Kids' questions / Business

🧑‍💼 How much does an office worker make?

U.S. office-support median: $47,450; 2023 low/top-decile marks: $30,240/$71,440. Japan’s common bands: women ¥2–3m, men ¥4–5m; office clerks average ¥5.41m; Sony’s Hiroki Totoki: ¥2.8bn.

Pay varies with experience, employer, location, and rank; a company president’s disclosed pay is an extreme example, not a usual office salary.

US Most people, typical, the top

Office worker — US
Who	Yearly earnings	Based on
Lower-paid office-support workers (10th-percentile reference)	$30,240	BLS OEWS 2023 10th percentile
Typical office-support worker (2025 median)	$47,450	BLS 2025 median
Top 10% threshold (2023 reference)	$71,440	BLS OEWS 2023 90th percentile

Office worker salary in Japan: about $36K a year

Per month and per day

Office worker — US
Who	Per month	Per day (÷365)
Lower-paid office-support workers (10th-percentile reference)	$2,520	$83
Typical office-support worker (2025 median)	$3,954	$130
Top 10% threshold (2023 reference)	$5,953	$196

About $22 an hour

Where does the money come from?

Regular wages or salary: The main pay is wages or a salary for doing the office job. Source
Overtime pay: Workers covered by overtime law must receive at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Source

How do you become an office worker?

In the United States, finish high school or earn an equivalent credential, and learn basic word-processing and spreadsheet skills. Apply for an entry-level general office clerk job; most clerks learn office rules, phone manners, and equipment use on the job.

Finish high school or earn an equivalent credential.
Practice basic word-processing and spreadsheet skills.
Apply for an entry-level general office clerk job.
Learn phone manners, office procedures, and equipment on the job.

Qualifications and exams

BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for general office clerks, along with short-term on-the-job training. It lists no required license or exam.

A day as an office worker

A typical day may start with answering calls and email, sorting mail, and checking appointments. Later, the worker prepares bills or other papers, enters information, and files records.

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Who earns more?

Common questions

What is typical pay for U.S. office-support workers?

In May 2025, typical yearly pay for the U.S. office and administrative support group was $47,450. Source

How much do general office clerks earn?

General office clerks had typical yearly pay of $45,010 in May 2025. Source

Can experience affect an office worker's pay?

BLS says experience and education are among the factors that affect where a worker's pay falls in the wage range. More experience may be linked to higher wages, but it does not guarantee a raise. Source

Do office wages vary by place and industry?

Yes. BLS says wages can differ by location and industry; workers in large metro areas tend to earn more, partly because living costs and other factors differ. Source

Do office clerks need a college degree?

A college degree is usually not needed for general office clerk jobs. BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical, and workers usually learn the job on the job. Source

This section summarizes public sources. We only show numbers that have a source.

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In Japan

Japan Most people, typical, the top

Office worker — Japan
Who	Yearly earnings	Based on
Most common annual-pay bands by sex: women ¥2–3m; men ¥4–5m	$13,333–$33,333	NTA 2024 salary-band distribution
A typical general office clerk	$36,093	MHLW Job Tag 2025 annual wage estimate
Exceptional top-company executive example Sony Group President Hiroki Totoki (~¥2.8 billion)	$18.67M	Tokyo Shoko Research FY2025 survey of disclosed executive pay (securities-report figures), via Nippon.com

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Data table and sources