What an office clerk costs in 2026
The median office clerk in the United States earned $45,010 a year, $21.64 an hour, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 survey. With benefits at a small employer, a full-time office clerk at the median costs about $60,800 a year, or about $5,100 a month.
The middle half of office clerks earn $36,350 to $54,300. There are 2,464,940 of them across the country, and what one costs you depends most on where you are: District of Columbia has the highest median at $55,040, and Alabama the lowest of the 50 states at $31,200.
Liaison does the routine half of an office clerk’s job for 12% of that. See how.
What an office clerk would cost you
Pick a state or a metro area and the hours you need. The cost is the median hourly wage there plus benefits at the rate you choose.
Office clerk, the United States, 40 hours a week
$60,768 a year
$5,064 a month. Wages $45,011 at the median of $21.64 an hour, plus $15,757 in benefits. The middle half of office clerks here earn $36,350 to $54,300 in wages.
Office clerk wages and cost by state
Median wage, May 2025. The cost column adds benefits at the rate for employers with 1 to 49 workers (35% on top of wages).
| State | Median annual | Median hourly | Cost to a small employer | Middle half earns | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $31,200 | $15.00 | $42,122 | $25,240 to $38,020 | 13,130 |
| Alaska | $51,890 | $24.95 | $70,055 | $43,320 to $62,610 | 3,440 |
| Arizona | $46,420 | $22.32 | $62,670 | $38,230 to $55,950 | 52,710 |
| Arkansas | $37,050 | $17.81 | $50,020 | $30,580 to $45,560 | 29,940 |
| California | $48,460 | $23.30 | $65,424 | $40,430 to $60,110 | 311,490 |
| Colorado | $53,550 | $25.75 | $72,296 | $46,340 to $65,100 | 31,770 |
| Connecticut | $48,280 | $23.21 | $65,181 | $40,630 to $58,410 | 23,190 |
| Delaware | $42,740 | $20.55 | $57,702 | $33,840 to $51,680 | 7,230 |
| District of Columbia | $55,040 | $26.46 | $74,308 | $46,530 to $65,570 | 5,670 |
| Florida | $44,450 | $21.37 | $60,011 | $36,070 to $53,950 | 189,700 |
| Georgia | $40,590 | $19.51 | $54,799 | $34,460 to $48,680 | 75,390 |
| Guam | $26,470 | $12.73 | $35,736 | $21,890 to $31,330 | 760 |
| Hawaii | $42,340 | $20.35 | $57,162 | $36,600 to $50,840 | 12,930 |
| Idaho | $44,830 | $21.55 | $60,524 | $36,910 to $51,390 | 20,790 |
| Illinois | $45,730 | $21.99 | $61,739 | $37,060 to $55,260 | 95,980 |
| Indiana | $44,520 | $21.40 | $60,105 | $36,010 to $52,310 | 58,480 |
| Iowa | $44,310 | $21.30 | $59,822 | $36,180 to $51,830 | 23,120 |
| Kansas | $32,370 | $15.56 | $43,702 | $22,570 to $49,480 | 2,130 |
| Kentucky | $37,870 | $18.21 | $51,127 | $30,430 to $46,760 | 29,750 |
| Louisiana | $32,480 | $15.62 | $43,850 | $25,400 to $39,500 | 31,790 |
| Maine | $45,300 | $21.78 | $61,158 | $38,950 to $50,500 | 11,260 |
| Maryland | $47,270 | $22.73 | $63,818 | $38,580 to $59,330 | 27,290 |
| Massachusetts | $49,940 | $24.01 | $67,423 | $42,350 to $60,150 | 47,940 |
| Michigan | $44,820 | $21.55 | $60,510 | $36,490 to $52,920 | 88,030 |
| Minnesota | $47,840 | $23.00 | $64,587 | $40,080 to $57,720 | 55,530 |
| Mississippi | $34,900 | $16.78 | $47,118 | $27,520 to $42,800 | 17,600 |
| Missouri | $42,370 | $20.37 | $57,203 | $35,190 to $50,940 | 56,050 |
| Montana | $46,480 | $22.35 | $62,751 | $38,630 to $57,150 | 10,390 |
| Nebraska | $37,820 | $18.18 | $51,060 | $32,170 to $45,740 | 10,000 |
| Nevada | $45,460 | $21.86 | $61,374 | $36,780 to $55,280 | 20,430 |
| New Hampshire | $49,020 | $23.57 | $66,181 | $40,060 to $59,650 | 12,740 |
| New Jersey | $48,570 | $23.35 | $65,573 | $39,510 to $59,190 | 65,130 |
| New Mexico | $37,130 | $17.85 | $50,128 | $31,820 to $43,920 | 11,880 |
| New York | $45,890 | $22.06 | $61,955 | $36,840 to $54,280 | 134,280 |
| North Carolina | $41,770 | $20.08 | $56,392 | $34,520 to $49,900 | 67,930 |
| North Dakota | $50,160 | $24.11 | $67,720 | $42,680 to $62,100 | 8,440 |
| Ohio | $43,680 | $21.00 | $58,971 | $34,910 to $52,000 | 89,310 |
| Oklahoma | $37,240 | $17.90 | $50,277 | $29,750 to $46,680 | 31,870 |
| Oregon | $49,910 | $23.99 | $67,382 | $42,340 to $58,790 | 27,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,950 | $21.61 | $60,686 | $36,910 to $52,690 | 107,500 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,860 | $11.47 | $32,213 | $21,940 to $29,290 | 20,190 |
| Rhode Island | $47,830 | $23.00 | $64,574 | $39,670 to $58,930 | 7,700 |
| South Carolina | $36,840 | $17.71 | $49,737 | $28,900 to $45,620 | 42,250 |
| South Dakota | $38,560 | $18.54 | $52,059 | $31,380 to $45,110 | 1,720 |
| Tennessee | $38,860 | $18.68 | $52,464 | $32,130 to $47,750 | 49,880 |
| Texas | $39,000 | $18.75 | $52,653 | $30,750 to $48,720 | 218,470 |
| Utah | $44,060 | $21.18 | $59,484 | $35,500 to $53,660 | 36,470 |
| Vermont | $48,310 | $23.23 | $65,222 | $41,720 to $55,990 | 5,100 |
| Virgin Islands | $37,330 | $17.95 | $50,398 | $30,030 to $49,570 | 560 |
| Virginia | $46,410 | $22.31 | $62,657 | $37,600 to $56,780 | 66,550 |
| Washington | $50,500 | $24.28 | $68,179 | $44,700 to $61,320 | 49,050 |
| West Virginia | $35,020 | $16.84 | $47,280 | $28,800 to $42,770 | 9,430 |
| Wisconsin | $44,980 | $21.63 | $60,726 | $36,730 to $51,580 | 51,440 |
| Wyoming | $42,840 | $20.60 | $57,837 | $35,610 to $52,710 | 6,670 |
Highest and lowest paying metro areas
Out of the 392 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for office clerks. The lowest list covers the 50 states and DC; the calculator above has every metro area, Puerto Rico’s included.
| Highest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | $59,840 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $58,840 |
| Greeley, CO | $56,030 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $55,960 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $55,620 |
| Lowest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| Dothan, AL | $27,180 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $27,430 |
| Gadsden, AL | $28,330 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | $29,440 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $29,880 |
The routine part of the office clerk’s job
Much of what an office clerk does every week is routine: the follow-ups, the reconciling, the scheduling, the reports pulled together from three systems. That routine part is what Liaison does, inside the tools the business already runs: $629 a month on Professional, set up with you, or $149 a month self-serve. The judgment stays with your people.
The routine half of an office clerk’s job, for 12% of what one costs.
- Enters and files what arrives: bills, forms, records, receipts.
- Keeps the records consistent across your tools, one customer and one vendor each.
- Chases the missing piece, the signature, the receipt, the confirmation, without being asked.
Professional is $629 a month, $7,548 a year, against about $60,800 a year for an office clerk at the median once benefits are added. On Professional we connect your tools, bring your data in and set up the first rules with you. Anything that moves money waits for your yes.
“Cut our month-end close from 4 days to 4 hours.” Marcus C., owner
$629 a month, or $500 a month on a 12-month term. Prefer to start on your own? Starter is $149 a month, self-serve, with a free trial first: 7 days, no card. More: AI office manager.
Questions
How much does an office clerk cost a small business?
The median office clerk earned $45,010 a year, or $21.64 an hour, in May 2025. Benefits at employers with fewer than 50 workers add 35% on top of wages (June 2026), so a full-time office clerk at the median costs about $60,800 a year. The middle half earn $36,350 to $54,300.
Which states pay office clerks the most?
District of Columbia ($55,040), Colorado ($53,550) and Alaska ($51,890) have the highest median wage for office clerks. The lowest among the 50 states and DC are Alabama ($31,200), Kansas ($32,370) and Louisiana ($32,480).
Which metro areas pay office clerks the most?
Boulder, CO ($59,840), San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,840) and Greeley, CO ($56,030), out of the 392 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for office clerks.
Where does this data come from?
Wages are the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025, occupation 43-9061. The benefit cost is from the BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation release for June 2026. Recruiting, training, equipment and turnover are not included.
See it on your own business.
Thirty minutes with us, on your own tools. Bring the thing that eats your evenings and watch it get handled from your own inbox, calendar and books.
Professional is $629 a month and we set it up with you. Starter is $149 a month, self-serve, with the free trial first: 7 days, no card. Every plan is on the pricing page.