Average office clerk salary by company

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
1	University of Massachusetts Boston	$45,035	$21.65	2
2	Ross Institute	$41,207	$19.81	1
3	Kemper	$40,621	$19.53	13
4	Central Lakes College	$39,806	$19.14
5	Washington Health System	$39,386	$18.94
6	Grand View University	$38,466	$18.49
7	Monroe Community College	$38,298	$18.41
8	Hormel Foods	$38,207	$18.37	13
9	Martin Marietta	$38,061	$18.30	1
10	State of Connecticut	$38,027	$18.28	13
11	Harsco	$38,026	$18.28
12	Salt Lake County	$37,938	$18.24	3
13	Eastern Metal Supply	$37,617	$18.09	2
14	White County	$37,418	$17.99
15	Kiewit	$37,338	$17.95	131
16	WestRock	$37,048	$17.81	4
17	Chicago Tube & Iron	$36,913	$17.75
18	Loma Linda University	$36,603	$17.60
19	AgreeYa Solutions	$36,471	$17.53
20	Medline	$36,073	$17.34	7

Writing an office clerk job description
A good office clerk job description should include a few things:
- Summary of the role
- List of responsibilities
- Required skills and experience
Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an office clerk job description:
Office clerk job description example
Are you an experienced administrator and communicator? If so, consider becoming U-Haul's newest Office Clerk! In this role you will help to act as the glue of your center, assisting the Senior Office Clerk in supporting personnel. In exchange U-Haul offers opportunities for advancement and an excellent suite of benefits.
U-Haul offers Office Clerks:
Career stability Opportunities for advancement Health insurance & Prescription plans if eligible Paid holidays, vacation, and sick days if eligible Life insurance MetLaw Legal program MetLife auto and home insurance Discounts on Apple products, Dell computers, cell phone plans, hotels, and more 401k and Employee Stock Ownership Plan 24-hour physician available for kids Dental & Vision Plans Subsidized gym/fitness membership if eligible Business and travel insurance YouMatter EAP LifeLock Identity Theft Protection Critical Illness/Group Accident Insurance

Office Clerk Primary Responsibilities:
Work under the direction of the Senior Office clerk Assist with payroll, time off requests, and onboarding Assist with purchase orders and invoices Act as first point of contact for HR matters

Office Clerk Minimum Qualifications:
Excellent computer skills (especially Microsoft Office) Experience in basic bookkeeping and tracking of financial transactions

Pay Range is: $13.25 - $22.00 Hourly

U-Haul is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, provincial, state or local law. Individual accommodations are available on requests for applicants taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Information obtained during this process will only be shared on a need to know basis.
Post your job
There are various strategies that you can use to find the right office clerk for your business:
- Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
- Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
- Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
- Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
Post your job online:
- Post your office clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit office clerk candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
During your first interview to recruit office clerks, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.
It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new office clerk
Once you have selected a candidate for the office clerk position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.
It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.
After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new office clerk. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.
Go through the hiring process checklist
- Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
- Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
- Define job responsibilities and requirements
- Establish budget and timeline
- Determine hiring decision makers for the role
- Write job description
- Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
- Promote the job internally
- Process applications through applicant tracking system
- Review resumes and cover letters
- Shortlist candidates for screening
- Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
- Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
- Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
- Conduct background checks on top candidates
- Check references of top candidates
- Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
- Extend offer to top candidate(s)
- Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
- Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
- Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
- Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire an office clerk?

Before you start to hire office clerks, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire office clerks pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $30,927 per year for an office clerk, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for office clerks in the US typically range between $12 and $18 an hour.

Find better office clerks in less time

Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring office clerks FAQs

How much does a good office clerk cost?

What are the duties of an office clerk?

Should I hire an office clerk with no experience?

Search for office clerk jobs

Ready to start hiring?

Updated December 29, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs

How to hire an office clerk