252 metro areas
File Clerk Salary by City (2026)
File clerks earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $65,520 a year, against $45,590 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Waterloo, IA ($59,620 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $45,590BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $65,520San Jose, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $59,620Waterloo, IA
- Metro areas
- 252With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for file clerks
Top 10 metro areas
- San Jose, CA$65,520
- San Francisco, CA$60,010
- Napa, CA$58,820
- Salinas, CA$56,620
- Chicago, IL-IN$55,790
- Hartford, CT$55,100
- Vallejo, CA$54,620
- Santa Cruz, CA$54,560
- Hanford, CA$54,120
- Medford, OR$53,870
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $65,520 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,010 |
| Napa, CA | $58,820 |
| Salinas, CA | $56,620 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $55,790 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $55,100 |
| Vallejo, CA | $54,620 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $54,560 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $54,120 |
| Medford, OR | $53,870 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Waterloo, IA$51,900 nominal$59,620
- San Jose, CA$65,520 nominal$59,340
- Cedar Rapids, IA$51,170 nominal$57,520
- Toledo, OH$49,500 nominal$54,120
- Canton, OH$48,360 nominal$54,090
- Chicago, IL-IN$55,790 nominal$53,850
- Rockford, IL$49,570 nominal$53,790
- Des Moines, IA$49,280 nominal$53,740
- Hartford, CT$55,100 nominal$53,630
- Duluth, MN-WI$47,510 nominal$53,520
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $59,620 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $59,340 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $57,520 |
| Toledo, OH | $54,120 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | $54,090 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $53,850 |
| Rockford, IL | $53,790 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $53,740 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $53,630 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $53,520 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
File Clerk salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $65,520 | $42,370 | $76,920 | $59,340 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $60,010 | $43,760 | $68,000 | $51,910 |
| 3 | Napa, CA | $58,820 | $39,270 | $68,450 | $52,260 |
| 4 | Salinas, CA | $56,620 | $38,850 | $65,370 | $51,920 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL-IN | $55,790 | $38,360 | $64,360 | $53,850 |
| 6 | Hartford, CT | $55,100 | $41,720 | $61,670 | $53,630 |
| 7 | Vallejo, CA | $54,620 | $38,770 | $62,420 | $50,350 |
| 8 | Santa Cruz, CA | $54,560 | $38,210 | $62,610 | $49,650 |
| 9 | Hanford, CA | $54,120 | $41,230 | $60,470 | $53,260 |
| 10 | Medford, OR | $53,870 | $42,080 | $59,700 | $53,110 |
| 11 | Stockton, CA | $53,620 | $36,570 | $62,030 | $51,020 |
| 12 | Portland, OR-WA | $53,560 | $40,790 | $59,840 | $50,810 |
| 13 | San Diego, CA | $53,520 | $38,940 | $60,720 | $47,830 |
| 14 | Sacramento, CA | $53,440 | $38,600 | $60,760 | $50,100 |
| 15 | Los Angeles, CA | $53,140 | $37,500 | $60,860 | $46,790 |
| 16 | Santa Maria, CA | $52,730 | $37,880 | $60,050 | $48,470 |
| 17 | Modesto, CA | $52,620 | $38,380 | $59,630 | $50,540 |
| 18 | Boston, MA-NH | $52,370 | $40,620 | $58,180 | $48,370 |
| 19 | Greeley, CO | $51,940 | $40,600 | $57,510 | $51,850 |
| 20 | Waterloo, IA | $51,900 | $43,740 | $55,910 | $59,620 |
| 21 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $51,170 | $39,020 | $57,140 | $57,520 |
| 22 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $51,080 | $36,420 | $58,300 | $47,040 |
| 23 | Harrisburg, PA | $50,860 | $39,520 | $56,450 | $51,560 |
| 24 | Seattle, WA | $50,730 | $41,770 | $55,140 | $45,650 |
| 25 | Santa Rosa, CA | $50,480 | $36,150 | $57,550 | $46,830 |
| 26 | State College, PA | $50,460 | $38,460 | $56,370 | $52,150 |
| 27 | New Haven, CT | $50,440 | $37,730 | $56,680 | $48,240 |
| 28 | Ann Arbor, MI | $50,380 | $38,770 | $56,080 | $49,940 |
| 29 | Riverside, CA | $50,340 | $37,650 | $56,600 | $47,290 |
| 30 | Reno, NV | $50,320 | $34,720 | $58,010 | $49,810 |
| 31 | Anchorage, AK | $50,270 | $35,980 | $57,300 | $47,690 |
| 32 | Grand Rapids, MI | $50,150 | $36,380 | $56,910 | $52,490 |
| 33 | Boulder, CO | $49,630 | $38,810 | $54,950 | $47,180 |
| 34 | Rockford, IL | $49,570 | $35,150 | $56,680 | $53,790 |
| 35 | Champaign, IL | $49,500 | $34,820 | $56,720 | $53,400 |
| 36 | Toledo, OH | $49,500 | $36,730 | $55,810 | $54,120 |
| 37 | Salem, OR | $49,480 | $37,750 | $55,270 | $47,740 |
| 38 | Springfield, MA | $49,440 | $38,420 | $54,870 | $51,470 |
| 39 | Denver, CO | $49,360 | $37,650 | $55,140 | $46,660 |
| 40 | Des Moines, IA | $49,280 | $32,550 | $57,510 | $53,740 |
| 41 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $49,230 | $41,330 | $53,120 | $46,970 |
| 42 | Carson City, NV | $49,150 | $32,450 | $57,390 | $50,090 |
| 43 | Fort Wayne, IN | $49,070 | $34,860 | $56,060 | $53,010 |
| 44 | Muskegon, MI | $48,960 | $36,860 | $54,910 | $52,920 |
| 45 | Eugene, OR | $48,780 | $37,190 | $54,500 | $48,030 |
| 46 | Atlantic City, NJ | $48,590 | $36,030 | $54,790 | $49,150 |
| 47 | Durham, NC | $48,550 | $38,750 | $53,370 | $49,760 |
| 48 | Canton, OH | $48,360 | $29,080 | $57,870 | $54,090 |
| 49 | Atlanta, GA | $48,320 | $34,150 | $55,290 | $48,290 |
| 50 | Appleton, WI | $48,130 | $34,900 | $54,660 | $52,080 |
| 51 | Oxnard, CA | $48,130 | $38,770 | $52,750 | $43,540 |
| 52 | New York, NY-NJ | $47,760 | $36,710 | $53,190 | $42,430 |
| 53 | Milwaukee, WI | $47,720 | $34,130 | $54,390 | $49,230 |
| 54 | Janesville, WI | $47,690 | $38,630 | $52,150 | $50,890 |
| 55 | Davenport, IA-IL | $47,570 | $33,970 | $54,270 | $53,400 |
| 56 | Fresno, CA | $47,570 | $35,820 | $53,370 | $46,570 |
| 57 | Nashville, TN | $47,570 | $36,150 | $53,210 | $49,380 |
| 58 | Duluth, MN-WI | $47,510 | $38,060 | $52,170 | $53,520 |
| 59 | Norwich, CT | $47,220 | $41,140 | $50,210 | $47,010 |
| 60 | Madison, WI | $47,200 | $36,280 | $52,560 | $48,520 |
| 61 | Colorado Springs, CO | $46,970 | $36,570 | $52,100 | $46,640 |
| 62 | Visalia, CA | $46,780 | $36,570 | $51,810 | $46,860 |
| 63 | Bend, OR | $46,720 | $31,550 | $54,180 | $45,090 |
| 64 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $46,720 | $35,760 | $52,120 | $50,200 |
| 65 | Hilton Head Island, SC | $46,680 | $35,340 | $52,250 | $47,620 |
| 66 | St. Cloud, MN | $46,610 | $40,890 | $49,420 | $53,190 |
| 67 | Austin, TX | $46,570 | $32,680 | $53,390 | $47,490 |
| 68 | Lancaster, PA | $46,550 | $35,670 | $51,900 | $47,380 |
| 69 | Peoria, IL | $46,530 | $36,650 | $51,400 | $51,000 |
| 70 | Racine, WI | $46,490 | $35,380 | $51,960 | $48,450 |
| 71 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $46,470 | $35,440 | $51,900 | $41,880 |
| 72 | Flagstaff, AZ | $46,450 | $40,540 | $49,340 | $46,300 |
| 73 | Fort Collins, CO | $46,450 | $37,270 | $50,960 | $45,930 |
| 74 | Idaho Falls, ID | $46,430 | $32,240 | $53,390 | $49,180 |
| 75 | Detroit, MI | $46,400 | $33,880 | $52,580 | $46,260 |
| 76 | Naples, FL | $46,220 | $31,300 | $53,560 | $44,790 |
| 77 | Trenton, NJ | $46,200 | $35,360 | $51,560 | $44,780 |
| 78 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $46,180 | $34,110 | $52,120 | $45,030 |
| 79 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $46,090 | $33,700 | $52,210 | $49,220 |
| 80 | Yuma, AZ | $46,010 | $34,300 | $51,790 | $49,630 |
| 81 | Bakersfield, CA | $45,990 | $37,480 | $50,190 | $45,590 |
| 82 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $45,970 | $32,720 | $52,500 | $48,820 |
| 83 | Phoenix, AZ | $45,950 | $36,770 | $50,480 | $44,480 |
| 84 | Raleigh, NC | $45,740 | $34,940 | $51,040 | $46,600 |
| 85 | Portland, ME | $45,570 | $39,750 | $48,440 | $44,740 |
| 86 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $45,510 | $36,110 | $50,150 | $46,750 |
| 87 | Worcester, MA | $45,450 | $37,070 | $49,590 | $44,330 |
| 88 | Charleston, SC | $45,410 | $33,990 | $51,040 | $44,980 |
| 89 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $45,360 | $35,010 | $50,460 | $49,020 |
| 90 | York, PA | $45,340 | $35,340 | $50,290 | $47,230 |
| 91 | Fargo, ND-MN | $45,280 | $38,110 | $48,820 | $49,830 |
| 92 | Buffalo, NY | $45,260 | $34,610 | $50,500 | $47,220 |
| 93 | Las Vegas, NV | $45,260 | $33,570 | $51,000 | $45,160 |
| 94 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $45,260 | $35,420 | $50,110 | $41,570 |
| 95 | Redding, CA | $45,220 | $35,590 | $49,960 | $44,910 |
| 96 | Baltimore, MD | $45,200 | $35,480 | $49,960 | $43,260 |
| 97 | Houston, TX | $45,160 | $31,760 | $51,750 | $45,790 |
| 98 | Dallas, TX | $45,120 | $31,530 | $51,790 | $43,770 |
| 99 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $45,070 | $30,470 | $52,270 | $49,110 |
| 100 | Salt Lake City, UT | $45,070 | $37,520 | $48,800 | $44,680 |
| 101 | Cape Coral, FL | $45,050 | $34,070 | $50,480 | $44,020 |
| 102 | Midland, TX | $45,050 | $33,260 | $50,880 | $47,030 |
| 103 | Tulsa, OK | $45,050 | $34,990 | $50,020 | $50,500 |
| 104 | Lansing, MI | $44,990 | $32,700 | $51,040 | $47,360 |
| 105 | Richmond, VA | $44,950 | $31,470 | $51,600 | $45,930 |
| 106 | Wausau, WI | $44,840 | $35,010 | $49,690 | $48,400 |
| 107 | Chico, CA | $44,820 | $34,990 | $49,690 | $44,290 |
| 108 | Macon, GA | $44,780 | $31,510 | $51,330 | $50,580 |
| 109 | Green Bay, WI | $44,720 | $34,610 | $49,690 | $48,040 |
| 110 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $44,660 | $32,880 | $50,460 | $45,440 |
| 111 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $44,660 | $32,220 | $50,790 | $46,970 |
| 112 | Springfield, IL | $44,620 | $32,800 | $50,440 | $48,110 |
| 113 | Wildwood, FL | $44,600 | $37,380 | $48,150 | $52,210 |
| 114 | Waterbury, CT | $44,550 | $35,760 | $48,900 | $44,650 |
| 115 | Crestview, FL | $44,510 | $35,190 | $49,090 | $45,870 |
| 116 | Pittsburgh, PA | $44,510 | $34,240 | $49,570 | $47,020 |
| 117 | Little Rock, AR | $44,370 | $33,010 | $49,960 | $49,650 |
| 118 | Gainesville, GA | $44,300 | $34,630 | $49,070 | $45,780 |
| 119 | Lynchburg, VA | $44,300 | $31,800 | $50,460 | $49,570 |
| 120 | Savannah, GA | $44,300 | $33,570 | $49,590 | $46,530 |
| 121 | Sebastian, FL | $44,300 | $33,360 | $49,690 | $45,060 |
| 122 | Kenosha, WI | $44,220 | $36,210 | $48,170 | $43,730 |
| 123 | Miami, FL | $44,200 | $33,030 | $49,690 | $38,720 |
| 124 | Lincoln, NE | $44,140 | $34,940 | $48,650 | $48,200 |
| 125 | Evansville, IN | $44,120 | $33,570 | $49,320 | $48,200 |
| 126 | Lexington, KY | $44,120 | $33,200 | $49,500 | $47,500 |
| 127 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $44,050 | $31,350 | $50,290 | $43,950 |
| 128 | Syracuse, NY | $44,050 | $34,380 | $48,800 | $46,010 |
| 129 | Manchester, NH | $44,010 | $32,390 | $49,750 | $41,650 |
| 130 | Terre Haute, IN | $44,010 | $32,390 | $49,730 | $50,130 |
| 131 | Columbus, OH | $43,970 | $29,870 | $50,920 | $46,060 |
| 132 | Pensacola, FL | $43,950 | $34,110 | $48,780 | $44,980 |
| 133 | Jacksonville, FL | $43,870 | $34,030 | $48,710 | $44,100 |
| 134 | Boise City, ID | $43,780 | $34,170 | $48,510 | $44,500 |
| 135 | Albany, NY | $43,760 | $34,240 | $48,440 | $43,950 |
| 136 | Augusta, GA-SC | $43,760 | $32,240 | $49,440 | $47,620 |
| 137 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $43,660 | $33,680 | $48,590 | $47,360 |
| 138 | Bridgeport, CT | $43,580 | $34,010 | $48,300 | $40,780 |
| 139 | Spartanburg, SC | $43,580 | $33,570 | $48,510 | $47,860 |
| 140 | Knoxville, TN | $43,560 | $31,240 | $49,610 | $47,060 |
| 141 | Omaha, NE-IA | $43,560 | $33,840 | $48,340 | $47,390 |
| 142 | Wichita, KS | $43,510 | $36,380 | $47,030 | $48,920 |
| 143 | Indianapolis, IN | $43,490 | $34,360 | $48,010 | $45,450 |
| 144 | Kalamazoo, MI | $43,330 | $33,990 | $47,920 | $45,690 |
| 145 | Deltona, FL | $43,260 | $34,650 | $47,510 | $43,540 |
| 146 | Topeka, KS | $43,220 | $37,480 | $46,050 | $48,660 |
| 147 | Tampa, FL | $43,080 | $33,530 | $47,780 | $42,700 |
| 148 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $43,060 | $31,490 | $48,730 | $43,070 |
| 149 | San Antonio, TX | $42,930 | $31,990 | $48,340 | $45,320 |
| 150 | North Port, FL | $42,890 | $33,490 | $47,510 | $41,880 |
| 151 | Rochester, NY | $42,890 | $35,650 | $46,470 | $44,200 |
| 152 | Greensboro, NC | $42,850 | $32,320 | $48,030 | $46,140 |
| 153 | Lakeland, FL | $42,850 | $31,660 | $48,340 | $44,110 |
| 154 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $42,790 | $33,180 | $47,510 | $43,690 |
| 155 | Providence, RI-MA | $42,680 | $33,400 | $47,260 | $41,940 |
| 156 | Erie, PA | $42,660 | $34,280 | $46,800 | $46,900 |
| 157 | Sheboygan, WI | $42,620 | $33,110 | $47,320 | $45,330 |
| 158 | Tucson, AZ | $42,600 | $36,230 | $45,720 | $43,960 |
| 159 | Dover, DE | $42,560 | $36,960 | $45,300 | $43,650 |
| 160 | Winston, NC | $42,540 | $32,510 | $47,470 | $46,220 |
| 161 | Pueblo, CO | $42,470 | $35,240 | $46,030 | $46,280 |
| 162 | Oklahoma City, OK | $42,450 | $31,800 | $47,720 | $46,950 |
| 163 | Prescott Valley, AZ | $42,430 | $37,750 | $44,740 | $43,180 |
| 164 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $42,370 | $33,780 | $46,590 | $38,720 |
| 165 | Lake Havasu City, AZ | $42,270 | $37,210 | $44,760 | $44,920 |
| 166 | Asheville, NC | $42,140 | $28,890 | $48,670 | $43,670 |
| 167 | Fayetteville, AR | $42,100 | $32,880 | $46,630 | $46,080 |
| 168 | Wilmington, NC | $42,100 | $32,590 | $46,780 | $43,660 |
| 169 | El Centro, CA | $42,000 | $35,170 | $45,340 | $44,130 |
| 170 | South Bend, IN-MI | $42,000 | $33,400 | $46,240 | $45,230 |
| 171 | Akron, OH | $41,950 | $30,720 | $47,490 | $44,930 |
| 172 | Charlottesville, VA | $41,850 | $32,320 | $46,550 | $42,210 |
| 173 | Fayetteville, NC | $41,750 | $33,800 | $45,660 | $45,390 |
| 174 | Dayton, OH | $41,700 | $26,310 | $49,280 | $44,990 |
| 175 | Rome, GA | $41,600 | $29,970 | $47,340 | $46,140 |
| 176 | Utica, NY | $41,600 | $32,680 | $45,990 | $44,890 |
| 177 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $41,560 | $30,470 | $47,030 | $43,580 |
| 178 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $41,500 | $33,360 | $45,490 | $48,010 |
| 179 | Greenville, SC | $41,350 | $31,050 | $46,430 | $44,340 |
| 180 | Provo, UT | $41,350 | $31,510 | $46,200 | $42,090 |
| 181 | Scranton, PA | $41,330 | $31,600 | $46,110 | $44,180 |
| 182 | Orlando, FL | $41,120 | $34,440 | $44,410 | $40,550 |
| 183 | Panama City, FL | $40,980 | $32,720 | $45,050 | $42,120 |
| 184 | Reading, PA | $40,960 | $30,780 | $45,950 | $42,200 |
| 185 | Lawton, OK | $40,910 | $25,580 | $48,460 | $47,600 |
| 186 | Grand Junction, CO | $40,850 | $33,090 | $44,680 | $42,790 |
| 187 | Oshkosh, WI | $40,810 | $30,990 | $45,640 | $43,920 |
| 188 | Cleveland, OH | $40,680 | $28,290 | $46,800 | $43,310 |
| 189 | Palm Bay, FL | $40,620 | $31,640 | $45,050 | $40,620 |
| 190 | Bloomington, IN | $40,600 | $25,980 | $47,820 | $42,700 |
| 191 | Corpus Christi, TX | $40,540 | $29,410 | $46,010 | $43,750 |
| 192 | Muncie, IN | $40,480 | $34,130 | $43,600 | $45,920 |
| 193 | Gainesville, FL | $40,410 | $32,530 | $44,300 | $41,770 |
| 194 | Jackson, TN | $40,390 | $34,900 | $43,100 | $47,230 |
| 195 | Flint, MI | $40,270 | $29,540 | $45,550 | $43,290 |
| 196 | Chambersburg, PA | $40,250 | $34,690 | $42,990 | $42,530 |
| 197 | Abilene, TX | $40,040 | $30,060 | $44,970 | $44,310 |
| 198 | Eagle Pass, TX | $39,960 | $30,560 | $44,600 | $47,680 |
| 199 | Las Cruces, NM | $39,890 | $37,190 | $41,250 | $44,220 |
| 200 | Amarillo, TX | $39,850 | $29,660 | $44,870 | $43,400 |
| 201 | Hickory, NC | $39,710 | $31,080 | $43,970 | $44,880 |
| 202 | Waco, TX | $39,540 | $30,060 | $44,200 | $42,720 |
| 203 | Sherman, TX | $39,520 | $29,000 | $44,700 | $42,150 |
| 204 | Odessa, TX | $39,500 | $30,800 | $43,780 | $42,070 |
| 205 | Greenville, NC | $39,250 | $30,220 | $43,680 | $44,400 |
| 206 | Billings, MT | $39,150 | $28,480 | $44,410 | $41,860 |
| 207 | Helena, MT | $39,100 | $28,770 | $44,180 | $40,870 |
| 208 | Columbia, MO | $39,040 | $31,200 | $42,910 | $43,650 |
| 209 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $38,770 | $28,600 | $43,780 | $42,630 |
| 210 | Beaumont, TX | $38,730 | $27,850 | $44,080 | $43,010 |
| 211 | Ogden, UT | $38,560 | $31,550 | $42,020 | $38,430 |
| 212 | Tallahassee, FL | $38,230 | $32,720 | $40,960 | $40,710 |
| 213 | Youngstown, OH | $38,190 | $26,830 | $43,780 | $43,700 |
| 214 | College Station, TX | $38,150 | $29,600 | $42,370 | $41,950 |
| 215 | Bloomington, IL | $38,110 | $32,160 | $41,020 | $40,740 |
| 216 | Albuquerque, NM | $38,040 | $27,440 | $43,280 | $39,810 |
| 217 | Columbia, SC | $37,920 | $23,520 | $44,990 | $40,490 |
| 218 | Longview, TX | $37,610 | $28,930 | $41,890 | $42,030 |
| 219 | Lubbock, TX | $37,610 | $27,910 | $42,370 | $41,190 |
| 220 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $37,400 | $21,150 | $45,410 | $40,890 |
| 221 | El Paso, TX | $37,270 | $27,930 | $41,870 | $41,450 |
| 222 | Blacksburg, VA | $37,190 | $30,280 | $40,580 | $40,110 |
| 223 | New Orleans, LA | $37,070 | $28,100 | $41,480 | $40,030 |
| 224 | Charleston, WV | $37,000 | $26,580 | $42,140 | $41,710 |
| 225 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $36,670 | $26,850 | $41,520 | $41,470 |
| 226 | Springfield, MO | $36,670 | $29,970 | $39,960 | $41,400 |
| 227 | Florence, SC | $36,520 | $32,340 | $38,600 | $42,090 |
| 228 | Killeen, TX | $36,440 | $28,640 | $40,270 | $39,990 |
| 229 | Roanoke, VA | $36,400 | $28,830 | $40,140 | $38,880 |
| 230 | Johnson City, TN | $36,090 | $23,980 | $42,060 | $41,040 |
| 231 | McAllen, TX | $35,630 | $25,420 | $40,660 | $41,480 |
| 232 | Laredo, TX | $35,610 | $27,250 | $39,730 | $40,950 |
| 233 | Tyler, TX | $35,570 | $23,520 | $41,480 | $38,600 |
| 234 | Missoula, MT | $35,260 | $24,610 | $40,520 | $36,560 |
| 235 | St. George, UT | $35,260 | $28,560 | $38,560 | $36,230 |
| 236 | Brownsville, TX | $35,240 | $24,040 | $40,750 | $40,990 |
| 237 | Slidell, LA | $35,110 | $21,130 | $42,000 | $37,860 |
| 238 | Jackson, MS | $35,070 | $27,310 | $38,900 | $39,380 |
| 239 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $34,840 | $27,230 | $38,600 | $41,470 |
| 240 | Morristown, TN | $34,650 | $21,420 | $41,160 | $40,120 |
| 241 | Great Falls, MT | $33,300 | $23,670 | $38,040 | $34,380 |
| 242 | Gulfport, MS | $33,260 | $26,420 | $36,630 | $36,950 |
| 243 | Ocala, FL | $33,240 | $28,930 | $35,340 | $34,900 |
| 244 | Baton Rouge, LA | $33,070 | $23,130 | $37,980 | $36,430 |
| 245 | Harrisonburg, VA | $32,720 | $25,810 | $36,130 | $34,480 |
| 246 | Wichita Falls, TX | $32,530 | $24,610 | $36,440 | $36,340 |
| 247 | Lafayette, LA | $32,140 | $23,400 | $36,440 | $36,850 |
| 248 | Shreveport, LA | $31,740 | $23,420 | $35,840 | $37,440 |
| 249 | Houma, LA | $29,560 | $20,070 | $34,240 | $34,730 |
| 250 | Monroe, LA | $29,270 | $19,220 | $34,200 | $35,010 |
| 251 | Lake Charles, LA | $28,950 | $20,590 | $33,090 | $33,720 |
| 252 | San Juan, PR | $27,580 | $22,960 | $29,870 | N/A |
More
More on file clerks
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
File Clerk salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays file clerks the most?
San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $65,520 a year, followed by San Francisco, CA ($60,010), Napa, CA ($58,820), Salinas, CA ($56,620). The national mean is $45,590 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do file clerks earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Waterloo, IA ($59,620 at national prices, $51,900 nominal), San Jose, CA ($59,340 at national prices, $65,520 nominal), Cedar Rapids, IA ($57,520 at national prices, $51,170 nominal).
How much do file clerks make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $47,760; Los Angeles, CA: $53,140; Chicago, IL-IN: $55,790; Dallas, TX: $45,120; Houston, TX: $45,160 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do file clerks earn the least?
Of the 252 metro areas with their own estimate, San Juan, PR has the lowest mean wage, $27,580.