Correspondence Clerks: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Correspondence Clerks fall under the Office and Administrative Support category in the U.S. occupational classification. Correspondence Clerks earn a median salary of $46,740 per year, ranking in the top 72% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -5.6% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do correspondence clerks earn?

The median annual wage for correspondence clerks is $46,740. That puts correspondence clerks at #587 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is correspondence clerks a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for correspondence clerks is -5.6%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 6K positions in 2024 to 6K in 2034, a net change of 0K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.

What do correspondence clerks do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working correspondence clerks, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Maintain files and control records to show correspondence activities.
2. 2.Gather records pertinent to specific problems, review them for completeness and accuracy, and attach records to correspondence as necessary.
3. 3.Compose letters in reply to correspondence concerning such items as requests for merchandise, damage claims, credit information requests, delinquent accounts, incorrect billing, or unsatisfactory service.
4. 4.Route correspondence to other departments for reply.
5. 5.Read incoming correspondence to ascertain nature of writers' concerns and to determine disposition of correspondence.
6. 6.Prepare documents and correspondence, such as damage claims, credit and billing inquiries, invoices, and service complaints.
7. 7.Compile data from records to prepare periodic reports.

Top skills for correspondence clerks

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become correspondence clerk?

Many correspondence clerks enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Related careers your child might also consider

• Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
  $74,260 median
• First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
  $66,140 median
• Brokerage Clerks
  $62,940 median
• Postal Service Clerks
  $61,630 median
• Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
  $57,770 median
• Postal Service Mail Carriers
  $57,490 median

Common questions parents ask about correspondence clerks