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

Office Clerks, General fall under the Office and Administrative Support category in the U.S. occupational classification. Office Clerks, General earn a median salary of $43,630 per year, ranking in the top 79% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -6.7% 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 office clerks, general earn?

The median annual wage for office clerks, general is $43,630. That puts office clerks, general at #641 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 office clerks, general a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for office clerks, general is -6.7%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 2.6M positions in 2024 to 2.5M in 2034, a net change of -178K. 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 office clerks, general do every day?

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

1. 1.Operate office machines, such as photocopiers and scanners, facsimile machines, voice mail systems, and personal computers.
2. 2.Compile, copy, sort, and file records of office activities, business transactions, and other activities.
3. 3.Open, sort, and route incoming mail, answer correspondence, and prepare outgoing mail.
4. 4.Complete work schedules, manage calendars, and arrange appointments.
5. 5.Type, format, proofread, and edit correspondence and other documents, from notes or dictating machines, using computers or typewriters.
6. 6.Deliver messages and run errands.
7. 7.Inventory and order materials, supplies, and services.
8. 8.Answer telephones, direct calls, and take messages.

Top skills for office clerks, general

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 office clerks, general?

Many office clerks, general 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 office clerks, general