The median pay for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks is $50,080 a year ($24.08/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 7.4% through 2035, with about 900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 43-4041
- Office and Administrative Support
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk in four numbers
- Median pay
- $50,080a year, or $24.08/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $30KTop 10% $73K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -7.4%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−7.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −7.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 90012,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202512.2K
- Projected 203511.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 12.2K Projected 2035 11.3K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Commercial Credit Reviewer, Commercial Loan Reviewer, Credit Investigator, Credit Processor, Credit Representative.
Pay
How much do Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks make?
Every credit authorizer, checker, and clerk in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$50,080
Middle half earn $40,520 to $60,860
- 10th
- $30,260
- 25th
- $40,520
- 75th
- $60,860
- 90th
- $72,700
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $30,260 |
| 25th | $40,520 |
| Median | $50,080 |
| 75th | $60,860 |
| 90th | $72,700 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $50,080
- Median hourly wage
- $24.08/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $51,420
- People employed
- 12,030
Versus all US occupations
At $50,080, the median for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks sits in line with the $50,980 median across all US occupations.
Versus office and administrative support occupations
The median is typical for the Office and Administrative Support group, where the middle occupation pays $49,230.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $72,700 or more while the bottom 10% earn $30,260, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 21% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Texas pays the most at $62,930, and still leads at $64,838 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Texas | $62,930 | $64,838 | 1,180 |
| 2Minnesota | $61,000 | $61,853 | 70 |
| 3Washington | $59,840 | $55,918 | 110 |
| 4New Jersey | $59,400 | $54,593 | 600 |
| 5Illinois | $58,880 | $58,905 | 140 |
| 6New Hampshire | $58,620 | $56,276 | 110 |
| 7Wisconsin | $57,940 | $61,576 | 310 |
| 8Ohio | $57,120 | $61,569 | 490 |
| 9New York | $56,510 | $52,362 | 730 |
| 10Massachusetts | $55,300 | $52,290 | 250 |
Job outlook
Is Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -7.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks | −7.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks to change -7.4% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 900 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 900 openings are projected each year, 7.4% of the 12,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of financial clerks is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The availability of online tools, which allow financial customers to perform many tasks themselves, is expected to reduce demand for occupations such as new accounts clerks; procurement clerks; and credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks. Similarly, productivity-enhancing technology is expected to limit demand for other clerks, such as payroll and timekeeping clerks, loan interviewers and clerks, brokerage clerks, and insurance claims and policy processing clerks.
Getting in
How to become a Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most financial clerk jobs. These workers typically learn their duties through on-the-job training.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk do?
Authorize credit charges against customers' accounts. Investigate history and credit standing of individuals or business establishments applying for credit. May interview applicants to obtain personal and financial data, determine credit worthiness, process applications, and notify customers of acceptance or rejection of credit.
Financial clerks do administrative work for many types of organizations. They keep records, help customers, and carry out transactions that involve money.
Day-to-day tasks
- Compile and analyze credit information gathered by investigation.
- Keep records of customers' charges and payments.
- Obtain information about potential creditors from banks, credit bureaus, and other credit services, and provide reciprocal information if requested.
- Interview credit applicants by telephone or in person to obtain personal and financial data needed to complete credit report.
- Call customers to collect payment on delinquent accounts.
- Consult with customers to resolve complaints or verify financial or credit transactions.
- Contact former employers and other acquaintances to verify applicants' references, employment, health history, or social behavior.
- Prepare reports of findings and recommendations.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most financial clerks work full time.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Active Listening3.6
- Speaking3.6
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Writing3.1
- Monitoring3.0
- Active Learning2.6
- Mathematics2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 |
| Active Listening | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 2.6 |
| Mathematics | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Time Management3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Service Orientation3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Instructing2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
- Persuasion2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 2.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.8 |
| Persuasion | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Financial analysis software
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 7 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Conventional7.0
- Enterprising4.5
- Social3.4
- Investigative1.9
- Realistic1.0
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk
O*NET related occupations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Office and Administrative Support
- Business and Financial Operations
- Office and Administrative Support
- Business and Financial Operations
- Office and Administrative Support
More office and administrative support careers
Median annual pay, with credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks highlighted
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant$76,590
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$55,570
- Public Safety Telecommunicator$53,040
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$50,670
- Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$50,610
- Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk$50,080
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Teller$43,030
- Receptionist and Information Clerk$38,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant | $76,590 |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $55,570 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $50,670 |
| Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 |
| Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk | $50,080 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 |
| Teller | $43,030 |
| Receptionist and Information Clerk | $38,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk appears on
Questions
Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk: frequently asked questions
How much do Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks make?
Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks earn a median of $50,080 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), close to the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $24.08/hr. The middle half earn between $40,520 and $60,860. The top 10% earn $72,700 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 7.4% over 2025–2035, a loss of 900 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk do?
Financial clerks do administrative work for many types of organizations. A core O*NET task: compile and analyze credit information gathered by investigation. Employers most often ask for Business intelligence and data analysis software, Data base user interface and query software, Document management software.
Which states pay Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks the most?
The highest state medians for Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks are Texas ($62,930), Minnesota ($61,000), Washington ($59,840) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Credit Authorizer, Checker, and Clerk?
O*NET scores Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks highest on the Conventional, Enterprising and Social interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.