Who Earns What

How much does a records clerk make?

US Information and Record Clerks, All Other
$49,500

a year · about $24 an hour

A typical records clerk in the United States makes $49,500 a year, about $24 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

What do they do?

A records clerk sorts and files paper or electronic records, enters information, and scans documents into a computer. When a coworker needs a file, the clerk searches for it and retrieves it.

Did you know? Some U.S. government records, like emails and databases, were born digital and may be more at risk of being lost than old paper documents.

Is that a lot?

Compared with jobs you know
This job$49,500
Typical worker$50,980
Elementary teacher$63,970
Doctor$244,180
Cashier$32,880

If 100 people had this job

Most earn between $33,870 and $71,420
49 of 100
not many

How do you become one?

In the United States, most start after high school or a GED, with basic computer and office skills; some employers prefer college courses. New clerks learn filing rules and software on the job, usually in a few weeks, though government training can take months.

Why does pay differ?

In the United States, experience, useful credentials, computer skills, and more specialized or responsible tasks can affect a records clerk’s pay. The employer, location, and hours worked matter too.

Where does it pay most?

Highest in District of Columbia ($70,490), lowest in Wisconsin ($32,470).

See every state
Whole US$49,500
District of Columbia$70,490
California$58,680
Maryland$58,060
Indiana$56,310
New Jersey$55,830
Nevada$38,560
North Carolina$33,880
Wisconsin$32,470

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

Jobs like this

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Who earns more?
Data table and sources
Records clerk pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$33,870$49,500$71,420about 135,000
States where records clerks earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
District of Columbia$70,490about 1,000
California$58,680about 18,000
Maryland$58,060about 3,000
Indiana$56,310about 2,000
New Jersey$55,830about 3,000

Official definition: All information and record clerks not listed separately.

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY